Publisher: EA Sports

Platforms – Playstation 5, Xbox Series S|X (Reviewed)

Review copy given by Publisher

When it comes to showing your strength and determination as a fighter or wrestler, there’s no place better to show it off than the UFC. The Ultimate Fighting Championship, founded November 12, 1993, as an event to compare different styles of fighting to determine which was better, has turned into this powerhouse company now with an estimated network north of 7 billion dollars.

EA is back with their 6th iteration of EA Sports UFC with the promise to push the envelope further than previous years and set a new standard in sim-fighting-style games. All of these major updates and changes sound very promising. Is there a knockout in its future? Or will they fall short and slip into submission?

I have been a long-time fan of the UFC franchise. Whether watching a UFC event or playing the games, I tend to follow the sport pretty extensively.

I have not always been a big fan of the newer UFC games, feeling they lacked a bit of heart and soul, causing gameplay to go numb. I came into this hopeful after seeing some of the early access gameplay; visually, it looked advanced and smooth.

Immediately upon first launch, you’re greeted with that signature intro video mixed with a tutorial. It is very straightforward, teaching a very basic and toned-down way to play to give you the chance to grasp onto the controls and feel before jumping into the thick of it.

The fighters’ scans this year mostly all look very detailed and full of life, making you feel as if you’re actually looking at your chosen fighter(s). Thanks to the new Frostbite engine, it’s possible to bring all these personalities to life.

Making these locations like the MGM Grand feel full of screaming fans hyping you up makes the atmosphere feel on a whole new level. The attention to detail in the faces, muscles, and tattoos just all adds to the fighters’ personalities and unique features, as if they jumped into your screen to fight for you.

Frostbite’s new engine has more than visuals up its sleeve this time, introducing a new “Real Time Contact” system. This adds a now closer interaction window, making all the interactions feel more genuine and actually making a connection with the other player’s body.

According to EA, this new feature will—”In UFC 6, new contact windows help ensure that strikes land on time and drive through the target with more visual precision. We’ve opened up connecting frames from a single frame to a 4-frame window, allowing strikes to register more consistently while still rewarding precision and timing. Startup, impact, and follow-through are calculated dynamically, allowing strikes to connect cleanly, glance off, or miss entirely based on spacing and vulnerability.”

My experience with this new system is fairly good, but that doesn’t mean flawless. Sometimes it glitches out and registers I knocked an opponent out with a punch that didn’t actually touch my opponent, causing an odd ragdoll to happen.

I would assume that this feature will be extensively tweaked in updates, so this may just be a small issue that won’t affect anyone in the near future with further updates; but nonetheless, it was an issue I experienced with it. Credit where credit is due, however; the knockouts do feel and look very satisfying, and when it does what it’s meant to do, it absolutely makes a big difference in your gameplay experience.

This year brings another new feature deemed “Flow State,” which is a new mechanic to reward players with constantly building momentum during a fight. This allows you to have an advantage during the fight for the split moment when Flow State is active. Directly according to the EA write-up, flow state does the following:

Flow State works in three layers:

▪ Base Effects: Passive bonuses that support your fighter’s core strengths.

▪ Flow Boosts: Fighting style-based accelerators that supercharge your Flow Meter when you fight like your chosen fighter’s real-world counterpart.

▪ Flow State: A high-impact gameplay boost that can be activated when momentum peaks, helping create decisive finishing opportunities or turning the tide in a fight.

The feature, in my opinion, does feel a bit gimmicky, and I personally choose to not bother using it during my gameplay because it takes away from the raw fighting and atmosphere of the game.

I am assuming some will heavily rely on this feature for an advantage, but I also feel it’s a feature that could use a bit of work or even an option to tweak/adjust it. I personally think a perk-style-based system doesn’t belong in a simulation-style fighting game, especially where all the fighters already feel and act completely unique with their own attributes to begin with.

UFC 6 ships with a good handful of single-player-focused game modes, some of which are enjoyable and actually good for entry-level players to use as a tool to learn core mechanics without being thrown into an online match or anything crazy. The game’s modes and descriptions, listed below directly as EA describes them, are:

• THE LEGACY: Step into the shoes of Chris Carter, a collegiate wrestling prospect rising through the regional scene with dreams of the Octagon. But his fight goes beyond the cage, grappling with his late father’s legacy and a fierce rivalry. Your choices shape Carter’s journey in this cinematic, decision-driven prologue to Career Mode.

• CAREER MODE: This is the big stage; are you ready? Enter Career Mode with your created fighter, a UFC star, or continue Chris Carter’s journey from The Legacy. With an expanded decision-driven system, dual-title opportunities, a fight for the BMF title, and a dynamic world that reacts to you, every choice shapes your path to greatness.

• HALL OF LEGENDS: Their performances in the Octagon cemented them in history; their upbringings forged them into fighters. Hall of Legends is an immersive experience where you explore the stories, environments, and moments that shaped UFC superstars. Relive iconic fights through a seamless blend of footage, cinematics, and gameplay.

As well as the normal modes you would expect in a fighting game, there are quick fights vs. computers or friends locally or online.

I spent a lot of time extensively in the story mode. Developing my own fighter from the ground up has always been the first thing I do when it comes to a new UFC game, and boy, has it not changed much.

If you’ve played a UFC game before, then the process is immediately easily known: pick your contract, lock in a fight, spar the same drills, and then fight. The repetition is fairly repetitive. Once you do the same drill over and over constantly, it tends to get… Well, boring.

Of course you can simulate to speed up the process, but then it’s the same repetition with no work needed. I eventually got to a point where my fighter’s punching power was so strong I was knocking my sparring partners out before finishing a drill, and the whole training week was ruined; so, I’m stuck not running drills.

Let’s spend a few minutes focusing on some pros and cons of UFC 6 and work towards a conclusion on if this game is meant for you or even worth picking up for a returning player.

THE PROS:

If I’m being honest, my time with UFC 6—albeit at times a bit sluggish—I’ve been thoroughly enjoying. The knockouts this year feel so good and satisfying, especially when you’re toe-to-toe throwing blows with another fighter and it’s an evenly matched fight.

The visuals this year have once again stepped up thanks to the new Frostbite engine, adding more immersion to your gameplay experience. The atmosphere feels alive, and all the fighters have their own unique attributes and styles. Even down to their fighting stances, how they throw punches, etc., all feel unique and different.

An easy win for the pros is the soundtrack, which is an easy positive for any EA Sports title. The soundtracks are always really good and stacked with fantastic artists, some as far as Post Malone to Ozzy Osbourne.

Lastly, and most importantly, the game is at least fun to play in small sessions or large playing sessions. I never felt fatigue during my playtime and found myself forcing myself away at times because I was addicted to learning a fighter’s moveset.

THE CONS:

Now let’s get to the subject that tends to always be the hardest part of any review, and that’s the cons.

There really is no way to reinvent the wheel when it comes to a fighting game, but the sparring really needs a more immersive overhaul. Let us train with other big-name fighters and run custom drills like they would. Give us more options on what we train to develop the skill sets, instead of just doing the same 4 short drills and then adding to a skill tree. This is one of the biggest downfalls for us who want to create our own fighter and compete; it just becomes repetitive. If you’re not one of those, then this con is subjective for you and avoidable.

My second biggest gripe is the submission side of the UFC. It consists of the exact same, very outdated and slow system. When you’re on the ground, every action feels so slow and sluggish.

The controls on the ground are clunky and annoying to deal with at times, not even consistent with what you are trying to press or do. This is, in my opinion, the downside that turns players away, and I strongly believe an overhaul is needed in this field to be completely revamped and a viable option for more players.

The new Frostbite engine does work well when it comes to punches connecting the large majority of the time. But when it goes wrong, it goes wrong, and the outcome is a weird glitched mess. I’ve knocked someone out by completely missing their head, and I’ve been knocked out by a kick to the leg and my head took damage.

