2K DRIVE Review – Is it worth it?

Our rating:

By: 2K Sports

Version #: 1.5

Date Released: 2013-09-05

Developer: 2K Sports

Price: $6.99

User Rating:

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Lucid Games have been teasing this one for long, by some Facebook statuses as well as by an impressive trailer. We grew restless when it was launched only in few countries and have been waiting for the world-wide release. And last week, 2K DRIVE finally accelerated into the AppStore and got itself parked on the featured list, too.

I was quick to grab this news maker but after spending few hours, it seems to be a mixed bag. The concept is great but fails miserably in execution.

The familiar setup

A racing game with alot of different modes, cars challenges and upgrades. Championship mode forms the core of the game with over 30 sets of champagnes to be popped. They include drag races, sprints and some interesting mission races in addition to the conventional ones. Daily and weekly daring races can also be found under Challenges. The Multiplayer mode is not strictly real-time and hence doesn’t bear the same thrill as a live one. I really loved the Road trip mode, where you do some amazing stuff like racing a jet, being the Transporter, precision racing, clocking the top speed and visiting foreign monuments.

The confusing menu

In addition to these basic options, the home-screen is stuffed with too much irrelevant content that a first-time user would literally get lost in it. An RSS-like feed from the car-world, updates in real time and might even be useful for some, but I really don’t care. Again, some random races which aren’t even unlocked are featured at the front, which adds to the clutter. You can even scroll down for more clutter!!

The tricky gameplay

Everything else in a game can be bared with or forgiven, but not the gameplay. 2K DRIVE is not a member of the conventional Arcade family as the NFS or Asphalt series but is more of a Simulation type game like Real Racing 3. Yes, here things are kept more realistic with car damages, wear & tear, timers and strict handling. It is too much physics based that you’ll often find yourself ovesteering, understeering or unnecessarily drifting while handbreaking. Some users seem to love this as they like to ‘tame their monsters‘ or ‘master their rides‘ but to be honest, I hated it. Even the standard tap controls are missing and only tilt and steering controls are present.

Hence, the answer to whether you’ll like or hate this game depends on your perspective. If you like to ‘work to have fun’, this game gives you exactly that. On the other hand, if you’re like me and like to just ‘take and play’ a game, you’ll be disappointed. So much for a close-to-real experience that it invites some In-app Purchases.

Game progress and IAPs

The progress of the game is really confusing and is based on alot of different parameters like miles, levels, stars and coins. You can buy coins and stars to  get upgrades, boosts and cars while level-ups unlock events (I think!). Ahead of each game, you can also repair cars and buy boosts to get an edge in the race. Though there is an undue emphasis on spending money initially, you soon become self-sufficient after a few hours as you turn into an expert driver and start winning events.

Another important aspect of 2K DRIVE is the customization part. Starting with your own custom mugshot for the racer (like we saw in BLOODMASQUE) you can change just about anything. Create unique interiors or stunning paint jobs, upgrade parts, add components and even take your ride for a test drive.

The experience

The gameplay, as already told, is a matter of subjective opinion. But talking about graphics, this one is a real disappointment, especially for a game that intends to compete with Real Racing 3. With mediocre animations even in cutscenes and 2D-like environments in races, the game is highly unpolished. Also, the game crashes and freezes alot and takes infinity to load menus. Also if you have a bad start in a game, you have no option to resart the race; you need to quit, go back to the menu and start again. Why?

The final word

So we can see that Lucid is doing something really daring here, but they have alot to improve. I liked their concept, but RR3 has done the same so beautifully with a free app, that I just cannot advice you to spend 7 bucks for this. Also, you might be shocked to know that 2K DRIVE initially launched as a Free game in UK but changed to 7 bucks overnight with the US release. So to conclude, this game is a no go.

Tips

Now to some tips for racers out there. Maybe expert 2K Drivers can contribute in the comments, too.

• The handling is too much realistic and hard for a normal user. If you’re one of them, turning off Assists from the Settings menu can help.
• Never use Boosts unnecessarily. First try the race few times and if you’re still losing, think wisely and choose an useful boost.
• If you find the menus obtrusive, use the pull down icon on the top tool bar.
• Don’t miss the Road trips. They’re fun.
• VIP gets you tuned cars.