Gametrailers: 8.6
However, while it’s not as broad in scope as some of its contemporaries, we aren’t finding ourselves getting bored of Driveclub. On the contrary, the more time we invest, the more we just want to keep playing. Driveclub is a focused, thrilling racer for players looking to push themselves and compete in all new territory, working up a sweat as its captivating sights and sounds fill your senses.
Videogamer: 8
But even with its shortfalls there are few racers that manage to marry up the joy of driving with the thrill of competing against friends and strangers as successfully as this, which makes popping a score on the end of this review one of DriveClub's toughest challenges yet. I stayed up until the early hours of the morning one night frantically trying to beat a challenge set by another games site. They won. I lost. But the desperate desire to win – and the urge to silently brag about the victory – made the race deeply exciting.
And it's intense rivalries like this that lie at the heart of DriveClub. It's a game whose appeal lives and dies in its online time trials and sensational visuals, and whose sense of one-upmanship and competition is leaps above the rest of the pack.
CVG: 8
In a way, the fact that DriveClub chooses to focus so squarely on pure racing is to its detriment. The social framework within which everything is packed lends itself to all kinds of potentially outlandish and interesting ways to compete, but it's only through best times and drift scores that you're meaningfully judged.
It makes for an enigma of a game. The handling is fun and accessible and the challenges give your actions greater meaning, but it's impossible not to think that it would benefit from taking itself a little less seriously.
For a game that is so modern in its approach, its forms of competition are staunchly tradition. How much you enjoy this combination comes down to your appetite for best lap times.
TheSixthAxis: 8
As you finish the Tour and start to take on more and more challenges, Driveclub starts to show its true colours. It may be difficult for some to adapt to in an age where racers sprawl across open worlds featuring hundreds of cars and tons of tracks, but this is a game with a very singular focus. The overarching goals soon start to peel away, and you’re left with the purity of competing against the times and records of friends and rivals, the stunning scenery and the joy of driving cars absolutely on the limit.
ZTGD: 8
Driveclub has the looks and the style of a great racing game. It even plays like a great racing game. The challenges and club mechanics can offer up a ton of content, and the extensive tour mode will keep players busy well into the 20 hour mark. It really is a great game; it just feels a bit unfinished in the car selection and customization fields. Racing fans should really check it out. I just hope you like European cars.
Venture Beat: 80
The PlayStation platform has always hosted tremendous driving games, and Driveclub tries hard to live up to that legacy. The parts that are exceedingly well-polished (gorgeous cars, skill-based driving) make those that trip up (ugly A.I.) all the more disappointing. It sets a high bar for the inevitable competitors to follow, but like an inexperienced driver on a hot lap in a solo challenge, it’s sloppy in the turns.
Gamesradar: 4\5
In fact, despite the concessions to accessibility, the number of times I was reminded of real cars while playing Driveclub is remarkable. I was constantly reminded of car journeys at Christmas, or the smell of a plush interior as you climb in, thanks to the detail with which Evolution has recreated every last component of the driving experience. The scenery, the motion, the different audio filters depending on which view you're using… all it needs is a packet of Werther's Originals to come with each copy and I think we're there. It's a strong racer. Just one with an identity crisis and a dependence on its net connection when it comes to delivering true fun.
Digital Spy: 4\5
Driveclub isn't necessarily the innovative or revolutionary game that we were expecting, but that doesn't make it a bad racer. Far from it.
It is a visually impressive game with a clean, straightforward progression system, interesting courses and enough user-friendly social features to keep clubs entertained for the foreseeable future.
IGN: 7.9
Driveclub is the best-looking racing game I’ve ever seen on a console, but down deep it’s a more modest, conventional arcade racer than the sprawling, open-world types we commonly see today. While it successfully creates fast and fun races with a great sense of speed, the overly aggressive AI grates, the difficult drifting seems at odds with the accessible handling, and the single-player loses zest once the solo content runs dry. I’m also surprised at how partisan the day-one car list is. That said, the tentacles of Driveclub can grip tight if you get invested in the game’s asynchronous challenges, and it’s very much geared around encouraging us to hop online and compete by making it so easy.
Gameinformer: 7.75
DriveClub works as advertised, and despite the seamlessness of its single-player and online features, the game's not wildly more captivating than most other racers out there. It captures the spur of competitive racing, but this is due more to the fact that its racing fundamentals (which are more sim than arcade) give it a good foundation rather than some groundbreaking feature set. Drive it fast and drive it hard, but don't expect a miracle.
Polygon: 7.5
DriveClub doesn't have any one element that makes it an incredible game or a huge leap forward for the racing genre, but it makes some smart choices underneath top-of-the-line presentation. And in embracing a social media-influenced setup to build enjoyable asynchronous multiplayer, it teaches a few important lessons other developers should learn from.
Destructoid: 7.5
Driveclub is fast and easy to get into, nice to look at, and it has a lot going on in the background to keep you connected and competitive with your club members and other individuals. But that doesn't change the issues in the foreground. Its approachable and enjoyable racing is marred by AI cars that love to unfairly bash and crash on the single-player side. And bugs with the interface and the networking kept me from fully enjoying the multiplayer side. Beyond all of this, it feels like Driveclub needs more race and event types. What it offers has kept me going for a couple of weeks, but how much longer will it continue to do so?
. I'm sure that is something that can easily be updated with a patch.
Gameplay is great though. Feels very fun to drive. That's just from driving a simple beetle. It was intense driving a beetle.
just what I thought
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