Wreckfest 2 Preview. Impressions after getting acquainted with the early access version

Wreckfest 2 is the sequel to the successor of the iconic FlatOut, which not only retained the key merits of the first part but also followed its fate: the game was released in early access as a rough draft, featuring only a framework of gameplay mechanics and an engine demonstration. Undoubtedly, fans of the first part will immediately appreciate the improved track design, physics, sounds, and driving sensations, but for regular players, this will not be enough. What the developers are currently offering on Steam can hardly be called even a demo version — the content is that sparse. In this review, we'll figure out whether it's worth buying Wreckfest 2 now or better to wait for the full release, which will take place in a couple of years.

The studio Bugbear went through incredible difficulties creating the spiritual successor to the iconic FlatOut. Initially, no investor or publisher wanted to finance another demolition derby game, and then the Kickstarter campaign failed. This was followed by selling a rough build on the official website just to somehow continue development. Eventually, the game was released on Steam Early Access, received positive reviews and good sales, which allowed for further development over 4 more years — with a complete overhaul of the physics engine and even a name change.

Bugbear not only carried the «successor of FlatOut» on their shoulders but also achieved commercial success. Wreckfest was ported to all possible platforms, including smartphones and the Switch. By the end of 2018, publisher THQ Nordic took the studio under its wing, and it seemed that financial problems would be a thing of the past. However, for unclear reasons, the sequel was released in early access again — and in an even more stripped-down form than the first part. The developers promise to complete the project in a year (instead of four, like last time), but experience shows that few games leave early access on time.

We are used to seeing semi-finished projects with rough flaws in early access, but what Bugbear presents as Wreckfest 2 rather resembles a paid demo version. This is not a game in the usual sense and not even a vertical slice — just four cars, a few tracks, a set of promises, and a poorly functioning multiplayer. If such a release was justified for the first part (players acted as investors), then releasing a «tech demo» without content for the second time is a strange decision.

If you, like us, hoped that Bugbear would listen to the fans and turn Wreckfest 2 into a modern equivalent of FlatOut 2 with crazy high-speed races, rather than dull pseudo-realistic laps where any collision forces you to restart the race — we must disappoint you. The sequel is the first part with an improved engine. At least, that's the impression after getting acquainted with the early version. There are no radical changes in game design. And we doubt that the game will transform significantly by the release version.

The first thing that catches the eye after launching Wreckfest 2 is the improved visuals. The new tracks have become more detailed and refined. Yes, these are the same junkyards with piles of tires and rusty cars, but now they have more polygons, and they don't look as monotonous as in the first part. The main feature of Wreckfest 2 is the ability to «feel» the environment. Crashing into rusty debris and watching pieces of mangled metal with dozens of tires scatter in different directions is a real pleasure.

The car selection in early access is so poor that there's hardly anything to talk about. You have a choice of four «rusty buckets» that don't differ from each other. Muscle cars skid from the slightest impact, yet they don't impress with speed on straights. Front-wheel-drive cars fly off the track from a light nudge, but they handle better on sharp turns. In any case, the choice of car hardly affects the gameplay — all vehicles are equalized in terms of characteristics.

Only repainting is available for customization. Tuning and upgrades are absent, and it's unknown if they will appear in the release. The only noticeable change is the new damage physics: now dents appear exactly where the impact occurred.

At the bottom of the screen, there is a damage interface displaying damage to different parts of the car body. In theory, damage to certain parts of the vehicle should somehow affect gameplay and speed. But no matter how much we crashed into everything possible, we didn't notice any significant differences besides the visual ones. Yes, smoke can come out of the exhaust. And yes, after serious collisions, the car turns into a «hunchbacked Quasimodo». But it's just a cosmetic effect and nothing more. No matter how much you ram opponents, they will still fly forward, knocking down all obstacles in their path. You won't gain a significant advantage in the race for aggressive driving.

All the available early access content does not provide a clear understanding of what will be in the game upon release, or what should be paid attention to right now. How will the tuning system and engine adjustments work? Will damage always be purely cosmetic? Can damage affect the performance of certain parts? Currently, there are only circuit races where the tiniest collision ruins any chance of winning. Going around in circles repeatedly while waiting for a content update is the fate of devoted fans, but not regular players.

Finally, the AI is not particularly clever compared to other racing games, yet it gives no chance of winning. If you fail to take the lead right at the start, you can forget about the podium and not even try to win. You can set up as many traps as you want, cause crashes at intersections, ram others, and race headlong — nothing good will come of it. Moreover, in derby battles, the AI loves to get stuck in the scenery and stick to other cars.

In terms of visuals, Wreckfest 2 looks head and shoulders above the original. This is largely due to the lighting and increased detailing. The vehicle damage model is impressive, and the updated physics engine makes the races spectacular and thrilling. Graphics, at the moment, are the sequel's only trump card.

It's also worth noting the updated sound system. The engines «roar» more realistically than in the predecessor. The sound of the engine distinctly changes with the amount of damage. Unfortunately, there is no soundtrack or licensed songs in early access. We doubt they will be added in upcoming patches, so prepare a playlist for the races in advance.

Wreckfest 2 runs very well even on not the most powerful systems. Despite the abundance of physical objects and detailed visuals, we did not notice frame drops or graphical artifacts. There were no critical bugs either, but there are online reviews about crashes to the desktop and freezes, so we cannot speak with complete confidence about the polish of the project.

The multiplayer mode with random players works inconsistently. Not only is it nearly impossible to gather a lobby with real people, but there are also constant issues with the servers. The developers promise to fix the matchmaking in upcoming patches.

***

In the end, it's not entirely clear for whom Wreckfest 2 was released in early access. The first part offers exactly the same gameplay but with much more content and modes. You can only really appreciate the new physics and graphics. In its current form, the game is a paid demo for fans who are eager to try themselves as investors in a potentially good project. But judging by what we've seen, we're more likely to get a remake rather than a step forward, which FlatOut 2 once was.