The Crew 2 | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Ubisoft Ivory Tower [lower-alpha 1] |
Publisher(s) | Ubisoft |
Director(s) | Stéphane Beley |
Producer(s) |
|
Designer(s) | Boris Mellet |
Programmer(s) | Didier Blanche |
Artist(s) | David Guillaume |
Composer(s) |
|
Platform(s) | |
Release | PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One June 29, 2018 Stadia March 25, 2020 |
Genre(s) | Racing |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
The Crew 2 is a 2018 online-only racing video game developed by Ubisoft Ivory Tower and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and Google Stadia. It is the sequel to 2014's The Crew . It features a persistent open world environment for free-roaming across a scaled-down recreation of the contiguous United States. The game allows players to control a variety of vehicles including cars, motorcycles, boats, and airplanes.
A sequel, The Crew Motorfest , was released on September 14, 2023, with the Oʻahu island in Hawaii as a new location. [1]
As of March 31, 2024, this is now the earliest playable game in the series, as the original game's servers shut down that day, rendering it unplayable.
Similar to its predecessor, The Crew 2 is a racing game. In the game, players assume control of a racer who is trying to work their way to become successful in multiple vehicular racing disciplines. [2] It features a persistent open world environment for racing and free-roaming across a scaled-down recreation of the contiguous United States. [3] In addition to cars, players can control other kinds of vehicles, including airplanes, motorcycles, and powerboats. Each vehicle has its own control physics, meaning that game play is different when players are controlling different types of vehicles. Players can switch between controlling air, land and sea vehicles instantly. [4] The game features four different hub worlds, with each having their own theme and playstyle. These themes include off-road, street racing, pro racing, and free-style. Similar to the first game, it places an emphasis on playing multiplayer in groups called crews. It also features a cooperative multiplayer mode, which allows players to join any events besides "boss" events together. This mode can also be played solo with artificial intelligence. [5] As with the previous title, The Crew 2 requires a constant internet connection to play.
The game features a nonlinear story, that follows the unnamed player character as they become a racing icon in the United States by winning in all racing disciplines available in the game. There are four disciplines: Street Racing, Off Road, Freestyle and Pro Racing. In Street Racing, the player is assisted by Latrell Jordan. In Off Road, the player is assisted by Tucker "Tuck" Morgan, having previously assisted by Wade Palmer until "The Switch" event. In Freestyle, the player is assisted by Sofia Valentina Herrera and Emmett Lee Parker. In Pro Racing, the player is assisted by Alexis Kendrick.
The Crew 2 was developed by Ubisoft Ivory Tower. [6] Parts of the development was based on the feedback they received on the previous installment. One major critique was that players did not have enough freedom to explore the world and do missions. To solve the problem, Ubisoft overhauled the game's progression system and decided not to focus much on the game's narrative, which would require players to complete missions in a very specific order, and instead divided the game into several hub worlds, with each representing a unique driving style. Players can stay in these hubs to play the missions that interest them and do not need to force themselves to visit other hubs to play through missions that do not interest them. The Crew's downloadable content, Wild Run, which was positively reviewed by players, also prompted the studio to focus more on developing content regarding offroad racing. [5]
As the game features a variety of vehicles, Ivory Tower also needed to improve the game's graphics. According to the game's producer, Stephane Jankowski, these new types of vehicles allow players to explore the open world with new perspectives. For instance, flying a plane means that players can see objects that are very far away. As a result, the engine had to be modified to significantly improve the game's draw distance. The engine was also updated to include other enhancements, such as atmospheric clouds and realistic vegetation. [5] The game's control was designed to be accessible but "hard to master". [7]
The game was announced in May 2017 during Ubisoft's earning's call. [8] It was revealed at E3 2017 accompanied with a cinematic trailer and gameplay demonstrations. The game was originally set to be released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on March 16, 2018, however, in early December 2017 Ubisoft announced that the game was postponed towards mid- or late-2018, in order to give developers more time to deliver a quality product. [9] A closed alpha for PC was held from 14 to 19 of March 2018 [10] and a closed beta was held from 31 of May to 4 of June of the same year. [11] The game was released worldwide on June 29, 2018.