I hope this gets updated to be more consistent in the future, because it’s good, but it’s still far from perfect.

CONCLUSION:

UFC 6 is a mix of both new and familiar ideas, but don’t let that stop you from stepping into the Octagon. Despite a few minor issues and some occasionally clunky ground controls, the game remains an absolute blast to play. Whether you’re creating a realistic fighter or running wild with a character sporting a cannon for an arm, knocking opponents out never stops being entertaining.

Like any seasoned fighter, UFC 6 carries a few scars and imperfections, but it refuses to stay down for the count. It provides an excellent entry point for newcomers while giving longtime fans a comfortable and familiar experience enhanced by a handful of welcome improvements. It may not be flawless, but UFC 6 delivers a fun, engaging, and accessible MMA experience that keeps you coming back for one more fight.

UFC 6 strikes its way to an 8.5/10.

The post Review: EA Sports UFC 6 appeared first on Rectify Gaming.

Publisher – iRacing

Platforms –   PC (Reviewed)

Review copy given by Publisher

iRacing has been one of the strongest subscription-based sim experiences you can get, but it’s not the most user-friendly. From the team at iRacing and Original Fire Games, iRacing introduces a new and more accessible beginner-friendly racing game deemed “iRacing Arcade,” which proposes a fun and fast racing experience for all ages. But is this truly an iRacing-standard game or a game with a fancy label?

iRacing Arcade is a third-person arcade racing game featuring real-life track locations and manufacturers, putting you behind the wheel of your choice of style of race car. Each car with a unique feel, I’ll be it not the most in-depth of racing experiences you can have, being very arcade-focused. The arcade physics have a charm to them, especially if you’re new to the genre, but it all blends together almost as if it’s like I’m playing any arcade racer I’ve played in the past several months. I’m not saying this is good or bad, as the physics are not a problem as they feel good and planted as you would expect; there just seems to be no major differences in the core physics aside from how much power the cars have.

iRacing Arcade has a small yet stacked list of tracks currently available, offering you a good list of fast and technical tracks, giving you the opportunity to race around the world at your fingertips. Listed below are the tracks available:

• Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez
• Bahrain International Circuit
• Barber Motorsport Park
• Circuit Paul Ricard
• Imola
• Knockhill
• Kyalami
• Lime Rock Park
• Maple Ridge (fictional location)
• Miami International Autodrome
• MotorLand Aragón
• Sachsenring
• Sugar Hill (fictional location)
• Tsukuba

One of the main downsides I’ve felt in most of these arcade racers has always been the car lists, and sadly I can’t say much good about the options currently available at this time. From the time of the review, the only available cars are the following:

• FIA Formula 4
• Fiat 500
• Formula GP (Replica)
• Formula Junior (Ray FF1600)
• GTP (Replica of a Porsche 963 LMDh)
• LMP2 (Replica)
• Porsche 911 GT3 Cup
• Touring Car (FWD Touring Car)

Some of the cars have their unique charm; honestly, I think the first 500 is pretty fun to drive around because it’s slow and heavy.

iRacing Arcade offers the usual Racing Career mode option, allowing you to race your way up into the ranks, earning your way into higher-tier race cars. A feature I do like is the campus building, allowing you to expand your garage in various ways, and it’s some type of incentive to work towards more than just running laps. The campus building feature does feel a bit like a small gimmick feature that can absolutely do better with more features, but that room for improvement does give hope to a feature-filled mode that adds more depth to your experience. The use of weekly challenges does give you a reason to come back and compete as well as an online leaderboard, which, in my opinion, is one of the most important things to any racing game, because what’s a race with no competition? With the addition of online leaderboards, it is, of course, an online multiplayer mode with up to 11 racers, offering you a traditional online racing experience.

Visually, iRacing Arcade is vibrant and beautifully charming. I’m glad they didn’t lean into the hyperrealistic shaders or over-the-top visuals, allowing the game to be run on a plethora of specs, including the Steam Deck, which runs very well in my experience. The sounds don’t leave much to the imagination in my opinion; they do the job well enough to understand you’re in a certain spec car, but at the same time it’s not enough to get that wow factor you would expect in a game based around motorsports.

There is one glaring detail that I see a lot of criticism on that I feel is half correct, and that’s the fact it’s tied to iRacing. This game, in my honest opinion, is NOT in any way an iRacing game, and that factor alone should not make or break your opinion on something expecting an arcade-style racer to compete in a world of simulation and the pursuit of perfection. Even though it’s labeled as an iRacing affiliate game, take that with a grain of salt because this is FAR from iRacing. If you have experience with any iRacing IPs and expect the same in-depth physics, this is not aimed at you, and that’s completely fine. Arcade racers are not meant for everyone, but you should absolutely not shut them down only because of branding and expectations.

My final thoughts are a bit mixed here, as I did enjoy my time running some laps and going for a faster lap time as I got used to the layouts more; I just didn’t feel myself craving that want to play it as the days went on. Currently iRacing Arcade is priced at $25 USD, which I feel is a lot for the amount of currently available content, especially when there’s way more for less available in other avenues. Of course all of that is subjective and my opinion, as someone may think there’s equal value available, whether it’s through content or playability. This is not me bashing specifically on iRacing Arcade; most arcade races’ lifespans tend to dwindle down fairly quickly with a lack of updates and content from the development team. Overall it’s a fun experience that can be played in small sessions, especially on a Steam Deck, which was my preferred playing method; however, I have to be critical of the lack of core content.

The post Review: iRacing Arcade appeared first on Rectify Gaming.

Publisher – Activision

Platforms –   Xbox One,Xbox Series S|X, PS4/5,PC (Reviewed)

Review copy given by Publisher

It seems the endless cycle of Call of Duty comes around and around like a merry-go-round. Every year we’re sold “the next best thing” from one of the main three development studios in the cycle, this year being another Treyarch-led title. Black Ops 6 was a strong start in the right direction, but is it too late for Black Ops 7? Maybe the forced hate towards Call of Duty is justified, or maybe it’s unruly.

Truth be told, I have been a part of every single Call of Duty day one launch since Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 (2007), and I have been a very critical yet open consumer of the franchise for years, even in the darkest of times. COD Black Ops 6 I enjoyed a tremendous amount, even hitting max prestige before the end of season 1, including doing all the mastery camo challenges. My hopes for BO7 were high coming from the beta; the game felt a bit more balanced, and the time to kill felt like what I can only compare to an older COD title circa BO1/BO2. With all that being said, I kept an open mind, knowing the teasers didn’t quite land with the audience quite well, mostly in the campaign aspect. I will be going completely spoiler-free through my review, so there should be nothing to worry about moving forward.

Let’s talk about the campaign and the future of Call of Duty if it stays on this projection. First and foremost, this does not feel or look like the usual Call of Duty campaign you would imagine; dare I say they have lost the plot a bit with this, which in some cases may be good or bad. This time around it feels they went for a darker, sci-fi, twisted, mysterious approach to the story mode. The introduction of the co-op campaign with up to 4 players is a good way to pull the core audience, who are mostly online players, to play through the missions with their friends, which seems to me to have been the intended way to play from the beginning with some of the odd, tedious goals you complete through the missions.

Some missions felt like I was back in Call of Duty, right at home, and then boom, there I am back in the weird and wacky world of sci-fi. Now it’s not all bad; credit to Treyarch for going out of their comfort zone and trying something different instead of sticking to the formula of the cycle. With what they accomplished, I can appreciate the level design and the concept. Do I wish they kind of stuck to the usual but had some different stuff in the mix, kind of like BO6? Well, yeah, because it felt like the perfect mix to me.

