REVIEW – Grid Legends is an entertaining racing game where you can race with all kinds of cars around the world. But is the variety enough to keep our attention, or are we just in for a boring lap? And what about the story mode where we can see real actors? Find out in our test, where we don’t spare the gas pedal!

Codemasters studio is not the first time they try a story-driven racing game. The 2002 TOCA Race Driver was their first attempt, which they continued in F1 2021. Grid Legends, however, chose a different path: the story is presented as a sports documentary series, where we can see real actors in front of a digital background. During the gameplay, we can shape our own destiny in various races. But is this enough to keep us glued to the screen, or is it just an unnecessary frill in a fun car game?

Driven to Glory – a sports drama full of clichés

Grid Legends’ story mode, Driven to Glory, is about joining the Seneca Racing team as a rookie driver, which is the hopeless challenger of the huge Ravenwest team. In the Grid championship, we have to prove ourselves with different cars and tracks, while events are also happening behind the scenes. The story is told by live-action scenes, where the actors are placed in a completely digital environment. This is an interesting solution that sometimes works quite spectacularly, but unfortunately it is not flawless.

The acting is often forced and unbelievable, the dialogues are stereotypical and full of clichés, and the characters are one-dimensional and forgettable. The story is not very exciting or twisty, it’s just an excuse to try out various races.

The biggest problem, however, is that there is no harmony between the gameplay and the story: whether we win or lose a race, it has no effect on the story. It’s hard to get into the situation if we feel like we have no influence on what happens to us. Maybe it would have been better to make this mode as an interactive film rather than a racing game.

Cars of all kinds – but where is the innovation?

Grid Legends’ strength is undoubtedly the variety it offers to players. In the game you can choose from more than 100 cars, which include classic touring cars, modern supercars, off-road vehicles, trucks, racing machines and even Formula 1 cars. The tracks are also varied: there are 28 locations in the game, which include urban roads, mountain roads, racetracks and off-road tracks. The gameplay also adapts to the nature of the cars and tracks: the control is simple and enjoyable, but not completely unrealistic. Players can adjust the difficulty level and aids to find the challenge that suits them. There are also different modes in the game: there are time trials, sprints, drifts, eliminators and many more. The gameplay is varied and fun, but not very new or innovative. Grid Legends does not offer anything that we have not seen in other racing games. The graphics are not outstanding either: although the game is beautiful and detailed, it does not reach the level of Forza Horizon 5 or Gran Turismo 7. The sounds are also average: the engine sound of the cars is not very realistic or varied, and the music is forgettable. Grid Legends is a good racing game, but not a great racing game.

Single and multiplayer modes – there is something for everyone here

Grid Legends does not only offer a story mode for players, but also several other options. If we want to race a little more freely, we can choose the individual modes, where we can set up our own races. Here we can choose any car and track, set the weather and time of day, and even determine what type of race it will be. If we want to compete with other players, we can go to the multiplayer mode, where we can play online or through a local network. There are also different modes here: there are ranked and unranked races, as well as custom races. In multiplayer mode we can also complete various challenges, for which we get points and rewards. The multiplayer mode can be exciting and enjoyable, but it does not always work smoothly. Sometimes it is hard to find a suitable race or join an existing one. Sometimes the online opponents behave unsportingly or unfairly. The multiplayer mode can therefore provide good entertainment, but it is not perfect.

Grid Legends – a good racing game, but not the next big thing

Grid Legends is a racing game worth trying if you like cars and speed. The game offers a variety of cars and tracks that you can enjoy racing with. The gameplay is simple and fun, but not completely unrealistic. The game has several modes: there is a story mode where you can be part of a sports documentary series, as well as individual and multiplayer modes where you can set up your own races.

The game, however, does not offer anything that we have not seen in other racing games. The story is full of clichés and boring, the graphics are not outstanding, and the sounds are average. Grid Legends is a good racing game, but not a big bang. If you can play it for free in May with PlayStation Plus, it’s worth grabbing it, but if you have to buy it, you might want to wait for a sale.

-BadSector-

Publisher: EA

Developer: Codemasters

Style: Car racing

Release: February 25, 2022.