Developer: Neopica
Publisher: Nacon
Platform: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PC
Overpass 2 – Review
The original Overpass was released a little over three years ago and was a mild success, leaving many including our reviewer amused though not impressed. But publisher Nacon (formerly Bigben Interactive) returns with a new developer in tow. This time Neopica was in charge of developing this off-road racing experience. And what’s the verdict? Well, mostly it’s more of the same. Both the good and the bad return, once again leaving Overpass 2 as an underwhelming racer with some potential. It’s time to go off the tracks!
Story
There isn’t really any plot in Overpass 2, though that’s not what most people would play a racing game for anyway. The career mode is not very in-depth but it has you building up your team from a bunch of rookies to a worldwide sensation, so that might count as a ‘story’. However, that’s not what playing Overpass 2 is really about.
Graphics
The game got a slight upgrade in graphics compared to its predecessor, though it still falls short when you compare it to some other racers. The different tracks do look good at a glance and we appreciate the abundant amount of car designs, with the various models having distinct looks. Since the game takes place off-road, the devs took advantage of how diverse the environments can be and they made some great, beautiful scenery full of nature and obstacles to race through. Some of the visual effects are lacking though. Sandstorms especially look unrealistic and can even cause frame rate drops, which is something you really don’t want in this type of game.
Sound
Similarly, Overpass 2 doesn’t really feel like it made any progress in terms of sound design. The music is woefully bland or absent and the sound effects sound like no effort was put into them. One major complaint in the original Overpass was that the engines sounded like those of a lawnmower, with no power to them. This has not at all changed. Some people might argue that those things are merely set dressing to the game, but when gameplay is so deceptively simple, the details start to matter and we can only call this a letdown with zero immersion.
Gameplay
Overpass 2 is an off-road racing simulator with a few different game modes to keep you occupied. The main one is the career mode, a classic mode where you start out with basic vehicles and work your way up toward international championships. To gain said fame, you participate in a combo of the five different events the game has to offer: off-road sprint, off-road circuit, hill climb, obstacle course, and closed circuit. Every type of event has different tracks and plays as its own unique thing, which is fun. To further expand on the ways to play this game, there are also three types of vehicles: The ATV, UTV, and Rock Bouncer. These vehicle types handle differently. As a result, you can really pick whatever suits your style.
So in theory, that’s great! In practice, Overpass 2 quickly shows where it’s lacking. The physics engine is completely broken, making the already fiddly controls unmanageable without major adjustments from the player. Even with said adjustments, driving the vehicles around does not feel natural and there’s little traction from the different undergrounds. Sometimes you seem to bump into things and crash almost randomly, while other times the wheels drive much too smoothly over what should be uneven terrain. The AI seems to suffer the same fate at least, so in a lot of races, your opponents will also be flying all over the place. It’s not at all bad enough that the game becomes unplayable and most of this stuff you can even get used to after playing for a while. Sadly, it does remove a lot of realism from the game and makes it feel cheaply made. Especially since racing is the main gameplay element.
Other things you’ll do in the career mode have to do with managing your team. By winning races you earn credits, which you use to hire staff for your garage. That way, your vehicles remain in tip-top condition. You can also use the credits to acquire new cars and upgrade them, or take care of your team’s PR so you’ll be able to participate in more events. You can also sign sponsorships, where you’ll get credits for completing small objectives for a brand. It’s fun stuff, but nothing that has a ton of depth. Beyond the career mode, there’s a quick race mode, so you can skip all that progression stuff and just jump right into the race. There’s also an online multiplayer mode where you can take on up to seven other players. Both of these modes are fine but suffer from the same problems as racing in the career mode does.
Conclusion
Overpass 2 is basically the same as the original Overpass with slightly updated graphics and more steps of gameplay, but not much improvement when it comes to the issues the original had. The variety in types of races, tracks, and vehicles does mean you can sink a lot of hours in this game and still find new ways to experience it, plus it allows for a lot of customization. Sadly, a meaty experience doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good one when the game needs so much more polishing.
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