Intro/ Set The Scene
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you fused Cruis’n USA and Mario Kart? Well wonder no more because we have just that with Hot Wheels Unleashed. So does this game live up to either game? Is this game worth your time or money? Let’s dive into it.
Let me start off by saying that this game is genuinely good. It does have some faults, but none of those take away from what is a solid game overall.
I can’t stress enough how impressive this game is visually. It’s the little details that amaze me. Everything from the track, to the environment around the course, and the cars themselves look amazing. The cars are amazingly well-designed and crafted. Each one is the spitting image of the cars that I remember playing with growing up.
Narrative
I wish that there was any type of a Narrative present here. There isn’t, but I get it that this isn’t why people play this type of game. I would have been nice icing on a cake though.
Gameplay
The game is fun. It uses familiar racing tropes like boosts on the tracks and drifting into turns that builds your momentum. If you’ve played a Mario Kart game then you’ll be right at home with Hot Wheels Unleashed. The major difference is that Hot Wheels doesn’t have the weapons or traps available to use. Experienced racers might want to ramp up the difficulty to hard. Neither easy nor medium provide enough of a challenge for veterans of the genre to stay interested long-term.
There is no other way to say it. This game has a dope ass soundtrack. There’s one funk instrumental that absolutely slaps.
Cons
I didn’t like the boxes that you acquire in the game that you have to use to buy/unlock new cars. Many times I kept getting the same car and that really sucks when each box cost a sizable amount of the in-game currency. Another flaw is the “time to beat” level. These “time to beat” levels don’t feel like they’re worthwhile. They fill like bloated content that was added just to provide more content. This game doesn’t even try to provide a narrative for gamers to invest in.
Is This a Good Single Player Experience?
Overall if you are looking for a solid racing game look no further than Hot Wheels Unleashed. Is it perfect? Not even close, but it is a fun, well crafted experience that any racing gamer with enjoy.
Why This Passion Score?
This is a solid racing game that is fun to play. It is very pick up and play friendly, well made, and its has amazing visuals. Its fun experience that racing fans will have fun with.
