I love driving games. Mostly it’s because of my love for cars that I love driving games so much, but I don’t love all driving games. There has to be something special about it that keeps me coming back for more, otherwise I lose interest and never play it again. Notable games that have been really good are Gran Turismo, Dirt, and OnRush. Everything else has been okay but hasn’t warranted me revisiting them. Well, I’d like to add a new game to that list by the name of Wreckfest and it’s definitely a game every racing fan needs in their library.

Wreckfest the spiritual successor to developer Bugbear Entertainment’s previous racing, the original Flatout. I can not tell you if this is the case however as I’ve never played the Flatout series before, but for you old school games out there, this is very much like the beloved Destruction Derby series on the original PlayStation. I’ve always wondered why there hasn’t been a modern remake of the series but now there’s pretty much no need thanks to Wreckfest.

I’ll start off with the fact that Wreckfest is an absolute gorgeous game to look at. Everything from the car models to the track designs are fantastic. Though the best part of the game is just how destructive everything is and how it looks as the races progress. True to it’s namesake, all the cars are fully destructible, I mean fully. Fenders and hoods can come flying off. Windshields can disappear. The frame of your car can end up looking like a pretzel on wheels, and heck, you can even lose all your wheels. And whats neat is that any parts you or your opponents lose, stay on the track as debris that you can hit while still racing.

Speaking of the track, while there is a track to follow, it’s so easy to go veering off the track in this game and out of bounds. Fences can be destroyed, as well as tire barriers and even sponsor signs. Pretty much anything that you see that can be run into can be destroyed. However there are some concrete obstacles and steel guard rails that can not be destroyed, but you can use those to your advantage by bumping other cars into them and hopefully having them take massive damage from them. Same goes for trees and boulders. There’s just so much that can be damaged and cause damage on the track that it makes racing super fun, especially when everyone is racing as dirty as they can.

And that brings me to what makes Wreckfest so fun. You don’t have to be nice. Wreckfest encourages you to be as dirty of a racer as you want to be. Crash into anyone and everyone. Run people off the track or slam into them head on. It’s all part of the game and you won’t be crapped on for doing it because you’re supposed to do it. Races can be won or loss with the dirtiest of moves. You don’t even need the fastest car to win anymore.

You’ll also be happy to note that all the vehicles featured in the game are based off real world vehicles, even though they aren’t named as such. That’s probably because they aren’t exactly featured as ‘showroom presentable” and for the most part look like cars you’d find at a  junkyard. That’s fine by me as it fits the whole destruction theme. I’m just happy that I recognize pretty much all their real life counterparts as nothing irks me more than a racing game with made up cars. I will say, Wreckfest does have a few odd vehicles thrown in to mix it up a bit. Some examples include a lawn mower, couch car, and even a harvester. You can upgrade all the cars for better performance as well as upgrade the way they look. This also goes for the livery.

Lastly, and it’s the most important aspect of the game, and that’s the gameplay. Wreckfest features some really tight gameplay. The physics in the game are very well done and the cars are all very easy to drive. Even though for the most part you’ll be driving on dirt and sliding around, you never really feel out of control. It very much feels almost rally like and after a few races, you’ll be sliding like a pro. Also, aside from regular racing, there are also demolition derbies that are super fun. Basically it’s a free for all with everyone in a tiny arena, last man standing wins. Wreckfest also throws in some challenges you can complete while racing for an added layer of gameplay.

Final Thoughts

Wreckfest is turning out to be one of my favorite non-traditional racers. It’s a nice change of pace from something like Gran Turismo Sport where the racing is very sim like and everyone must play nice with each other. Pretty much everything you do in Wreckfest would get you banned online in GT Sport, but in here, it’s encouraged. It’s a fun and furiously vicious game where it’s possible to go last to first place and vice versa in a matter of seconds. I also really love the fact that it’s flexible with any racing style. IF you want to race clean, great. If you want to go all out destructive, you can do that too. It’s all entirely up to you.

With that said, get Wreckfest. You won’t be disappointed. This is a game I think fans of racing games and even casual players will enjoy.