More impressions.
Okay so about the game, like most I was definitely skeptical after that /stream/ yesterday.
Anyways the menus are so nice and polished, you can use the analog stick to actually freely browse like a mouse and the load times are next to non-existant. Even loading up the game, although on a cut-down copy I know, was almost instant, I wish I joking.
The car selection screen is a huge improvement, nice mix between function and form. Not too sure what the steering assist does since I never selected it. Menu music is awesome btw.
First thing you (sometimes) notice when the race starts loading is some engine noises as they go by on the race start screen, those sounds are much improved. Once again the race start menu is so clean.
The HUD is GREAT, looks fresh but very GT and is useful, map in the middle was a smart move. Super minimalistic but helpful.
Right from the "START" you can tell the physics have been tweaked for the better, also probably helped by the fact I don't use an FFB wheel often (funding issues
) but it just felt so much more alive! Each car felt different, when you hop in the MX5 you can feel that nimbleness but if you push too far you go sideways, the Golf was big and sturdy but cornered less generously, the RS 01 was a fiend off the line and at low revs on cold tires, but careful driving made you feel so rewarded by its performance. You really have to put in work in this game, I had a smile on my face even when I spun out.
(leaving out sounds since we've touched upon that many a time here, me included, and I'm tired lol)
Gripes right now would really only be a lack of damage, but Kaz answered that question in the most hilarious way that also confirmed it. Next gripe I saw was some weird aliasing and some strange graphical flashing in places, like on fences and edges of vehicles. Though from what I saw those famous jaggies seem to be mostly gone? Not sure about that one. Final gripe was a weird bug that happened when moving back and forth through menus too fast but that's clearly a beta thing so whatever.
Final impressions are this is a game for those who love the racing and the thrill, it was genuinely so fun and I've been missing that for a while. Though I love car collection this is still a day one for me.
Last thing; towards the end of the event I spent a good 45 minutes, if not more, sitting in a rig with the headphones on just playing the game. So chill and so fun, can't even explain to you guys. I only used three cars and two tracks in that whole time at the end (I used more earlier though) and there were at least 15 cars to choose from, I didn't feel like I had no choice at all. My friend who wanted to go home before the Kaz presentation (not letting that happen
) spent around 30 odd minutes practising on Brands Hatch with just the RS 01.The 137 car thing is nothing to worry about when you start playing, seriously. I wasn't even looking at the time and I was so engrossed that I didn't realise it was time to go until someone came around and told us to have a final race.
I want to go back :banghead:
