The Crew 2

Big world, small ideas

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IGNORE THE NARRATIVE

In an ill-advised move, Ivory Tower has attempted to include some semblance of a narrative within The Crew 2. As you hit milestones you’re ‘treated’ to short cut-scenes that are designed to contextualise your performance and inspire you to push towards the next one.

The short of it is that the writing, directing and concepts contained within these moments are terrible and work to undermine your experience, rather than enhance it. These moments are not so regular that they dominate the entire experience, but they are far too frequent given their lack of quality.

Frankly, their inclusion smells of a decision borne out of focus testing non-gamers rather than one that originated from the minds of the design team.

PS 4

For all it tries and for all of its small victories, The Crew 2 ultimately loses its attempt to turn the United States into a vehicular playground.

Certainly, it’s a valiant effort and an improvement on the original, but a lack of personality, a reliance on progress-through repetition and frustratingly implemented artificial intelligence combine to hinder what might have otherwise been a grand road trip.

Its problems are built around comfort. The degree to which developer Ivory Tower strives to make sure players feel comfortable in this digital recreation of the land of the free results in an experience that lacks any of the danger and spectacle that you’d reasonably expect when offered the chance to tear across one of the world’s most diverse and interesting environments.