I do have to say something that just feels so weird to say, and that’s boss battles just don’t feel at home in a Call of Duty game. That’s the most I will elaborate on, and I leave the rest for interpretation. If you’re one of those to always go out of your way to play the campaign, then of course do try it, but I don’t see many people going out of their way to play through it, at least not early in the life cycle.

Ah, COD Zombies. What was once a little secret game mode that would unlock after playing through the World at War campaign has flourished into one of, if not the best, stories from Treyarch. Now I haven’t done any of the Easter egg stuff (as of writing this, no one has completed it to begin with), so I will focus solely on gameplay and the map. With Black Ops 6 Zombies, I enjoyed playing it almost as much as multiplayer, so much that I went and did the zombie mastery camo before I even finished my multiplayer camo grind.

Black Ops 7 feels almost identical, of course with some weapon balances being different and such, but this year they went a bit back to how things used to work. The old point system has returned with a bit of a twist, as well as we will be getting a new mode (not available yet) titled Cursed More, which should be more like the classic zombies mode as we know it. I do think the balancing could use some love as per pretty much every year (pre-season 1), but of course that will change with upcoming updates.

The map is absolutely beautiful; the atmosphere just gives you the craziest different vibes. One minute you’re in a creepy farm, the next you’re racing your way out in the red Wonder Vehicle. I would absolutely expect to see tons of amazing Easter eggs, which Treyarch is known for, as well as plenty of story to follow and fill in the blanks from previous titles. The gameplay is addictive and challenging in the later rounds, especially when playing in a party. If you’re a zombies fan like me, there seems to be a promising future for us, and I can’t wait to be a part of it.

Finally, the most influential and popular part of the Call of Duty franchise is the multiplayer experience. First and foremost, I want to say the removal of skill-based matchmaking (at least a significant decrease anyways) is a fresh breath of air. Call of Duty is best enjoyed when you’re sitting back and playing with some buddies, and the past few years it has felt the opposite. I am in no way a COD pro, but having a 2.0 k/d average all the way to 10th prestige meant my lobbies were full of nothing but the hardest players, and it made playing almost like a chore, but this time around so far it feels fun and balanced.

Everyone has good and bad games, but I feel like the average player is able to be on the top of the leaderboards and have a much better experience this time around. As of now I am currently only level 23 since I broke up my time through the modes, and I just want to grind till I prestige. Currently there is a clear meta of what guns everyone is using, some better than others, but I have yet to really run into a gun that’s just so broken and unbalanced it’s the only gun being used. This time around it feels they did a better job on the balancing because of the beta feedback.

Multiplayer this year has gotten a bad rep because of the new wall jump mechanics and because a majority of players are referring to BO7 as a “BO6 DLC,” which in some cases the argument is strong for; a lot of this does feel like it was meant for BO6, but that doesn’t mean the content is bad. I just firmly believe the timing and the previous rather lackluster attempts have added up and kind of pushed some of the audience away, but I hope a lot of you give it a try.

Referring back to my first question, why is Black Ops 7 getting all this hate, and is it justified? The short answer is… well, not really. Kinda a loaded answer, I know, so let me elaborate a bit. Black Ops 7 is similar to Black Ops 6, a game we previously purchased a year ago; there’s no doubt about that. It is kind of rough paying now $70 a year for a game cycle instead of them going the route of something like a live service style with content updates, but truth be told, that boils down to what Call of Duty has become.

It’s a household name, it’s “The Standard in FPS,” and it’s something that’s so globally enjoyed it’s almost celebrated. Every year a new Call of Duty feels like a mini holiday to the core audience who are dedicated fans, and they know a lot of us will continue to buy it. Is that necessarily bad? No, not really. Can it be better? Absolutely.

Black Ops 7 is still a very fun and new content-filled game even if it’s like the others in some ways, and each year I’ll always end up right back where I started. Playing Call of Duty. Looking at BO7 from the outside in, to a veteran, knowing we will at the bare minimum have a year of content, whether through season updates, newly added weapons (or returning), or holiday/special events, this era of COD is honestly far more content packaged in the end. Don’t get me wrong, nothing will ever come close to Black Ops 2 or MW2, but there truly is more to unpack here than just the cover.

This year seems like it could be a solid year for COD; only time will tell, though. 8/10 overall experience.

The post Review: Call Of Duty: Black Ops 7 appeared first on Rectify Gaming.

Publisher – iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations, LLC

Platforms –   PS5, Xbox Series X|S ,PC (Reviewed)

Review copy given by Publisher

When it comes to American motorsports, Nascar seems to be the pinnacle of what would be considered an American pastime full of heritage and one of the larger core fan bases in the motorsport theme. Now truth be told, it may not be the most exciting for some people due to its repetitive cycle of racing, but you cannot ever match the speed and adrenaline of going 200mph on an oval track for 300 laps.

Nascar 2025, developed and published by iRacing Motorsport Simulations, who is famously known as the minds behind iRacing. With the reputation of iRacing being one of, if not the most realistic and competitive racing simulator, how well does it translate to an arcade/simcade experience?

Before we discuss all the ins and outs and my experience in-game, I want to run down the features included in Nascar 2025. This year, Nascar 2025 follows suit with its previous counterparts, following the formula that has worked for them in past iterations, offering a career mode which lets you build up your racing career starting in the ARCA series, pushing towards the Cup Series.

Included with the career is the usual quick race modes as well as multiplayer races to push your driver ability online against similarly skilled enthusiasts. The career mode is where I played most of the time. Having the chance to introduce yourself from the ground up, starting in the ARCA series as a rookie driver working up into becoming a Nascar Cup pro, allows for some incentive to learn the best line at the track and qualify on pole to give yourself any advantage possible.

The customization system for your team in career is not the most in-depth, with only a few preset options for a design, making you feel limited with your creativity. I do appreciate the option to change that as well as match the semi and trailer to my racing program’s color scheme — just felt a bit lackluster.

My first impressions of Nascar 2025 caught me off guard. Immediately after booting for the first time, the main menu popped up, and I was beautifully greeted by one of my favorite artists of all time, System Of A Down. Immediately I felt nostalgia from the older Nascar games — they always had some of the best soundtracks in any video game, full of tons of rock, metal, punk music, etc., all aligned to my ideal taste in music.

The soundtrack has some amazing songs from other fantastic artists such as Molly Hatchet, Chevelle, and my all-time favorite, Breaking Benjamin. After sitting on the menu listening to music the whole time, I eventually made my way into a quick race to check out the UI and how the game felt. I jumped straight into an ARCA Series car, pleasantly surprised by the appearance of Cleetus McFarland, one of, if not the biggest, rookies ever to grace Nascar, and swiftly chose him as my driver.

Immediate thoughts during my first race were the AI difficulty was very weird — almost felt a bit too easy, even on average settings. I found myself not really even trying to battle for positions. The AI just kinda acts a bit weird in the pack as well, almost like they were stun-locked in position, making it annoying to pass sometimes. Raising the difficulty setting didn’t do too much more for that specifically. The last real issue was the sense of speed — it felt kinda slow to me, especially considering I’ve played a fair amount of iRacing, and the sense of speed in iRacing feels very good.

Nascar 2025 is definitely not shy about their tracks, pushing for a nearly complete roster of tracks this year (minus a couple of potential stops), allowing you to race your favorite or even local tracks with some of your favorite drivers alike.