To entice The Crew players to return for The Crew 2, Ubisoft implemented a reward program, which allowed players to unlock up to 18 cars by achieving certain milestones in The Crew before The Crew 2 was released. Furthermore, all returning players from The Crew automatically received the 2014 Ferrari 458 Speciale upon the game's release. [12] Also, the publisher announced the touring car version of the 2017 Mercedes-AMG C 63 and the 2017 Harley-Davidson Iron 883 as pre-order bonuses, whereas players ordering the Deluxe or Gold edition receive further vehicles, with the Gold edition also including the season pass. [13] In addition to the reward system, Ubisoft also held a closed beta for players who signed up, as well as an open beta that occurred on June 21 until June 24. Those who participated in the open beta received a gold helmet in the full version of the game. Ubisoft also plans to have a "King of the Road Trip" competition, where popular YouTubers and streamers will get a chance to compete in a competition, where the players race against other players that are in the same region as them.[ citation needed ]
This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (September 2022) |
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Metacritic | (PC) 66/100 [14] (PS4) 64/100 [15] (XONE) 69/100 [16] |
Publication | Score |
---|---|
Destructoid | 7/10 [17] |
Electronic Gaming Monthly | 6.5/10 [18] |
Game Informer | 6/10 [19] |
GameSpot | 8/10 [20] |
GamesRadar+ | [21] |
IGN | 7/10 [22] |
The Crew 2 received "mixed or average reviews" according to review aggregator Metacritic. [14] [15] [16]
Year | Award | Category | Result | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
2017 | Game Critics Awards | Best Racing Game | Nominated | [23] |
2018 | Nominated | [24] | ||
Ping Awards | Best Graphics | Nominated | [25] [26] | |
Best Sports Game | Won | |||
2019 | National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards | Game, Franchise Racing | Nominated | [27] |
On January 31, 2023, Ubisoft announced the next installment in The Crew series, officially titled The Crew Motorfest . Set in a scaled-down recreation of the Oʻahu island in Hawaii, the game was released on September 14, 2023 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. [28]
Rayman M, known in North America as Rayman Arena is a party video game developed and published by Ubisoft. A spin-off of the Rayman series, it features two modes, racing and battle, in which players take control of one of eighteen characters from the Rayman series. The game retains many elements from the 1999 platform game Rayman 2: The Great Escape such as the game's control system.
Juiced is a racing video game by British studio Juice Games for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox, and mobile phones. The game was delayed for release in 2004 because the original publisher, Acclaim Entertainment, went defunct. Juice Games and Fund 4 Games retained ownership of the property and sold the game to THQ, who funded the project for a further six months of improvements. In early 2006, British software publisher Focus Multimedia re-released the PC version of Juiced at a new budget price as part of its "Essential" games series. The game offers different modes including career and arcade that present the player with challenges of increasing difficulty. The player can customise the car to suit their style and unlock new ones in arcade mode. The game features nitrous boosts, similar to that of other racing games. Juiced went to number one in the United Kingdom MCV sales charts and its first version sold 2.5 million units.
Test Drive Unlimited is a 2006 racing video game developed by Eden Games and published by Atari for Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. Atari Melbourne House developed the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable versions. Being the eighteenth entry in the Test Drive series, Unlimited serves as a reboot of the franchise, discarding the continuity of the previous games. The game features over 125 licensed sports cars and motorcycles and the terrain is modeled after the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu that features over 1,000 miles (1,600 km) of roads and highways.
Rayman Raving Rabbids is a 2006 party video game developed and published by Ubisoft. The game is a spinoff in the Rayman series. The game consists of 75 minigames. The game was released for the PlayStation 2, Wii, Xbox 360, and Microsoft Windows systems, with a different version released for Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and mobile phones. Versions for GameCube, Xbox, PlayStation 3, and PlayStation Portable were planned, but were later cancelled.
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction is a 2010 stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Microsoft Game Studios and Ubisoft. The game is a sequel to Splinter Cell: Double Agent and part of the Splinter Cell series. Key members of the Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six: Vegas team, such as creative director Maxime Béland worked on the game. It released for Windows and Xbox 360 in April 2010. Gameloft released a handheld version for Apple's iOS in May/July 2010. There are also versions available for Android, Windows Phone and Bada, as well as a side-scrolling 2D version for mobile phones.
Section 8 is a first-person shooter video game developed by TimeGate Studios and published by SouthPeak Games. It utilizes the Unreal Engine 3 and was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It was released in September 2009 for Xbox 360 and PC, and for the PlayStation 3 on March 25 in North America and April 15, 2010, in the PAL region.
