Crossout - Car Combat Goes Post-Apocalyptic!

...>Vehicular combat gets the MMO treatment.

Start Your Engines

There's something viscerally exciting about car combat. Maybe it's the fact that so many people know what it's like to be behind the wheel, or perhaps it's just the fact that this kind of combat usually leads to explosions. Whatever it is, Crossout taps into this particular niche by providing an MMO version of a classic concept. Though the game itself is imperfect, it certainly does try its hardest to give players a reason to get behind the wheel every day.

Beyond the Thunder-dome

There's nothing particularly new about the concept of Crossout, but that's okay. Vehicular combat has been around in the gaming world for a long time, and it certainly comes in and out of fashion, so it's not too surprising to see someone try to bring it back. The last real attempt at this type of play was 2006's Auto Assault, so it's nice to see someone new pick up the ball.

....> developers didn't do enough with the concept.

This game is as bare-bones as you can get. Yes, it's a car combat MMO, but it lacks a coherent story or a well-developed world. It's undeniably cool to kit out a car and take on your enemies, of course, but so much of this game feels like wasted potential.

Shiny and Chrome

Before getting to the bad stuff, it should be pointed out that Crossout looks fine. It's not an ugly game; it's just not particularly thrilling in any way. There's the usual post-apocalyptic aesthetic here, though it is broken up with some splashes of color and some beautiful water effects. The truth, though, is that everything feels like it's checking off boxes in the post-apocalypse designer's guide.

The sound quality is disappointing. In a game like this, the sound should be everything - you should know when a part is about to fail by it as well as the visual cues. Unfortunately, there's not of that here - just a generic soundtrack and some explosion noises. The game doesn't go far enough to make its audio or visual components stand out.

Fury Road

Continuing the theme of the bare minimum design is the gameplay itself. The bulk of the game is going to be spent shooting at things - either an opposing team or some AI vehicles. There are missions, in theory, but it all comes down to this kind of basic combat. It's all competently done, but there's nothing that breaks up the monotony.

...> some fresh ideas that stand out.

The big one is customizing your vehicle. This isn't just a cosmetic thing - you choose your parts and load out, which impacts how well you survive in combat. It's based on a reasonably terrible grid system, but it's still a great idea in theory. Hopefully, future iterations of this game can build on this idea.

Going Full Throttle

Crossout is fine for what it is. As a free-to-play MMO, it manages to keep the average player's attention, and it isn't too big on the micro-transactions. Though it could still use a lot of polishing on almost every level, it's the kind of thing that could end up being fun for those who really miss the old days of games like Twisted Metal.