Listed below are the tracks and the series they’re available in:

Cup Series
• Bristol Motor Speedway
• Charlotte Motor Speedway
• Charlotte Road Course
• Chicago Street Course
• Circuit of the Americas
• Darlington Raceway
• Daytona International Speedway
• Dover Motor Speedway
• EchoPark Speedway
• Homestead-Miami Speedway
• Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Iowa Speedway
• Kansas Speedway
• Las Vegas Motor Speedway
• Martinsville Speedway
• Michigan Speedway
• Nashville Superspeedway
• New Hampshire Motor Speedway
• North Wilkesboro Speedway
• Phoenix Raceway
• Pocono Raceway
• Richmond Raceway
• Sonoma Raceway
• Talladega Superspeedway
• Texas Motor Speedway
• Watkins Glen International
• World Wide Technology Raceway

Xfinity Series
• Bristol Motor Speedway
• Charlotte Motor Speedway
• Charlotte Road Course
• Chicago Street Course
• Circuit of the Americas
• Darlington Raceway
• Daytona International Speedway
• Dover Motor Speedway
• EchoPark Speedway
• Homestead-Miami Speedway
• Indianapolis Motor Speedway
• Iowa Speedway
• Kansas Speedway
• Las Vegas Motor Speedway
• Martinsville Speedway
• Michigan Speedway
• Nashville Superspeedway
• Phoenix Raceway
• Pocono Raceway
• Rockingham Speedway
• Sonoma Raceway
• Talladega Superspeedway
• Texas Motor Speedway
• Watkins Glen International
• World Wide Technology Raceway

Truck Series
• Bristol Motor Speedway
• Charlotte Motor Speedway
• Charlotte Road Course
• Darlington Raceway
• Daytona International Speedway
• EchoPark Speedway
• Homestead-Miami Speedway
• Kansas Speedway
• Las Vegas Motor Speedway
• Lime Rock Park
• Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
• Martinsville Speedway
• Michigan Speedway
• Nashville Superspeedway
• New Hampshire Motor Speedway
• North Wilkesboro Speedway
• Phoenix Raceway
• Pocono Raceway
• Richmond Raceway
• Rockingham Speedway
• Talladega Superspeedway
• Texas Motor Speedway
• Watkins Glen International

ARCA Series
• Bristol Motor Speedway
• Charlotte Motor Speedway
• Daytona International Speedway
• Dover Motor Speedway
• Iowa Speedway
• Kansas Speedway
• Lime Rock Park
• Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park
• Martinsville Speedway
• Michigan Speedway
• North Wilkesboro Speedway
• Phoenix Raceway
• Richmond Raceway
• Rockingham Speedway
• Talladega Superspeedway
• Watkins Glen International

Each and every location has been laser scanned using the same technology in iRacing, providing the most detailed and realistic visuals and feel of each and every track, down to the cracks and bumps in the asphalt. You can tell love and care has been put into each location, offering you the best experience possible in any current Nascar game we’ve ever had to date.

After a bit of hands-on and a lot of tweaking with settings for the AI drivers, I slowly got to where I was racing with competition and starting to find myself enjoying bump-drafting and driving aggressively to further my way to the top of the pack. Out of the box, it’s perfect for an average consumer — maybe even someone who’s never picked up a racing game and wants to be introduced into it at a slower and easier pace. I would highly recommend them Nascar 2025. Skilled, more seasoned veterans of the franchise definitely strive at harder difficulty with all assists disabled for the most pure, skilled form of racing.

Nascar 2025 is definitely a far better game than past iterations in my opinion. I hope to see them push the boundaries and offer better customization and even go back to the “Dirt to Daytona” style game where you begin from the actual ground up as a dirt car driver and drive into the big leagues. I feel strongly there is plenty of momentum to push Nascar 2025 into an 8/10.

The post Review: Nascar 25 appeared first on Rectify Gaming.

Publisher – 505 Games

Platforms –   Nintendo Switch, PS4/5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S ,PC (Reviewed)

Review copy given by Publisher

NOTE:

The following game is being reviewed in an Early Access State, the game may change after the release of this review, this review reflects the game at the time of publishing. 

Without a doubt some of the craziest driving on display can be found watching any form of rally racing. High adrenaline and fast-paced reactions to the always altering terrain under the tires, give an almost unforgivable and unpredictable feeling to the driver as they force their way to the finish line in record times. Developed by Supernova Game Studios in partnership with Kunos Simulazioni, built with the Assetto Corsa physics engine, with the promise to bring one of the best rally sim experiences to date.

Before I get into the review, I’m going to make sure to reiterate that Assetto Corsa Rally is an early access game similar to Assetto Corsa Evo, which was released earlier this year as well. Early adoption of a game does not warrant perfect gameplay or even full functionality, so do remember to base your decisions and opinions on what’s available in its current state, and invest in the future of the product. Now with that little disclaimer out of the way, I will be basing my review more so around the issues instead of focusing on only the issues currently available.

AC: Rally was a surprise for the Sim community, being revealed not even a full month ago at the current time. A big simulation-focused rally game has been wanted for the longest time, especially attached to one of the most popular physics engines out there in this current state of the sim ecosystem. AC: Rally is being developed by a different team this time around; it’s not Kunos at the lead. Instead, it’s Supernova Game Studio being accompanied by Kunos Simulazioni, so the progress between AC: Evo and AC: Rally should not be affected by each other.

AC: Rally launches into early access with 10 licensed cars and 4 rally stages with promises to bring 30+ cars and a large number of different rally stages from across the globe. Currently, the cars available in early access are listed below:

• Alfa Romeo GTA 1300 Junior Gr.2 – 1972
• Citroen Xsara WRC – 2001
• Fiat 131 Abarth Gr.4 – 1976
• FIAT 124 Sport Abarth Rally 16V Gr.4 – 1973
• Hyundai i20N Rally2 – 2021
• Lancia Delta HF Integrale EVO Gr. A – 1992
• Lancia Stratos Gr.4 – 1976
• Lancia Rally 037 EVO 2 Gr.B – 1984
• Mini Cooper S Gr.2 – 1964
• Peugeot 208 Rally4 – 2020

The 4 stages available in early access are listed:
• Rally Alsace-Munster
• Rally Alsace – Saverne
• Rally Wales—Hafren South

Each car has its own unique physics and sounds as expected, offering a unique and varying challenge skillset needed to compete at a higher level of precision and speed, allowing you to specialize in a specific spec of class or manufacturer of choice. Some cars are far more powerful and, of course, have their drivetrain differences. Whether all-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, or even rear-wheel drive, the experience is different every time. As expected with anything that comes out of Kunos, the models are absolutely astonishing and detailed, offering nothing but the highest quality experience for enthusiasts to feel immersed as if they are piloting a Lancia Delta Integrale on the muddy roads of Wales.

The rally stages available are recreations of real-life locations and stages, beautifully recreated to be an almost perfect replica, giving you the feeling of actually being on that stage surrounded by the trees and foliage, with spectators on the side of the lanes watching and cheering you on as you shift into 5th gear, barreling down a mud-covered road. Each stage varies in distance and difficulty, some being a bit more unforgiving than the others but never allowing an easy experience for you to dip your toes into and gather your bearings. Adjusting the weather gives a completely different feel to these stages, allowing you to alter your experience and give different forms of life to an existing stage.

AC: Rally is not a game for everyone to just pick up and play and be good at; the difficulty involved in AC: Rally is not very average-consumer friendly. As you would imagine, it takes a lot of time and practice to be proficient in a style of racing so difficult and fast-paced. This may be a bit of a turnoff for some people who don’t have an expensive setup or a lot of time to focus on learning a game; it surely isn’t the easiest form of entry-level simulation. If you aren’t afraid of a challenge, however, you can spend hours dialing in your times or even learning a new vehicle. There is gamepad support, but I have no personal experience trying it, but based on my previous gamepad experience with other Assetto Corsa-adjacent titles, it’s not really much to desire, but of course my opinion is based on choosing to use my wheel setup instead.