IndyCar Series is a racing simulator developed by Codemasters. The game was released in 2003 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. The game is based on the 2002 Indy Racing League. A sequel to the game, IndyCar Series 2005, was released in 2004 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Windows based on the 2003 IndyCar Series. For PC, the recommended requirements are Windows 98, Millennium, 2000 and XP, but the game also works with Windows Vista and Windows 7.
World of Tanks (WoT) is an armoured warfare-themed multiplayer online game developed by Wargaming, featuring 20th century (1910s–1970s) era combat vehicles. It is built upon a freemium business model where the game is free-to-play, but participants also have the option of paying a fee for use of "premium" features. The focus is on player vs. player gameplay with each player controlling an armored vehicle, from the time of Pre-World War 2 to the Cold War-era.
Rayman Legends is a platform video game developed by Ubisoft Montpellier and published by Ubisoft. It is the fifth main title in the Rayman series and the direct sequel to the 2011 game Rayman Origins. The game was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, and PlayStation Vita platforms in August and September 2013. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were released in February 2014, with a Stadia version released in November 2021. A Nintendo Switch port, titled Rayman Legends Definitive Edition, was released in North America, Europe and Australia on September 12, 2017.
Mad Riders is a racing video game for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, and Mac OS X. It was developed by Techland and published by Ubisoft. Mad Riders was released in 2012. The game received mixed reviews upon its release, with critics praising the game's visuals but taking issue with its physics and controls.
Trials Fusion is a platform racing video game developed by Ubisoft RedLynx in collaboration with Ubisoft Shanghai and Ubisoft Kyiv. A follow-up to Trials Evolution, it is the fifth game in the Trials series and is the first one to be released on a PlayStation platform. The game was released on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One in April 2014. A companion game, Trials Frontier, was released on iOS and Android devices and designed to accompany the console and PC title. Ubisoft released six paid DLC packs, as well as several free content updates. Online multiplayer was added in an update on January 24, 2015.
The Crew was a 2014 online-only racing video game co-developed by Ubisoft Ivory Tower and Ubisoft Reflections and published by Ubisoft. The game was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One, with an Xbox 360 port developed by Asobo Studio in December 2014, and for Amazon Luna in November 2020. It featured a persistent open world environment for free-roaming across a scaled-down recreation of the Contiguous United States and included both role-playing and large-scale multiplayer elements.
For Honor is an action game developed and published by Ubisoft. The game allows players to play the roles of historical forms of soldiers and warriors such as knights, samurai, and vikings, controlled using a third-person perspective. The game was developed primarily by Ubisoft Montreal and released worldwide for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in 2017.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands is a third-person tactical shooter video game developed by Ubisoft Paris and Ubisoft Milan, and published by Ubisoft. It was released worldwide on March 7, 2017, for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One as the tenth installment in the Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon franchise and is the first game in the Ghost Recon series to feature an open world environment.
F1 2016 is a racing game which is based on the 2016 Formula One season and was developed by Codemasters Birmingham, published by Codemasters, distributed by Deep Silver in North America and Ubisoft in Japan. The game was released on 19 August for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Windows. The game was also released for iOS, Android and tvOS on 10 November. A Mac version by Feral Interactive was released on 6 April 2017.
Need for Speed Payback is a 2017 racing video game developed by Ghost Games and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on November 10, 2017. It is the twenty-third installment in the Need for Speed series. It received mixed reviews from critics. It was succeeded by Need for Speed Heat in 2019.
Trials Rising is a 2.5D racing game developed by Ubisoft RedLynx and Ubisoft Kyiv and published by Ubisoft. It was released for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in February 2019, for Stadia in November 2019, and for Amazon Luna in December 2020. It is the first mainline entry in the Trials series since 2014's Trials Fusion, and the first in the series to be released on a Nintendo console.
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction is an online multiplayer tactical shooter video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. A spin-off of Rainbow Six Siege (2015), Extraction is a cooperative multiplayer game in which players must work together to combat and defeat a type of parasite-like aliens called the Archæans. The game was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Amazon Luna, Google Stadia, Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on January 20, 2022. It received mixed reviews from critics.
The Crew Motorfest is a 2023 racing video game developed by Ubisoft Ivory Tower and published by Ubisoft for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. It is the sequel to 2018's The Crew 2 and the third game in The Crew series, and was released on September 14, 2023. The game is set in an open world environment; a scaled-down version of the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu. It received generally positive reviews from critics and is considered an improvement over its predecessors.