It's definitely not because of the gameplay. Most mention it handles well but "lacks a soul", is "boring", "has no open-world"...
In my opinion it might be one of the best playing racing games on consoles ever with a wheel. Need to play some more but that's my first impression.
The problem is that handling well is the BARE MINIMUM a racing game should have, and even that is subjective.
People are talking about the handling in this game as though no other game in history has felt good.
The cold reality is, good handling exists in a shitload of different racing games.
How much you
personally like it doesn't make the game better than all those other games with good handling.
For this game to be the amazing thing one want it to be, you have to be able to say more than "it feels really nice when I drive the car", and "it feels really fast" and the " the AI is challenging".
Those are not what make amazing or even great driving games. Hose are part and parcel, bare minimum requirements.
When people talk about the "soul" of the game, it's about the devs injecting their own personality into the game to push it past just racing and how well that personality is presented.
Some games have fantasy themes. Some have festival themes. Some have strict formulae like touring, bikes, open wheel etc. Some have cultural themes like NFS underground series.
In terms of DC, that personality is the social aspect, but have they done it spectacularly? Is it a truly standout part of the game that truly sets it apart? Would the series be able to thrive on that aspect alone?
For all the talk about DC not having gimmicks (which are not a bad thing by nature as long as implementation is good), that's exactly what the social focus is, but it isn't an astonishing addition, nor is it something fans of racers, especially arcade have never seen before.
The point is, without shining distinction and separation from other driving games that allow you to go round a circuit, p2p or drift and focusing on that alone, you open up the game to be criticised on that alone, when that alone has been done. A LOT. AND can even be replicated to a degree in other games with provided options.
And while you may believe that the accessible handling is the best thing since sliced bread and that AI who are obstacles to manoeuvre rather than competitors who acknowledge your existence is just how you want your A.I, you again open yourself upto the fact that maybe people find their implementation just okay.
You cannot build a house that's built on the same foundations many other houses are also built from, give it four walls and a roof and proclaim that your four walls and a roof are so amazing. Four walls and a roof are the bare minimum people expect from a house. If the way you made your walls is not to a persons taste, then what else is there for you to stand on? If your added splash of personality is also something other houses do or have done, your presentation of it needs to be completely unmatched and detailed implementation to be a standout addition.
Otherwise for majority opinion, it's just another average to okay to good house.
Nothing wrong with that in the slightest, but that's all it can be. Because that's all you made.
Wow. Talk about waffling o_o
