The Crew Motorfest Has The Coolest Map Of 2023

It’s uncommon {that a} online game map will make me excited. Hell, it’s uncommon that I even discover them, as most maps are serviceable and little extra. So earlier than enjoying just a few hours of Ubisoft’s open-world racing recreation, The Crew Motorfest, I didn’t count on to be blown away by its in-game map. And but, I used to be. It is likely to be the perfect and coolest online game map of 2023.

The Crew Motorfest, out at present through early entry, is the third recreation in Ubisoft’s open-world racing franchise. However this time round, the builders have determined to cease attempting to recreate your complete United States and do one thing higher: Copy Forza Horizon. Okay, that’s a bit reductive, however Motorfest actually looks like Ubisoft’s stab at attempting to copy the enjoyable and thrilling vibes of Microsoft’s well-liked Forza Horizon franchise. I’ll need to play extra earlier than I can ship a ultimate verdict on how efficiently Motorfest pulls off the method, however I don’t have to play extra to inform you that its map is wonderful.

After the thrilling and really Forza Horizon-like opening of Motorfest, I used to be plopped into Hawai’i and let free on its roads, ramps, and hills. However earlier than I hit the gasoline and flew out into the world, I popped open the map to get a lay of the land. After I did, the sport seamlessly zoomed out to indicate a greater view of the island, which appeared fairly cool. Then, nonetheless, I found I might spin the totally 3D and extremely detailed map round whereas vehicles and planes continued to maneuver about it in real-time, which was much more spectacular. Nevertheless, it wasn’t till I zoomed in on the map extra that my thoughts was blown.

Pre-order The Crew Motorfest: Amazon | Finest Purchase | GameStop

Generally, maps in video games signify the world through easy strains that create a crude facsimile of the particular place you’re exploring. Even those who attempt to supply a extra visually detailed illustration of the setting usually don’t allow you to zoom in too near the motion. That’s not the case in The Crew Motorfest, nonetheless. As a substitute, after I zoomed into the map, I noticed all the small print of the sport world represented in real-time within the map viewer. And I might zoom into any a part of the big island and watch NPCs mill about or vehicles drive round.

I can’t stress sufficient how seamlessly and flawlessly this all works, too. Positive, you’ll be able to poke at it and slowly zoom out and in to identify a few of the methods Ubisoft is pulling off to make this all work. However nonetheless, this is among the coolest maps I’ve seen in a recreation. I ended up enjoying round with the map for like 20 minutes after discovering how carefully you’ll be able to zoom in on any a part of the island. (The Crew 2 featured the same map, however this time round Ubisoft allows you to zoom in much more and it appears to be like even higher.)

It’s particularly good to have a formidable and helpful map like this after enjoying a ton of Starfield not too long ago, which has a decidedly much less cool and really dangerous in-game map. That “map” in Bethesda’s RPG hasn’t helped me in any respect. In the meantime, The Crew’s map not solely appears to be like superior, nevertheless it really gives helpful details about the place roads join, how buildings are formed, the place hills are positioned, and different geographical data.

Ubisoft, spin off this tech and make a recreation about exploring maps and discovering assassins or hackers or no matter franchise greatest works with this concept. I’d play that. Till then, I’ll maintain enjoying round with this depraved cool map. Oh, and I’ll play Motorfest, the precise recreation it’s related to, as properly. Finally…

Pre-order The Crew Motorfest: Amazon | Finest Purchase | GameStop