Car lovers have a lot to be excited about over the next few months between the release of Forza Motorsport, the Gran Turismo movie, and The Crew Motorfest from Ivory Tower. Luckily, I got to sit down and drive a few laps in Motorfest at the Ubisoft Forward during Summer Game Fest, and the game is bringing something special to the table.
Before we dive in, I must say that The Crew Motorfest is more akin to Forza Horizon than to Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport. The Crew is a racing game, not to be confused with a racing sim. Fans of the racing sim genre will be sorely disappointed if they go in expecting the wrong thing.
This is the first time we’ve seen the franchise since The Crew 2 in 2018 when players raced through the United States in an open-world environment. The Crew Motorfest will see players back in that open world, but this time on the island of O‘ahu in the Hawaiian archipelago. This means players will be racing through the streets of Hawaii, across beautiful beaches, and around plenty of other gorgeous landscapes. I honestly crashed more than once just because I was scoping out the view so many times.
The scenery isn’t all that is stunning, either. With over 610 cars at launch, The Crew Motorfest will leave you spoiled for choice. Since I could play through several different races, I saw various cars, ranging from brands like Lotus and Porsche to classics like Ferrari. The big feature is the Lamborghini Revuelto, the company’s first V12 hybrid plug-in super sports car, which will be The Crew Motorfest’s cover car.
“The Crew Motorfest is diving into its campaigns with a new twist called Playlists…”
Though I wouldn’t say the game has quite the dedication to sound and style as those “sim racing games” I’ve mentioned, I will say that every rev of an engine, burnout of a tire, or glimmer of sunshine on my back bumper made me feel immersed. The use of color in The Crew Motorfest did not go unnoticed either, with everything from the tracks to the characters to the cars splattered in bright neons and dark blacks. There is something to be said for a splash of color, especially on the road.
The Crew Motorfest is diving into its campaigns with a new twist called Playlists which are “carefully designed to immerse players in a different car culture universe through a series of tailored races, themed events and challenges.” You will come across more than 12 different Playlists at launch, which include a Japanese-inspired night racing campaign and one dedicated to American muscle cars. Electric cars will also be featured in The Crew Motorfest—a new category for the series. At launch, things like helicopters and hovercrafts will not be available, but that is not to say they won’t be in the future.
Something that will be huge for The Crew 2 players is the ability to import your collection into The Crew Motorfest. Ubisoft has shared the details about how to import your collection on their site for anyone with questions. There are some stipulations, however. To import a vehicle, it needs to be available in both The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest. To find out what is available for transfer, “you can refer to the highlighted vehicles & vanities in your garage in The Crew 2.”
“Something that will be huge for The Crew 2 players is the ability to import your collection into The Crew Motorfest.”
To me, no matter how much detail, color, or how many cars are added in, a racing game is all about how you feel while you play. I sat down for under an hour in my preview, smiling and laughing the entire time. Part of that is because I’m a terrible driver—not in real life—but the rest was because The Crew Motorfest is a blast.
An open-world racer takes you from pavement to off-roading, from night racing to days, across beaches, and crashing into other players. Thankfully, the game’s handling system is a little gentler than that of something like Gran Turismo, but that doesn’t mean it drops you down to the level of Mario Kart, either. I was able to dive in and have a good time, but there are clearly plenty of things to master in The Crew Motorfest. Everything from the terrain, weather, track, and type of car will affect your race.
The Crew Motorfest will also feature online play, though that was not available when I had my hands-on preview at Summer Game Fest. Every hour, they will host events that match you against other players to put your skills to the test. Some that have been announced are The Grand Race which will put players on a randomly generated track across the island, and the Demolition Royale, which will have you pummeling other players with your team.
The Crew Motorfest will hit the racing spot for most players. Though Ivory Tower hasn’t brought the same fidelity to the racing genre as other games, The Crew Motorfest brings sexy cars, an amazing open world, and some insane tracks and does it all with a style all its own.
The Crew Motorfest will release for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC through Epic Games and the Ubisoft Store on September 14, 2023. The game is available for preorder now.
