DRIVECLUB VR
Delivers thrills and unwelcome spills
There’s a moment before the start of every tour race in this virtual reality refit where you can inspect your car from a variety of angles. Tapping r transports you around the vehicle, allowing you to gawp at it for as long as you want. By the time you’re behind the wheel, you’ve forgotten about the drop in resolution versus Driveclub’s TV incarnation since the sensation of actually being in the car is so strong. It’s almost a shame you have to compete in it… Don’t worry, that feeling passes as fast as a Ferrari’s top speed. This is still Driveclub, after all, and the mix of heightened speed and tight, drift-friendly handling gives races a fantastic flow as you tear through beautiful courses. The framework of earning Fame through a mix of stylish driving and the game’s returning microchallenges (beat average speeds, follow cornering lines and so on) returns, and you quickly remember the joy of racking up points. At its core, this is the same great game as before.
Except, of course, VR changes the way you experience it, and the camera angles are the biggest part of that. The special perspective that the headset gives you makes a world of difference; details such as peering into the wing mirrors and seeing where the chasing pack is, or turning your head to the side when trading paint with the AI, are astounding. These are natural motions that ground you in the action and, considering you have a choice of three points of view – driver’s seat, bumper and third-person, like a typical racer – you’re not restricted to a view you might not enjoy.
A WHEEL SHAME
Unfortunately, there’s one less pleasant experience I get from this incarnation: motion sickness. While the degree to which people will suffer will depend on their tolerance to VR, I’m not the only member of the team who’s felt iffy with Driveclub VR. It’s never unplayable, but crashes that send me spinning out of control cause me to pause and catching my breath. Others can’t stomach even clean rides.
That’s a disappointment, because this a comprehensive package. All the original countries return, with five new areas to race through, plus a selection of classic tracks – Old Town in Scotland remains my favourite – although there are no new cars. Tour modes has new challenges, with 162 stars to grab, and they run the gamut from far too easy to satisfyingly challenging.
However, there’s one little extra that makes the biggest impact. Cruise mode, where you free-ride through tracks to take in the scenery or practise your racing line, taps into the best part of Driveclub VR: the intoxicating sense of place in a detailed, if slightly blurry, world. There may be less content than in the original, but this a racer unlike any other – if you can tolerate it. Thank goodness there’s a demo…
“THE PERSPECTIVE THAT THE HEADSET GIVES YOU MAKES A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE.”