Driveclub from Evolution Studios was available to play at the EB Expo this weekend and I put the next-generation racer through its paces.
On show was a simple time trial which allowed players at Sony’s booth to compete with each other for the best times, using the PS4’s camera to take a profile pic of each driver.
The simulation aspect of the Driveclub demo was suitably brutal and really required multiple plays in order to get good enough control of your car to navigate the course reliably.
In playing Driveclub it was quickly apparent that I am spoiled by GT5’s racing line feature which changes color in order to help you brake perfectly for corners. While a pleasant blue line was visible on some corners it did not seem to react dynamically to the car’s speed like the GT5 racing line and I spent my first few runs getting acquainted with some trees and rocks to the side of the course.
A Mercedes and Maserati were on offer and were rendered beautifully both inside and out. Driveclub’s presentation is gorgeous but straight forward and should be a great holdover until next-gen versions of Gran Turismo roll around. The cockpit view and dashboard were also both functional and realistic.
Driveclub’s simulation aspects are down-to-earth enough that it will shine with a hardware racing wheel rather than the the Dualshock 4 which was provided with the demo and is sure to be a favorite for simulation focused race fans.