AC: Rally is absolutely stunning visually, of course built in the ever-evolving Unreal Engine 5, which has been very hit or miss with its performance. Sadly, I didn’t get to experience all these beautiful visuals for long, as I had to drastically lower the settings in AC: Rally to try and improve my overall experience. Even with my 3080, I was getting under 60 fps on medium settings, making it inconsistent and at times giving a sloppy and unresponsive feel to my inputs. It’s definitely very unfortunate that games are so beautiful but unoptimized to the point of having to be run at their lowest settings for an acceptable gameplay experience. I do hope they push to fix optimization quickly because without a high-power and expensive PC, your experience may not be up to par with what you deem acceptable. However, if you are able to play it at higher settings, you feel so immersed and in awe at the beauty and detail in every small thing. The stages are full of life, and the vehicles are full of character and high-quality textures and materials, producing some of the nicest interiors I’ve experienced in a simulator yet.

With the early access launch there is currently:
• Assetto Corsa Rally Events with online leaderboards
• Free Practice
• Rally Weekend
• Single Rally Stage
• Time Attack with online leaderboards

I tend to spend a majority of my time just in the free practice driving and learning the stages, but with enough time and practice the online leaderboards will be your only real multiplayer feature at this time for you to compete in and show off what you have learned. Each mode is fairly self-explanatory and pretty much what you would expect for a rally game, minus no real story mode, which is currently not mentioned as a future feature.

I mentioned at the beginning I wouldn’t base my review on the early bugs experienced, but I want to at least make sure it’s discussed now in case they are not fixed by the time of release. My current shifter setup (Turtle Beach Velocity One) in either sequential mode or H-pattern was just flat out glitchy, either endlessly shifting on its own when trying to shift a gear or, in H-pattern, switching between the gear I’m in and neutral; basically making it impossible to play. I did find a temporary solution by adding the maximum amount of delay in the settings for the shifting, which did work better, but overall it was not the best experience I would ever recommend. Of course, I mentioned the performance, which in my opinion is one of my largest complaints because low fps makes the response slow, and turning on frame gen just added more unnecessary latency that was very noticeable. My USB handbrake was also unconfigurable, even though it worked natively in past Assetto Corsa games with no issues, so playing without a handbrake was a challenge, but I would assume that is an easy fix and shouldn’t be an issue with launch. One last problem I had was there just didn’t seem to be a lot of adjustability with the wheel settings; the force feedback slider was a bit inconsistent. Some changes felt almost identical, but when it changed, it felt aggressive.

AC: Rally is a walk in the right direction, and I look forward to seeing the content made for it. Especially being a rally enthusiast, I feel a bit more passionate for the details of the sport. Although I feel as if AC: Rally in its current state is more like a tech demo to show you what it COULD be, I still appreciate all the love and passion being put into AC: Rally. I’m going to recommend AC: Rally the same way I did with AC: Evo; you’re not buying a finished game but instead investing in the future of the product. To some, that’s not enough to justify the purchase, and that’s totally understandable, but if you plan on buying it and have any interest, then support the developers and offer your feedback. Our voices during these times are meant to support and help the development process, especially in the infancy stages.

AC: Rally in its current state is a 6/10; the love and passion is there, now it’s about producing the best product possible as consistently and effectively as in a realistic time frame. I absolutely love and support the teams involved, and a lot of you, I’m sure, do as well.

The post Review: Assetto Corsa Rally (Early Access) appeared first on Rectify Gaming.

For years, the community—especially the drifting scene—has begged for a Japan-based Horizon. We finally got a glimpse of what’s possible with the return of Fujimi Kaido in Forza Motorsport. If you haven’t driven it yet, I highly recommend it. It proves Playground can deliver that *textbook* Japanese vibe—bright neon, autumn foliage, tight roads—that we’ve wanted for years. Fujimi Kaido set the bar, and I believe a Horizon map in Japan could surpass it.

Now, let’s talk maps. Horizon maps have grown with each release—FH5’s was 50% larger than FH4 at 108 square kilometers. But bigger hasn’t always been better. FH5, for example, had wide open spaces that often felt empty.

Japan, however, is naturally dense. It’s alive with people, traffic, lights, and skyscrapers. Cities like Tokyo pack 1.5% of the world’s population into a fraction of the space, which means narrow streets, alleys, and skylines glowing with neon. FH3 gave us fictionalized Australia, FH4 a stylized Britain—but FH6 has the chance to create a Tokyo that feels more authentic, less “loosely based.”

Tokyo excites me, but the real test will be the areas in between. Japan isn’t just cities—it’s farmland and mountains. In my opinion, those mountains are the heart of a Japan map. You can’t have Horizon Japan without distant peaks, vibrant foliage, and dreamlike scenic passes.

I don’t just want generic mountain roads; I want real touge. Mt. Fuji’s famous touge, for example, stretches 13 km of tight, winding inclines. The FH6 trailer already teases a Fuji-inspired peak, so a touge of that scale feels within reach.

Another key piece of Japanese car culture is the expressways. Legends like Smokey Nagata of Top Secret pushed his cars to their limits there, while groups like Team Mid-Night owned the Wangan Bayshore Expressway with late-night high-speed runs. The expressways aren’t just roads—they’re history, culture, and lore. Horizon should honor that.

Entire games like *Tokyo Xtreme Racer* were built around the Shuto Expressway Loop, proving how much content can come from those highways.

Smokey Nagata and Team Mid-Night are just part of the culture. Countless other icons and shops shaped Japanese car history. Forza has already referenced names like HKS, Mine’s, and Top Secret—so why not build a story around them in FH6?

I’m not expecting a fully interactive tuning shop system, but even small nods or collaborations would add depth to the world.

We need the return of Tuner Unicorn cars. Forza Edition cars are fine, but nothing compares to FM4’s Unicorns like the Mine’s R34 or Top Secret S15. Imagine unlocking a Top Secret R35 GTR, complete with kit, paint, and spec—it would have collectors drooling.

Rumors suggest Playground has been rescanning outdated models, raising hopes that more legends could make a comeback. And it’s not just about the big names. I want JDM heroes, market exclusives, and quirky Kei cars to get the same attention supercars have received for years.

One last major request: on-map tracks. Motorsport already has them scanned, so why not integrate them into Horizon? Imagine racing at Suzuka, then pulling straight out of the track and onto Horizon roads. That level of immersion would be unmatched.

And since Japan is the birthplace of drifting, a dedicated drift space feels essential. I’m not expecting Ebisu or Meihan in full, but even Fuji Drift Park—a simple open lot with cones—would fit perfectly, especially if tied into Fuji Speedway and the mountain. Just the possibility raises the bar for FH6.

No matter what, I expect FH6 to be beautiful, vibrant, and fun. These are just my opinions, but maybe you share them too. At the end of the day, we’re still in the dark until more info drops. I’ll keep an open mind, because as much as I’ve been hyped before, I’ve also been let down.

Still, the anticipation for FH6 has me excited. The chance for new, never-before-seen Horizon content could make it one of the best releases yet.

Do you agree with my wishlist? What do you want to see in FH6?

The post Opinion: My Forza Horizon 6 Wishlist and Expectations appeared first on Rectify Gaming.

Publisher – 3DClouds

Platforms –  PS4/5,Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, Nintendo Switch,PC (Reviewed)

Review copy given by Developer

Formula 1 racing — the epitome of adrenaline-filled, fast-paced, high-action motorsport that keeps you on the edge of your seat. From the developers at 3DClouds comes Formula Legends, an arcade-style racer that captures the spirit of F1 from the 1960s up to today’s cutting-edge technology. But how does it stack up as an arcade racer, and is it worth your time?

Formula Legends falls into a unique niche within motorsport games. We rarely see Formula 1 represented in an arcade setting. When I think of F1 games, I picture a simulator or a “sim-cade,” but never a purely arcade experience. So heading into Formula Legends, my expectations were mixed: How will it play? Will it require skill? Will it deliver a true sense of speed?

