I guess I’ll start by saying that I don’t really play many racing games. Gear.Club Unlimited hasn’t managed to change my opinion of them either, but neither was it a totally unenjoyable experience.
Gear.Club is a realistic racing game as opposed to the more cartoonish likes of Mario Kart. The cars are pretty and seemingly endlessly upgradable. If you like customisation then you’ll be pleased with the workshop where you purchase various stations to update your car’s look and performance. Personally, I thought this aspect of the game was overly complicated and the tutorial failed to actually teach me how to use the various stations. Also, since items and stations are unlocked as you progress through the game, it can seem like your choices are limited to begin with.
The races themselves are very short. Only about a minute each and the AI don’t seem all that eager to win. I found myself winning every race without even having to follow the green arrows of the recommended path. I’m sure the difficulty ramps up as you play through the map and the good news is, the map is huge. There are plenty of map types and terrains to race on, with different vehicles performing better in different racing environments.
If that’s not enough for you, there are online races against real users. But these seem to be timed and I couldn’t manage to find a race. There’s also local multiplayer so you can race against up to four of your friends. But I find it’s lacking in excitement without being able to throw any shells or bananas at them.
If you like racing games, and would like a more serious alternative to Mario Kart, this might be the game for you. You probably won’t be wowed by the graphics and the controls, but you’ll definitely get a lot of cars, and a lot of racing.
Rating: 6 out of 10
Highlights: Great choice of cars; expansive levels and upgrades
Lowlights: Short race times; easy AI
Developer: Eden Games
Publisher: Microids
Platforms: Switch
Available: Now
Reviewed on Nintendo Switch with a code provided by the publisher.
———-
