Wreckfest 2 Launches With Transparent Early Access Woes and Impressively Destructive Car Crashes
Devs behind beloved destruction-focused racing game Wreckfest launch the sequel in early access with a trailer full of physics glitches and fatal error messages
I really didn't know what to do with their headline. Gamesradar's sometimes remind of X-Play.
This is a weird one for me.
When the first Wreckfest(back then Next Car Game) launched as a crowdfunded game 12(?) years ago as an early access title it made sense. Flat Out as a franchise wasnt in their hands anymore and it hit rockbottom. So to develop a new game in a genre which had no competitor at the time with the community was compelling. Ngl the development was rocky at times. But in the end they made a super good game. THQ Nordiq got on board and with that funds for very big improvements in the tech it dearly needed. At times the game barely ran on high end PCs. But the engine got optimized so well it started to run well on the (now)last-gen consoles, then the switch and even mobile phones. But with that came also a lot of additions i really disliked. The physics got nerfed for the consoles but also on the PC, DLC galore, FOMO weekly events, the pretty realistic(ish) focus on folk racing shifted more into Flat Out 2 madness. The current game is very different to 1.0 . Not all for the better IMHO(!)
Either way: They again have a franchise with name recognition, they have a decently modern engine and game with lots of content to build upon and a publisher with funds. I dont see why an early access is needed? Especially in this super bare bones form with barely any cars or tracks(some even lifted from the last game) and nothing(!) else. I've put hundreds of hours into the last game. I still love it. Also i could really use finally a fresh new racing title after all the disappointments in the last years. But this... in this form isnt it. Especially knowing the community feedback might get thrown out in the future when the money man make decision. Meh
For fomo people.
Like me! :) I've been having lots of fun with it. The AI is so much better and the car handling as well. Didn't realise till last night there's a massive collision like derby tucked away in one of the speedway modes. That was fun. Can't wait for more content to drop.
I do not expect to play games for a long time and I'm patient, so when I do want to play some game and it's still in early access or is in active development (Like STALKER 2), I just put it off for later so that when I do finally play it, it's a much better game/experience. This reminds me that it's about time I finally try out cyberpunk (bought on day one, never launched)