Gravel

If you are a huge racing game fan that is interested in what the game is trying to do, it may be worth checking out, as it's not a poorly-made game. Otherwise, I'd wait for a price drop before adding this to your collection. Gravel does have a lot of room to expand for a sequel, so I do hope Milestone gives this type of racing game another stab with more memorable results.

Much like Milestone's other recent title, Monster Energy Supercross, Gravel was a game I previewed very close to its eventual release. Indeed, my preview is only just over a month old. I'm plagued by the same questions that always arise when reviewing a game so close to a preview. Is there much more to talk about? What can I cover that I haven't already covered? What do I really expect in such a short time frame? Let's delve in and find out.

Gravel is a great racing experience for veterans and newcomers alike, with so many tracks and cars to unlock this game will keep you busy for a while. However being unable to find an online match has me worried that the replay value of this game isn't very good after you've played through the meat of the single-player game.

On the balance of things though, the fun you can have with Gravel outweighs its shortcomings. Throwing its ample range of vehicles around its generous assortment of off-road tracks is mostly an enjoyable experience, especially when you can engage in a bit of rough and tumble; your vehicle becoming suitably beaten up. It’s never going to overly impress you, but it lays solid foundations for a series that could go somewhere. With its stunning scenery and fairly open track design, I’d love to see Milestone throw caution to the wind, add a boost button and go all-out arcade. Just then, we might ha...

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Sorry to aggravate the aggregate heads, but Gravel isn’t actually about everyone’s favourite loose collection of rock fragments – sadly, it’s only a fun arcade racer. Coming from the motorheads at racing game specialists Milestone, Gravel focuses less on raw simulation and more on down-and-dirty off-road action, delivering an enjoyable – albeit somewhat unpolished – experience.

Gravel is a game displaced. It’s a competent and occasionally pretty pick-up-and-play arcade racing game at its core, but it has the whiff of a game released in the wrong era – a scent it just can’t shake. A 2018 rendition of ’90s ambition. Gravel certainly channels the spirit and straightforward simplicity of Milestone’s own 1997 arcade off-roader Screamer Rally but it has no unique hook for today’s audience; no over-the-top arcade pizazz that folks will still be discussing 10 or 15 years down the track. It’s functional and fun enough in small bursts, but arcade racers have come a long way ov...

Gravel is a game that confidently flaunts its personality. It’s consistent in this and I can’t fault it for that. But its gameplay and track design feel uninspiring, making the entire experience redundant and shallow. The gameplay and structure of the career mode don’t compliment Gravel’s personality in any meaningful way.