Michael van Vuuren

Yes, it has been more than a year now, and there has been a few updates. Well I never really had any problems running the Xbox one version on my next gen console. So to be honest I never experienced what everyone else have been experiencing, I believe the whole bug thing may been blown out of proportion. There were not really more bugs than what you would find in most newly released games these days. The biggest problem here was that the expectations was too high, and lets be honest a lot of what was promised was not delivered. So I can see that there was a lot of people upset. Also important not to compare this with GTA or The Witcher 3. As it is not the same games, it is something totally different and needs to be viewed as something different. Yes there is gun fights, driving, open world and RPG elements in the game, but it is a total different take on all these elements. The world is vibrant, versatile and unlike anything else we have ever experienced in any other game. The first person shooting is also something else, there is so many types of guns, and effects that goes with it that it is satisfying enough for enough not to be just another first person shooter. It is actually a lot better than what most would expect it to be. Driving is not that brilliant, but it is also not bad, it takes a little getting used to. The car designs and interior is really something else. Not quite Forza or Grand Turismo, but it comes close. The RPG elements actually works well enough to fit this game and it’s pace. There really isn’t much to dislike here except the fact that we were promised more. The story is good, believable characters, enough to do in this world to keep you tied to the screen for hours. This is all before the next gen update came out, now it looks even better, and to be honest, I did ran into some trouble after the update. Nothing game breaking, the game just stopped and I had to restart. Thus did happen a few times, but it is not as if I had never experienced it before with other games. But now, with the next gen update the world looks even better, npc reacts better, and driving have improved somewhat. The update is not bad, but not exceptionally well either. To me personally the best part now is being able to buy more houses, something I really did not know I needed until they added 5 more apartments. Also added a few new vehicles, that I also did not know I needed, well actually still don't, but it is a nice to have. It could have easily been a paid update like most developers do these days, and people would not have minded paying a little extra for a little extra. That said and done, it is really hard to fault this game. I have some of my most memorable gaming experiences here with Cyber Punk 2077. All I am saying is, don’t hesitate because of some bad reviews. It is really not that bad, and is in my books one of the best games ever released. I gave this game a 5 out of 5. Because if I compare this to what is out there and the condition most games are being released these days. It really is a 5 out of 5, and one of the best purchases I have ever made. I rank this up there with Skyrim, memorable and an escape into another world. Don’t let the critics fool you on this, even without being able to run on walls or modify your cars. It still is something that deserves the attention of a serious gamer, that enjoys single player, open world and a good story.

This is the Grid that the 2019 reboot should have been. Not as great as the first or second Grid, but still good in it’s own way. There is room for improvement in the gameplay element, such as being able choose your second driver. Pick a main sponsor and then having them placed on your car. Even though there is a level of customisation it is not as deep as I had hoped, cant change the rims or paint them. These are minor set backs and hopefully we will see some improvements in the next instalment of the game. I were totally disappointed with the previous instalment so much so that rated it a 2 out of 5. This is after I reviewed it for what it is, an arcade racing game. I am not comparing this to any sim racing title, that will just be wrong. Because it is not a sim racer, even though at times with all the assists off, it actually does come pretty close, but still have that arcade feel to it. After buying Grid (2019) and Project Cars 3 I promised myself not to buy another Codemasters game without trying it first. Luckily for me having acces to Xbox Game Pass I could download a free 10 hour trial version of the game. I played it for a while and the next day bought the Deluxe version of Grid Legends. That alone should tell you how impressed I am. Story mode is a great plus point, and I will recommend anyone to start play from here. See this as an intro to the game, it does give you a nice cash boost to start your career with. Career is the meat of the game, and it might seem like a little less content than expected at first, but there actually is a lot here. Then there is still online and you can create your own races. Really there is enough here to satisfy any racing fan with all the multi disciplines that is on offer, and still more to come if you have deluxe version or season pass. Gameplay, now that is the big question here. Well, it handles much better than Grid (2019) or Project cars 3. This actually feels good, and is more than manageable with a controller. The cars feel different to each other. There is body wear as you race through the races without repainting your car. Yes, I know it was in Grid (2019) as well, but here it just feels and looks a little more authentic. The nemesis system is still present, but really I wouldn’t even know it is there if they didn’t told me. The graphics are not Forza or Grand Turismo like, but is what is expected from a Codemasters title. Over all Grid Legends is a good package, delivering a fun racing experience. If you are in the market for a not too serious racing experience that still offers some dept, then this is the game for you. It would seems like where Codemasters went off the track in recent years (with the exception of F1), that they are back on the track again. Maybe the EA requisition has done them good. For now I am still playing and enjoying Grid Legends.

My opinion here, is mainly based on GTA online. I never loved a game so much and hated it so much at the same time. It is great in every way that a game should be, plays great and there is so much to do. Unfortunately it is let down by two things, other players and in game currency. That may sound like two small problems, but believe me there is nothing as annoying as other players just blowing you and your car away for no good reason. You are being hunted by some snot nosed kids who have spend half their lives playing this game, those above level 150 players. So you have all these things to do on this beautifully created world, where your life is turned into a living nightmare by a few other players. So in a nutshell if just want to play the game like a normal person, it just wont happen. Too many snot nosed killers out there who have the best weapons, those irritating flying bikes that blows you into a black and white “waisted” slow motion screen. You then respawn and repeat. That is basically GTA Online, it might just as well be called GTA Survive. Then there is the money factor, oh my oh my, things are so ridiculously priced that it is one of the biggest money making schemes. You can buy in game currency that costs more than the game itself, at what point did we allow this to happen? Oh yeah, it is those snot nosed kids spending all their cash on air scooters, and if you want to compete or at least stand a chance in this GTA world, you will also need to buy some in game currency and get one of those air scooters. It is actually sad that it turned out like this, one huge battlefield that actually have no purpose other than spoiling the game for other people. Why not go and play a pvp match, that is probably because this kind of behaviour is encouraged by the developer. But why? Because it is no longer about making a game that can be enjoyed by millions, it is about making millions. The single player, remains one of the best game to date in my opinion, only sad to see the developers did not expand on that. I will not be surprised if the next GTA will be an online only game with no single player.

