#Hot wheels unleashed reviews full

Still, we managed to have fun by passing the pad as we worked through the game’s career mode, which takes the form of a big city map littered with different activities. In hindsight, it’s obvious, but it was still a bit disappointing, but that’s not really a problem with the game as much as it is with the hardware. If you’re on the PS5 version of the game, you need to have two PS5 DualSense controllers for two-player mode. I only have one DualSense controller and I thought that maybe we’d be able to do split-screen with the DualShock 4 as player two. Something that was annoying that I probably should have foreseen is the split-screen multiplayer. The dull thuds complemented my poor driving, which is better than endless screeching. The speaker support was a real highlight with each clink and clank coming out of the speaker being satisfying and not annoying. It wasn’t over the top, but quite subtle but ever-present. Speaking of which, the DualSense support was really good.

He wouldn’t be able to hit the landing right and he’d get annoyed. There are no assists like in Mario Kart, Nickelodeon Racers or Race With Ryan, and he often got frustrated, especially when he couldn’t control his car while it was in the air. I’m a big boy and I’ve played racers my entire life, but my boy, Charlie, who is still finding his gaming thumbs, had some troubles. They’ll fly down the straights but they’ll have trouble slowing down in time, and if you hit a jumping ramp you’ll have to fight to hit the landing right, otherwise you’ll careen off-course and lose valuable seconds and possible the race.įor me, this was fair. The big heavy-set machines are slower and early braking to hit the drifts just right is crucial, while lighter, more nimble cars need to be handled with care. Elegance comes in simplicity, right?Ĭar handling is a different matter, though, and I’m glad to report that each car really does feel different to the last – and there are many, many cars, including familiar modern machines, golden oldies, and some fun licensed stuff, like a Superman car, the Batmobile, and many more. Pull R2 to accelerate, L2 to brake, and X to boost. The controls are as standard as they come but they don’t need to be elaborate. Sadly, there are only five of these races throughout the career mode, but they were always good fun. Speed lanes can reverse to bring you to a crawl while obstacles are more tricky to avoid. Some of the more extreme tracks – the “Boss” races – up the ante even more with the tracks actively working against you. You’ve got booster pads for a kick of speed, barriers that’ll slow you down if you’re clumsy, spider-webs that’ll hold you back, and more.

#Hot wheels unleashed reviews full

The tracks are fair but challenging and full of little surprises. You’ll loop-the-loop in a stylish base basement you’ll tear down the plastic around a skatepark – minus the drug-dealing hippies I had to contend with as a kid – and much more. You race little toy cars around the trademark yellow and blue plastic tracks that have been elaborately built around everyday places. The concept is simple and it doesn’t do much to stand out from the norm. It’s a nice change, though, and it’s easily one of the best games to come from the developer in a long time. In fact, it’s a massive change of pace for developer Milestone, with the Italian outfit swapping out the two-wheel rides of motorcycle racing for the sturdy four wheels of little toy cars. I say “arcade” racer, but honestly, I don’t think I ever put coins in any arcade racing game that was as good as Hot Wheels Unleashed. Hot Wheels Unleashed takes the traditional toys and brings them to life in a fun, easy to play, and highly enjoyable arcade racer. Availability: PSN (Digital) Retail (Buy on Amazon USA / Amazon UK)