Before diving into gameplay, let’s talk content. At launch, Formula Legends features 16 unique F1 cars spanning multiple eras — from the 1960s to the present day. Each era has its own physics and driving style, making every generation feel like a standalone experience. Alongside the vehicles are 14 real-life-inspired tracks, each with the option to run in modern or classic layouts. To add even more variety, the game includes a dynamic weather system that can catch you in a rainstorm, forcing you to pit for wet tires or risk spinning out. Most importantly, the developers have confirmed full mod support, which could greatly extend the game’s longevity by allowing the community to add new content.

I first played Formula Legends on my Steam Deck, and honestly, I think that’s where this game shines. For players with limited time, being able to hop into a story mode race for 15–20 minutes between daily tasks felt perfect. The physics can be surprisingly challenging at first, especially with options like tire wear, fuel usage, and damage turned on. These add a layer of simulation while keeping the fun and accessibility of an arcade racer.

The sense of speed is decent, though not flawless. At times, overtaking in a pack felt too easy, lacking the tense, wheel-to-wheel “dogfight” action you’d expect from F1. Hopefully, this balance improves with updates. Each car era, however, feels distinct: the raw, twitchy 60s and 70s machines contrast nicely with the stable and refined 2000s cars. Personally, I gravitated toward the 90s era, which struck the best balance of speed, handling, and overall excitement — fitting, since it’s my favorite F1 era.

Managing fuel and tire wear adds another layer of strategy, and pit stops bring a refreshing twist. Instead of a simple button press, you play a quick mini-game to complete your tire change. Your pit time depends entirely on how well you perform, and you can choose how much fuel to take or damage to repair, at the cost of time and potentially losing positions. It’s a clever mechanic that keeps things interactive. I’d love to see it expanded with additional mini-games for even more variety.

Overall, my time with Formula Legends was very positive. The art style has a charming simplicity, and the physics strike a nice balance between realism and fun. Still, I often found myself wanting more. Early-game content is solid, and story mode adds replayability, but long-term engagement is lacking. Currently, the only “multiplayer” is a time attack leaderboard — not nearly enough to keep players coming back. Even basic online lobbies would transform the experience, opening the door to more competition and community engagement.

That said, Formula Legends is a delight, though replayability and the absence of multiplayer lobbies leave room for improvement Whether you’re in for long sessions or quick races, it’s an easy game to pick up and enjoy. Its accessible physics, classic arcade spirit, and unique take on F1 make it worth recommending to players of all skill levels.

The post Review: Formula Legends appeared first on Rectify Gaming.

Now I was fairly impressed with the factory wheel that was included with the KD3 Race Bundle for the majority of my experience, but every once in a while I get the urge to do some Formula racing, and nothing goes better with F1 racing than a Formula-style layout wheel to add immersion and even give you some advantages. The F-RX wheel has the standard button layout similar to the included wheel, but with a slew of extra buttons and dials catered to help you in the majority of situations when Formula racing. Not only are there extra dials and buttons to map for several varying traction control maps and such, but also an extra set of Hall effect clutch paddles, which can be a large advantage over others who don’t have the option.

The buttons feel better than the original included wheel, in my opinion, with more of a tactile feel that gave me a more satisfying feeling where I wasn’t afraid of pushing and breaking anything. All the buttons being labeled is a great touch so you can track what button is what, but I do wish they included blank buttons with a sticker pack so you can adjust and fully customize the layout to your personal liking. The paddles feel identical with the same magnetic-assisted system; shifting felt just as good as the standard wheel and not as clicky and loud as some of the competitors, which I prefer personally. All the buttons minus the dials are RGB backlit and fairly bright, allowing you to color coordinate, which I know some people prefer as a way to remember button maps.

The F-RX build quality is made up of an aluminum chassis and rubber grips, giving a premium feel, especially for the considerably strong and competitive price point of $250. Now I know what you may be thinking: $250 for a steering wheel? Well yes, the Sim racing landscape when it comes to wheel prices is fairly high, but you are paying for a premium experience in the majority of cases. At $250, this is one of the cheaper wheels on the market in this formula style, albeit it’s a Turtle Beach exclusive peripheral with no mention of open-source ability. The F-RX is equipped with the same quick-release system as the included steering wheel on the KD3 Race Bundle, which is your typical NRG-style quick-release system allowing for easy swapability.

The weight of the F-RX is around 3 lbs., which offers a nice weighted feel when paired with the stronger feedback; it offers a more precise feel behind the wheel, especially with the smaller size of the F-RX. When swapping wheels, there’s a short, simple process to sync up the different steering wheels, and right away the Tuner app recognizes the switch and allows you to customize the wheel to your liking. At the top of the wheel is an included RPM meter with 10 lights that light up based on the RPM range experienced in your game. A small button feature that was overshadowed a bit was that there are little analog-style sticks on the wheel, which can be used to navigate the pit options in games without the need of a second controller or a mouse, which I found handy and useful.

My overall experience of the F-RX wheel was actually pretty enjoyable, but I just have a few concerns. Firstly, I placed the KD3 Race Bundle as a more beginner-friendly setup, and in most cases for those who may be new to sim racing, dishing out an additional $250 for another peripheral may not be in the cards, especially because of the initial $700 USD investment into the full setup at that rate. The wheel is priced at a fair price point but is only useful for someone who is already in the Turtle Beach ecosystem, where some companies push to make their products have some standalone abilities. My last concern is about the functional ecosystem as a whole: will Turtle Beach expand and continue to support older peripherals or just create another product to replace last year’s model? I feel as if you are someone who does enjoy Formula 1 or even GT-style racing and wants to get in on the fun. This package can be a strong competitive package for any entry-level or even some moderate enthusiast. I was genuinely impressed with Turtle Beach, so much so I still daily drive their VelocityOne Multi-Shifter over my more expensive ThrustMaster TH8A.

Turtle Beach is on track to create some householdname Sim Products, and I’m here for it. The sim racing landscape can always use more options, especially at the lower, more affordable price points. The F-RX Wheel itself is a better option for anyone who wants to focus on doing Formula-style racing. I just hope they expand into a more open, friendly ecosystem so others can mix their products in with their already existing setups.

Well Your at It, don’t Forget to check out my other Turtle Beach Racing Reviews, like the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race KD3 Bundle or the VelocityOne Multi-shift USB Shifter .

The post Review: Turtle Beach VelocityOne F-RX Formula Wheel appeared first on Rectify Gaming.

Previously, I was given the opportunity to review the Turtle Beach VelocityOne Shifter, which quickly became my main shifter of choice over my ThrustMaster TH8A Shifter, so coming into this opportunity to use the new KD3 Wheel, I had high expectations. The VelocityOne KD3 Race wheel consists of a custom direct-drive force feedback motor with 3.2 Nm of peak torque and up to 2,160 degrees of rotation, which they call the KDrive Force feedback motor, as well as an included table clamp mount or the option to hard mount to a Sim chassis. Also included with the base is a 320 mm racing steering wheel designed around an Xbox controller, allowing for flexibility when gaming. Lastly included is the KD3 Race pedal set, which is an aluminum-built gas and brake pedal combo powered through Hall effects, allowing for further adjustments.

First impressions of the base were that it felt a bit more compact than expected; due to its rounded and slim structure, it may be easier for those who don’t have a place to leave their sim wheel setup or those who don’t have a lot of storage room. The build quality was what I expected from Turtle Beach based on my impressions of the VelocityOne Shifter, a well-made aluminum casing that provides a rather premium feel and sleek look. On the base is a small overhead screen, which can be used for on-the-fly adjusting, switching between Xbox or PC options, and even a telemetry system as a small yet effective mini dash. I found using the telemetry more than adjusting my settings on the fly, but the option to change what you need without opening an app is a really nice feature, even though the app works fairly well even through Bluetooth from a phone.