Ride 3 came as a surprise to me when I first played it a year after release. I was hooked and instantly Became a fan if the franchise. Then Ride 4 was announced and I was excited as it promised to be bigger and better in every way. Is it? Yes, it is, but the problems remains the same as in Ride3. It most definitely is not a copy and paste, but a reworked and restructure of the old game, which is both a good and bad thing. If you liked Ride 3, you will love Ride 4, and that is basically it. They striped away some features like upgrade options to the bikes, but added more to the rider outfit customization. Which was a good thing in my opinion, but I liked some of those features, like being able to change your grips and mirrors. Non the less, in that sense it is not more, but I can live with that as the bikes do look stunning. Where the more comes in, I can not really say. But better, most definitely, the bikes control better, the environment looks better, the weather looks great and the tyre wear is more than welcome in my books. So I like the game, but then again, I am a racing fanatic. Does this mean everyone will enjoy the game, I am afraid not. It does not offer more than just racing, but then again most racing games are like that, but at least they are accessible for the most. Ride 4, same as Ride 3, have some races that just don’t feel possible at times, it can be hard as nails, and I do believe this is intensional. It gives a sense of reward when you finally achieve gold. Although I also honestly believe this is the games biggest down fall which makes it un accessible for the casual players. I however can not fault the game in this, if this is what the developers intended, then so be it. I hope it is not just a tool to promote optional credit multiplier to the casual market. I strongly believe that this difficulty is what the fan base wants, and I am referring to the more hardcore sim racing fans out there. Those who will still support the game long after it has been released. The biggest drawback for the game is the AI, which is used as a selling tool, but is even worse than Ride 3 in my opinion. They feel like mindless numbs noticing everything on track except you, the player. Hopefully this will be fixed with a future update. Other than that, I can recomend this game to fan of the series, it is the best in the franchise to date. But I can not recommend it to casual players, especially not with the time trials, time attack and penalties at the moment. Should the have been a difficulty setting for more than just AI, it would have been a yes. But due to the steep learning curve of bike control, it is not something you can just jump into and enjoy. It takes time and some commitment, that only the few hardcore racing fans might appreciate. It is even at times too difficult for my liking. Should you be wondering if you must try the game, check out ride 3 first. If like that game and can except the difficulty, you will enjoy Ride 4 as it is much better structured, and this was the biggest changes for me. Ride 3 should be marked down right now and can be picked up quite cheap. I bought it on special a year after release, and then paid full price when ride 4 released. You either love it, or you hate it. the game

Let’s forget the fact that it is called Project Cars 3. I don’t care to be quite honest and was quite happy to hear it will be more accessible to a wider audience, most of all playable on a controller. The last two titles was a mess in any case for console owners as it was unplayable on a controller. This one is somewhat better, in actual fact, it is playable with a controller. But unfortunately that is where the good news end, what most were expecting this new title to be was Project Cars 2 with more cars, a few extra features and that it will actually be working on a controller. I am sad to say it isn’t, the things that most infuriates me is that it is a budget title at at full price, riding on the name and brand of the previous titles. In my opinion, and I know I am not alone on this, it was quite a decisive move by the developers and most people who have spend money on the game feels like they have been robbed. I for one sure feel that way, and was one of the few who couldn't care less what all the serious sim racers was saying. They loved the previous games, and I didn't for the simple reason that it was unplayable if you didn’t play it on a steering wheel. My biggest concern is how it looks, it looks bad, it looks like a last gen title, something you would have played on Xbox 360 or PS3. If anyone says it looks good or even slightly ok, they need glasses. In fact it looks so bad at times that I ask myself, how the hell did this game pass any quality checks. The worst part of it all is that it is the actual cars when they are in motion, I am not talking about the cheap menu screens where car is parked. In the cockpit view you can see the actual little square pixel blocks, with colour and shapes that does not make sense. It looks like it escaped from a next gen Minecraft screenshot. So then you take the time save a replay, and go into another menu to watch it, and what you are looking at, looks so disappointing that it is actually scary. To think that in this day and age where we have games that you almost need to like twice to make certain what you are looking at is a replay of a game, because it can easily be mistaken for the real thing. Here in Project Cars 3, your half blind Grandma in the other room can see it is a game. It blurs out of focus, stutters, have pixel white outlines and just looks unreal. Now any motor head will tell you, we play these games for the love of the cars, so mess up everything else, but not the cars. It just feels cheap from start to end, the way it is presented, the menus and missing key features like being able to watch a replay at the end of a race. Yes I know, I am not even speaking about closed pit lanes and missing tracks that they will probably sell to us at a later stage through a paid dlc. In the end all I can say is this game should have been half it’s current price and should have been branded under another name... something like “Cheap Weekend Racer”. I understand why some people are revering to it as a phone game ported to console, because it really seems like one of those games. Final verdict , it is not Slightly Mad or Codemasters fault. There should be a law against games like this being sold at full retail with a deceiving brand name that in actual fact isn’t a triple A game, but promoted as such. Safe your money today and play it tomorrow when it is on sale, you might even then still be disgusted, but at least you would not have been ripped off by this cheap scam.