The Crew: Motorfest

The Crew Motorfest is undoubtedly the best entry in Ubisoft’s open-world racing game series yet. Not only that, but it goes toe-to-toe with Forza Horizon 5, perhaps even beating it in numerous ways. The island of O’ahu is stunning; a varied place that feels natural and teeming with things to do. But more importantly, the gameplay, the simple act of driving, is rewarding and fun. Whether you’re exploring the world or taking part in a heated race, The Crew Motorfest puts a smile on your face, even if only because of the beautiful surroundings. And while they’re somewhat put on the back burner he...

The Crew Motorfest is in some ways not just a racing game, but an exploration of culture, surroundings, and how modernity can fit in side by side with tradition. Of course, the aim of the game is to win competitions and collect new vehicles, but it’s also a fantastic look into how you can make something more out of a racing game, and explore different themes and ideas that are not just related to cars.

The Crew Motorfest embodies the spirit of the Forza Horizon franchise in more ways than one, and though it doesn't ever quite touch the same heights, it does deliver what is easily the most enjoyable game in Ubisoft's open world racing franchise.

Comparisons to the Forza Horizon series are excruciatingly apparent in The Crew Motorfest, with it almost sharing more DNA with its competitor than its own predecessors. That said, the learnings are almost all for the better, with Ubisoft presenting an arcade racer that’s very close to being just as fun and comprehensive.

The adage “two steps forward, and one step back” has never rung more accurately than it does when applied to The Crew Motorfest. While the latest entry into Ivory Tower and Ubisoft’s “The Crew” franchise submits a better racing experience than its predecessors, it simultaneously abandons the identity from which the franchise was conceived. Returning fans may find a longing for the seemingly endless amount of open road in the previous two games. Though, after spending 30 or so hours with The Crew Motorfest, I can definitively say a competent racer sits beneath its hood.

The Crew Motorfest is easily the best entry in the series to date and serves as a new launching point for the franchise. It has needed an identity of its own for a long time and while it may seem odd, going back to what made the first couple of Forza Horizon games work well while keeping some of The Crew 2's vehicle variety intact winds up being a winning combination. Every race type is executed well, with the street racing and open-wheel being true standouts, while the visual design shines and accents the audio with a slick soundtrack and impressive sound design.

The Crew Motorfest has really surprised us. Not since the Test Drive Unlimited days have we had this much fun with an open world racer outside of the industry-leading Forza Horizon series, and that can only be good for competition going forward. The jury is still out on whether Motorfest, and any potential sequels, will have the stopping power that FH does, but Ubisoft's history with updating and adding to The Crew 2 bodes well for this title's future. Motorfest isn't fully refined just yet but the game feels like a hugely successful reset button for The Crew series, and we're now totally inve...

Ubisoft's latest racing game bridges the gap to the untouchable Forza.

There is an exceptionally solid foundation here for some great racing, especially in multiplayer with friends. And if you take the game on that value alone, The Crew Motorfest is a fantastic game that has some great tracks and scenery to soak in as you race around this truncated version of Hawaii. Unfortunately, the single-player experience and general annoyances throughout the game took away from this focus and left me feeling small doses of frustration throughout.

The Crew Motorfest is a fun surprise. I intend to keep playing it for at least a few more hours and will likely keep it installed if I need a pretend mini vacation. My biggest gripe is the Internet Car Influencer culture from which the game takes its narrative cues. I hate the world of influencers like every other adult with a brain. But the setting is genuinely fantastic to race around. The cars and other vehicles are fun to drive (except the planes in a race); plainly put, it’s a fun racer. Here’s to hoping we get more games in this direction and eventually see the genre return to its former...

The Crew Motorfest definitely brings the heat, but in the end, it’s sitting at a distant second until it learns what exactly it wants out of itself.

An open-world Hawaii and a generously spirited racer, chafed by always-online irritations and a lack of originality.