The Turtle Beach VelocityOne KD3 Race Wheel is intended to be used for Xbox and Windows users, allowing you to switch to and from with the swap of a button. All of my testing was conducted on the PC, as my Xbox is currently packed away, so I can’t speak on the ease of connecting to an Xbox, but it was as simple as plugging in and playing on the PC. Everything connects and works out of the box, but of course I wanted to put this wheel to the test and turn the feedback as high as I could, so I downloaded the VelocityOne Tuner app on my smartphone and immediately found my wheelbaseand tuned it on the fly with no hiccups or issues whatsoever. The functionality of the app within the Turtle Beach ecosystem is definitely something more companies should lean into—functional and simple yet effective. My first game of choice was a simple decision, Assetto Corsa being my all-time favorite sim racing game. I’m used to playing on my Simagic with a higher amount of force feedback, so I immediately turned the wheel to its max and began running hot laps. Almost immediately I noticed no oscillation in the wheel (steering swaying left to right on its own), which can be an annoying issue to deal with in most cases. Feedback felt strong and consistent, with little to no stutters or bobbles.

My first experience with sim racing was way back when I first started playing in the early 2010s on my Logitech G27, playing Gran Turismo and rFactor on my laptop, and up until 5 years ago, I made the leap into a Simagic Alpha Mini. I’ve used plenty of other wheels from many companies at varying quality and feedback, so I can safely say this wheel is more of a beginner/entry-level setup. At 3.2 nm of force, the feedback is in comparison to a cheaper option, the Moza R3 bundle, which can be purchased for $299 US at the time of review, which is considered the best budget-friendly entry-level option. The VelocityOne KD3 Race bundle, priced at $449.99, puts it at a rather higher price point, in the ballpark of Moza’s R5 bundle, priced at around the same price or cheaper when on sale. Both consist of a direct drive motor setup, and both include a basic wheel with paddles and a double pedal configuration, but with its much higher 5.5 Nm of torque.

My main question about the bundle was, does the price reflect the quality of the peripherals? And honestly, there’s no short answer here. When it comes to Sim peripherals, you want them to be made strong and sturdy, especially because they take a real beating sometimes during extensive play sessions. All the components vary in build quality, with the pedals feeling like the weakest link of this bundle in terms of actual build quality, yet the base and steering wheel both feel fairly premium and honestly better than some of its competitors’ peripherals. My biggest gripe about the KD3 Race bundle is the lack of a clutch pedal with no option to upgrade to a three-pedal layout. Not having a clutch pedal limits your experiences and also hinders the ability to purchase that shifter, knowing you can’t fully utilize the H-pattern configuration without a clutch in most cases. What feels like a small thing to some can actually cause more people to look for other options, especially those who are looking to make that leap for a more potentially serious setup. Another issue that can be potentially disastrous is the table mounting clamp, which I am not enthusiastic about. The clamp does NOT bolt into the base of the wheel; instead, it clamps as a pressure-fitted setup, which in my testing I did have come loose and move around on me, but of course your mileage may vary based on your surface. I feel as if the clamp mounting was a bit of an oversight, and hopefully they change it with any future bundles.

The steering wheel included with the bundle itself is very sturdy; even with the hard plastic and faux leather, it feels fairly premium for the price point and offers a comfortable grip and size. The magnetic-assisted shifter paddles felt surprisingly good and satisfying to use; I had no issues with latency or accuracy with shifting in my testing. The wheel is equipped with a full Xbox One controller button scheme layout, which can be used not only for its intended purposes but also as rebindable hotkeys on the PC. Some of the buttons did feel pretty mushy and not the most tactile, but of course they serve the intended purpose, so it’s kind of a nitpick issue. I do like that you can change your profile and options of the base via the steering wheel seamlessly and effortlessly.

Ultimately thequestion at hand is, did Turtle Beach deliver with their new VelocityOne KD3 Race Wheel? I believe they have come a long way and are improving in large strides, especially in the peripheral department. If you are new to sim racing and want a good, solid starting point, this is a strong, competitive setup for entry-level driving, but it’s not the most budget-friendly beginner purchase. If you plan on doing light driving on console or even some entry-level PC sim racing, this is all you will ever really need to get your foot in the door. I just wish it had a three-pedal configuration and a better mounting solution for desk mount setups; it would be an easier recommendation, especially for the current price tag. Looking past that, I strongly believe Turtle Beach, with enough time and testing, is more than equipped to produce a high-tier force feedback competitive wheel and join the upper echelon of sim equipment. There is always room for improvement, and I look forward to seeing the advancements they make.

I would love to give Turtle Beach their flowers, but for those who may have sim experience already, there are other options out there that may appeal to them, but with that being said, I believe they are more than deserving of an 8.5/10.

Well Your at It, don’t Forget to check out my other Turtle Beach Racing Reviews, like the Turtle Beach VelocityOne F-RX Formula Wheel or the VelocityOne Multi-shift USB Shifter .

The post Review: Turtle Beach VelocityOne Race KD3 Bundle (Xbox/Pc) appeared first on Rectify Gaming.

Publisher – Room Games

Platforms – PC (reviewed)

Review copy given by Developer

NOTE:

The following game is being reviewed in an Early Access State, the game may change after the release of this review, this review reflects the game at the time of publishing. 

The remote-control vehicle scene is an ever-growing mecha serving countless hours of entertainment for everyone. RC cars being as popular as they are, you would think there would be many game equivalents available, right? Well, yes and no; some RC-based games do exist, many of which are very outdated and niche. Does Recharge hit its mark with its early access release, or did they run out of range and just fall short?

Recharge promises to bring a “simcade” experience of racing RC cars and trucks on a selection of outdoor/indoor tracks based on real-life layouts and other layouts based in places like an amusement park or a beach. Each individual track/layout has its own unique surroundings and atmosphere, giving life to each location, with varying difficult layouts for all drivers to master. I did feel the tracks sometimes seemed a bit too large and wide, where most tracks in real life are short, technical, and tight corners. Traction also felt similar to me between each track, no matter the surface, so hopefully in the future that can change, making each track with different surfaces to make it interesting to learn other tracks.

At the time of review, there is very little you can access at the moment, the large majority of it being just a basic race function with the default buggy RC. There are promises of updates for rock crawling, drifting, and road course-style racing, which I do look forward to trying. I do wish there was more here at launch; I almost feel like I should be playing a demo instead of an early access game with the lack of content at “launch.” I also feel as if the physics are not all there, and I hope they spend a lot more time tuning how everything feels; it’s almost lifeless in a way in terms of physics

You will be able to customize your RC car’s motor, ESC, paint, and more in the future, as there is currently only a bare-bones amount of content available in this category as well. As a large RC fan, the ability to tinker with your RC car, truck, or buggy is a huge part of the experience; it’s the never-ending story of changing every piece to your liking. This feature is going to be a huge part of separating Recharge from its counterparts, and with due time I hope to see it flourish with content and maybe even real brands offering their parts as options.

The game’s visuals are very good even at an early stage. I did have a couple performance hiccups here and there on the higher settings, which I assume is an optimization issue at this time. Recharge being built with Unreal Engine is not too much of a shocker. Yes, its visuals are stunning, but whether Unreal will keep Recharge from being optimized well enough for even basic systems to have no issues is still up in the air. I ran into some very tedious bugs in my experience, like the main menu just not doing anything, graphical settings not changing no matter what I did, and I even got locked out of using my controller, which I still have issues with from time to time. There is an option to use an actual radio control receiver, which you would need a specific peripheral for in the majority of cases, which I would have loved to experience, but I will be waiting on making a purchase for that device till a later date. Of course your mileage may vary with the issues, as they are pushing updates fairly frequently and seem to be responsibly quick on community feedback.

Although my expectations have not been met fully, there is a charm to recharge that makes me want more. The future content and overall theme give me hope that Room Games sticks to it and proves they can give a realistic RC experience. Recharge at the time is $19.99 ($16.99 for release currently), which isn’t much in terms of how expensive games are becoming, but I still feel like there isn’t $20 worth of content in its current state, so purchasing early will be more of a pre-order for the future at its current state. Recharge is not bad; the foundation is there to build something actually fantastic. I just hope they stay on track and give us an ever-evolving experience.

