Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged, developed by Milestone, is a visually stunning game available on various platforms including PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X | S. The game’s attention to detail and realistic materials make it feel like a wish fulfillment for fans of Hot Wheels. The track editor is also impressive, allowing players to create their dream race courses.
However, the sequel falls short in terms of innovation. It doesn’t bring much new to the table and features like the story campaign are disappointing. Despite this, the game still provides an enjoyable experience, especially for those nostalgic for the Hot Wheels brand.
Milestone’s expertise in creating realistic visuals is evident in Turbocharged’s impressive vehicle handling. Racing requires careful concentration and precise deceleration to avoid flying off the course. The addition of a jump button adds a new dimension to the gameplay, allowing for more engaging track layouts and off-road exploration.
The game offers a variety of race types, but they may not feel entirely novel to players who have experienced similar modes in other racing games. There are also new vehicle types, such as motorbikes and off-road buggies, but they handle similarly to existing cars.
One of the highlights of Turbocharged is the in-depth livery editor, which allows players to customize their vehicles with different colors, materials, and stickers. The roster of vehicles is decent, featuring a mix of original Hot Wheels creations, licensed miniature versions of real-world cars, and popular characters.
Unfortunately, the biggest addition to Turbocharged, the story campaign, is the most disappointing aspect of the game. The cutscenes, intended to emulate a cheesy Saturday morning cartoon, fall short due to poor voice acting and animation. The story itself is almost nonexistent and doesn’t add much to the overall experience.
Despite its flaws, the track editor is a standout feature, providing players with endless possibilities for custom tracks. The ability to download community tracks and create and share tracks online adds to the game’s longevity.
In terms of accessibility, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged offers options like cutscene subtitles and tools to assist with driving. However, some of these options can only be used in offline races on stock tracks.
The review was based on 15 hours of gameplay on PC, where the story campaign was partially completed. The track builder and livery editor were also explored. The game was initially played with a keyboard and mouse but was later switched to an Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 for better control.
Overall, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 – Turbocharged is a somewhat underwhelming sequel that relies on the strength of its predecessor. New players will appreciate its visuals and track builder, but returning fans may find the lack of innovation and poor story mode disappointing.
