Developer: Bugbear
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Tested On: PS5
Wreckfest (PS5) – Review
It seems we’re going for a holy trinity when it concerns Wreckfest. We have reviewed the game on PC, and PS4, and now it’s time to take a closer look at the PS5 version. As the base game has not really changed, we’ll mainly discuss the differences between the PS5 version and the other versions we have covered. Those who own the PlayStation 4 version will still have to dish out a tiny bit of cash for the upgrade. If you wish to read our original reviews, be sure to click here for the PC review and here for the PS4 review. We were quite happy to put the pedal to the metal with our school bus to run over some racers on lawnmowers. At the time of writing this review, owners of the PS4 game are not able to transfer their save files to the PS5 version, which is a massive oversight on BugBear’s end. We are unsure how this works with bought DLC content, as we have not reviewed any DLC content in the past.
We have to start off by addressing the elephant in the room here, and that’s the fact that those who have the PS4 game in their collection will not be able to transfer their save files. This is a bit of a slap in the face for those who have supported the original console release, and that now have to also pay a bit (of pocket change) for the upgrade. The company can easily justify having to pay for the upgrade, as this is a solid improvement of the base game, but not being able to convert your save file just feels lazy. It radiates that the developer doesn’t care about people passionately playing their game for perhaps even hundreds of hours already, now eagerly wanting to play the newer and better version. The company said they would not ‘look into it’ but we have no idea when or if this option will be added.
The aforementioned debacle aside, the new PS5 is an absolute delight to play through. Not only is the graphical quality a lot better, but the loading times have also been heavily reduced. We’re not reaching loading times like certain other Sony exclusives that near instantly throw you into the fray, but we do get to experience times that are a lot quicker than the original release on PS4. After several seconds of loading, you’ll find yourself finetuning your vehicle, to then go all out.
Simple as it may be, we were very pleasantly surprised with the haptic feedback on the DualSense controller. You’ll notice subtle rumbling in certain situations, slightly more pressure on the triggers when going off-road, even to the point the triggers start pressing back. A lot of crash sounds play via the controller’s speakers, which also helps with the immersion. While at no point the same feedback was given like it was when playing Returnal, it was still nicely done and showed that this is not just a small graphical update of the original game. Hence, we also agree with the actual cost of upgrading an older version.
The part most of you have been waiting for was kept for last. The game’s graphical quality is quite impressive now. Even though we have seen a lot more details in titles such as the new Demon’s Souls and Returnal, this new version of Wreckfest truly looks great. Sure, the original base is still visible, but it’s been updated with a new lick of paint. The lighting has vastly improved, but the overall texture quality and the fps have also been greatly enhanced. The tracks you drive on still feel a bit ‘flat’, as muddy surfaces still don’t really have your car sink into the sand, or make proper tracks for that matter. This could also be improved quite a bit, but we reckon that the entire base game will have to be remade or remodeled then. We are still quite disappointed with the lack of local multiplayer options.
Conclusion
While the PS5 version of the game is a massive improvement from the PS4 version, we can’t help but be irked for those who cannot transfer their save files to the new version, after having to pay for the actual upgrade. Those sentiments aside, if you have a PlayStation 5, and you are a console gamer who does not own this racing game yet, and you’re looking into it; don’t hesitate and just buy this amazing experience. Even after starting from scratch, we thoroughly enjoyed the experience, we loved the graphical updates and were even impressed with the (simple) DualSense controller support. Wreckfest is an absolute blast and an enjoyable experience. We do hope that save files can be transferred in the future (and that experience and credits are added to the new PS5 save files).
Wreckfest (PS5) - Review,
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