The post Review: Recharge (Early Access Review) appeared first on Rectify Gaming.

Publisher – XR Games Ltd.

Platforms – Meta Quest 3S, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest Pro, Meta Quest 2 (Reviewed)

Review copy given by Developer

It’s no secret that Meta Quest tends to blur the line between virtual and reality, allowing developers to run wild and create a gaming experience that piques your interest and wins a place in your collection. Developer XR Games is pushing to release your next favorite VR game with the early access release of a rhythm-based game called “Beatable,” but is it worthwhile?

Beatable promises to bring a rhythm-based game to the Meta Quest library in the style of your average rhythm games you would find in an arcade, like Piano Keys or even a Project Diva game. The first time jumping in, you start with calibrating your controls—well, not exactly. Beatable actually uses hand tracking instead of controllers, giving you a way more free-flowing experience.

Due to some space restrictions, I can’t play most popular VR games without worrying about judo chopping something around me, but thankfully Beatable uses a small amount of space, making it accessible for pretty much every experience. You’re recommended to play with a table, using your hands against a table as the play area, turning your surroundings into a 4-button drum set. If you don’t want to play with a table because of the noise, you can calibrate yourself and play normally without the use of a table, and it works just as well from experience.

Something that sticks out to me is how well it actually works; mixing tapping the tiles with snaps and claps in between all feels natural and super smooth and snappy. Beatable is significantly less movement intensive than Beat Saber, so if you struggle to play for an extended amount of time, Beatable is way more user-friendly and easier on you if that’s a worry you expect. The overall user experience is very enjoyable, allowing unseasoned VR players an opportunity to play a lesson-intensive rhythm game that’s accessible for the family.

Beatable can be experienced either in their world or in mixed reality (experience may vary depending on which quest you have). In my case, mixed reality on a Quest 2 is a far cry from the Quest 3’s significantly superior pass-through, but the experience was still smooth and not strenuous at all. The UI is very basic, so there isn’t anything you can really miss or distract you from playing. Immersion with the Quest 3, I assume, would be a better experience, of course, but even the Quest 2 offers a fairly decent experience for those who choose pass-through.

Notably, Beatable is in early access, so it’s got some way to go before it’s dialed in to perfection, but they’re off to a really strong start. Playing with the desk gives you some actual haptic feedback, making the experience that much better, which I feel should be utilized more in other ways in the future.

The tracklist currently is really small and full of mostly instrumental-style music, with no super mainstream music like Beat Saber, but that may be subject to change in the future. The songs felt a bit meh to me and didn’t really give me that itch to play them multiple times, which is one of the major downsides from my experience. There is an option to download community tracks from the developers Discord, but I didn’t go and download user-created content at this time. I understand VR is not for everyone, but I didn’t find myself feeling sick from any motion on extended play sessions; however, if you suffer from epileptic episodes, this would be a pass for your safety.

Beatable brings a creative, enjoyable experience to the table best enjoyed with friends. Being able to use your desk or a table as a controller really gives you a chance to feel like you’re physically doing something. XR Games has done an excellent job at producing an interactive rhythm game in a landscape of many giants.

The post Review: Beatable VR (Meta Quest) appeared first on Rectify Gaming.

Publisher – Gaming Factory , 4Divinity

Platforms – PC(reviewed)

Review copy given by Developer

It’s no secret that I am a car enthusiast, considering my main bread and butter are racing games, so with the release of Japanese Drift Master (JDM) coming out so soon, you know I had to be a part of it. The promise of an open-world simcade based around Japan is every drifting/JDM car gamer and enthusiast’s dream come true. Where does it line up with all the other drifting experiences? Is it worth your purchase?

My first impressions of Japanese Drift Master (which I will refer to as JDM for short from now on) are from a completely blind entry with absolutely no experience or impressions before playing for the first time. I chose to not watch or read anything ahead of my first time playing because I wanted my experience to be my own and not clouded by those who try and down-talk non-mainline style racing games.

JDM immediately throws you behind the wheel of a beautiful Top Secret S15-inspired wrapped Nissan Silvia S15. Immediately the first thing I’m impressed with is the sound and the model; it’s absolutely beautiful and very well made. I chose to play with the “Simcade” physics instead of the arcade physics because I feel like I have a good grasp on racing physics in games. The game has a very similar, yet almost unique, feel when it comes to driving, giving me a Need for Speed crossed with Forza feeling. When it comes to drifting, however, the handling takes a few minutes to properly grasp, but it’s fairly easy to slide around and put the car where you want it.

When it comes to racing games, it’s no secret that a campaign mode really has no dialog or character development as a normal action-style game would, but JDM puts a well-enjoyed spin on the narrative. The story mode is told through the eyes of a manga (Japanese graphic novel) following you and all the characters you meet on the way. The illustration is very well illustrated and is such a good concept to deliver some narrative and background to your racing/career you partake in. There are 40+ narrative-driven events currently with additional side quests, which may not be the most content for a career-based game, but it’s still very fun and enjoyable.

I spend a fair amount of time doing modeling on Blender, specifically automotive work, so I’m very picky when it comes to vehicle models. I can absolutely say these models look and feel very well done and professionally laser scanned for accuracy. The interiors all look detailed and well modeled, giving you immersion for those who play cockpit view. The sounds are obviously all recorded original sounds, bringing every car to life with its unique tones and sounds. A good-sounding vehicle is as important, if notre so, than a good-looking model, and they absolutely succeeded. All the customization options are well made and based on real-life counterparts, giving you the opportunity to customize your ride with unique visuals.

The biggest selling point of JDM to me and a lot of other enthusiasts is the fact that it’s a fully open world map based on the Gunma Prefecture (dubbed Guntama in the game). There are over 250 km of roads to drive and explore up and through mountains, little towns, and even some racetracks. On the topic of race tracks, you drift nerds would be happy to hear that Ebisu has made its way to JDM (dubbed Ebigo Safari Park in the game) as well as Tsukuba Circuit (dubbed Tsugoya in the game). The open world is so visually stunning, especially when paired with the active weather system allowing for heavy rainfalls to spice up your driving experience. I am absolutely in love with the open world. I hope many other developers take into consideration that this is what we have always wanted all along.

But of course, with all that’s good, there follows some bad. The AI is, well, for lack of a better word, just not good. In races I found myself easily passing drivers but immediately being slingshotted around in a very unrealistic way, causing one of the craziest rubber banding I’ve seen. The same goes for drift battles; following a leader is very difficult because of how slow they drive and not really challenging because of the lack of points they will generate. Another issue I’ve run into, which should change with future updates, was random invisible walls you will run into just driving, which can definitely be infuriating. When driving at night, NPC headlights are very dull and hard to see, making it really difficult to drive fast and cautiously at night. One last huge issue I felt needed an immediate fix is the physics for an AWD car. All-wheel-drive cars react very differently, being very difficult to take corners, and just feel so handicapped, like it was a last-minute thought. There isn’t even a photo mode or replay system. In a game this beautiful, you can’t express it through photos, a basic feature that should be day one for any automotive game.

JDM is promising to be a unique experience, but in its current state, I feel they should have spent more time developing it before release. But I have to give them all the credit they deserve because this is such a strong attempt for their first time creating an open-world racing game. They accomplished a lot and can fix all of their problems with tweaking in updates, creating a better experience for everyone. Hopefully Gaming Factory takes into consideration the negatives and improves and continues to update and support JDM, adding content with updates. In the current state, I can’t fully recommend a day one pickup in fear it may ruin some people’s experiences and turn them off to the possibility that this game will shine very brightly with fixes. Until then, JDM will be scored on its current state.

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