Developer: Rainbow Studios
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Platform: PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Switch
Tested on: PC
Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 – Review
Back in 2019, we were surprised with a Monster Jam game, that at first glance looked very entertaining. Even though fun was had in local multiplayer, the entire experience broke down further down the race track. Nonetheless, with some improvements, a sequel could have been amazing actually. Sadly, with Steel Titans 2, all we get is a reskin of the original, with even less entertainment value. Once again, we strapped in for a bumpy ride, that was constantly being interrupted with our monster truck inexplicably flipping over.
Story
Steel Titans 2 is void of any interesting story content. You just get dropped into an open world, which you can explore to unlock more content. Now and then there’s a small blurb to explain what is expected of you, but other than that, you will find no engaging plot in this game of mechanical ‘monsters’.
Graphics
Having tried the PC version on the Epic settings, the game gave a good impression, until we actually started moving around in the world. The textures on the monster truck, in particular the tires, were well handled. Other than that, this is just a rerelease of the first game, with slightly altered environments and a very boring layout. Many of the world’s structures look like cheap assets from a marketplace, and the team has not even bothered adding any water effects. When driving through water, you just sink in and don’t even cause a ripple. Bushes are flat objects, and every item you destroy just sinks into the floor upon contact. The overall textures look okay from afar, but everything has that PS1 vibe to it upon closer inspection. There is a bit of dust flying around, and your truck does get a bit dirty, but it doesn’t get any better than that. For a new release, the game truly looks underwhelming and bland.
Sound
The soundtrack is a bit more interesting than in the first iteration, but it still feels generic and bland when looking at the whole picture. In a game such as this, there should be fire coming out of your speakers because of the loud rock music, or your neighbors should complain because of the hectic drum and bass tunes, but sadly that is not the case. The cars sound okayish, which is at least one note they hit correctly.
Gameplay
Just like its predecessor, Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 is still a racing game, albeit with different freestyle disciplines thrown in the mix as well. You’ll be thrown into a small open-world area, having to play through different disciplines to unlock new content. With the slow progress you make, you’ll have to play a lot to unlock new cars, and as these also start off with zero experience, things will get rather ‘grindy’ if you wish to unlock and upgrade new cars.
Even though the game does offer a fair number of tracks and arenas, there is just not that much to do. The overworld hardly offers anything of interest, and just feels tedious to explore. The races and other events are just more of the same, just a way to grind experience for upgrades you barely notice. Even though the game claims that every monster truck is different, they all feel exactly the same. This sequel doesn’t have you farm for credits however, and upgrades your vehicle automatically by gaining experience. This experience can also be gained in the co-op mode, and you can easily use this as an exploit.
Outside of the shoddy graphical quality and the half-assed sound design, the game’s mechanics just feel off. You’re driving a massive monster truck, but you will get toppled over when driving over a pebble. You can destroy fully-grown trees and water towers but will be nearly destroyed by a small white picket fence. The game just doesn’t make any sense. Every type of terrain feels exactly the same, and you just never feel in control. Even on a flat surface, the game seems to be very whimsical. Sometimes you just topple over, while other times you’re glued to the floor. The AI drivers are like hitting a brick wall, they will always throw you off balance, but will treat you like a bug on their windshields.
Conclusion
Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 is just a copy-paste project of the original game, albeit with some different environments thrown in the mix, and slightly altered mechanics. Steel Titans 2 feels uninspired, bland and boring throughout the entire experience, making you grind for cars while looking at subpar graphics. Once again, this one feels like a nice budget-bin title, and it still has a fairly nice foundation, but nothing is being done with said foundation.
Monster Jam Steel Titans 2 – Review,
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