DCL: The Game

About

DCL: The Game is a single player and multiplayer racing game. It was developed by Drone Champions AG and was released on February 18, 2020. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"DCL: The Game" is the official videogame of the Drone Champions League, offering thrilling drone racing experiences on authentic DCL tracks in various stunning locations around the world. With realistic flight physics and online multiplayer, players can practice and compete against pilots worldwide. It is praised by pilots for its immersive and authentic drone flying experience.

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79%

Audience ScoreBased on 349 reviews

graphics33 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Great graphics and maps that enhance the overall experience.
Fun and engaging gameplay that is suitable for both beginners and experienced pilots.
Effective training tool for FPV drone racing, helping players improve their skills.

Physics feel unrealistic and floaty, making it difficult to translate skills to real-life flying.
Frequent crashes and technical issues, particularly on certain systems, leading to frustration.
Limited customization options and a lack of support for various controllers, hindering the overall experience.

graphics
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
36%
5%
The graphics in the game are generally praised for their quality and visual appeal, with many users noting that they are among the best in drone simulation games. However, some players experience performance issues, particularly on lower-end systems, leading to lag and stuttering even at reduced settings. While the graphics are impressive, there are calls for more extensive customization options to enhance the overall experience.
- “Best graphics I've seen in a drone sim, and the flight characteristics are very good too!”
- “One of the most visually striking and aesthetically well-designed sims out right now.”
- “The graphics are on point and the game runs smooth.”
- “Thq have done some decent games but the input handling and graphics subsystem is below par on this one.”
- “Even on the lowest graphics settings, my laptop, which isn't great, but it should be able to run this decently on low graphics settings, was struggling to display this at 30 fps with major lag spikes.”
- “My rig is Intel i5 2.90GHz, 8GB RAM, NVIDIA 940MX 2GB and should have no issues running this sim/game on low or medium settings but I am finding so far on the tracks I've raced on the bando and city seem to be the worst for the game glitching which makes flying almost impossible due to the stuttering graphics.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay experience is mixed, with some players appreciating its accessibility and immersive qualities, while others criticize the broken collision mechanics that disrupt the flow and enjoyment. Despite the appealing graphics, the gameplay can feel frustrating due to these issues, though there is potential for improvement if the mechanics are refined. Overall, the balance between arcade and simulation elements is noted as a positive aspect, particularly in drone gameplay.
- “You're looking for a racing game that you can pick up and play without putting time into control mechanics.”
- “Really fun gameplay and feels like the real DCL drone.”
- “The balance between 'arcadish' gameplay and a simulation is very nice.”
- “On the plus side, it hides its godawful gameplay in neon lights and fancy, appealing graphics.”
- “The collision mechanics are just straight up broken. No matter how fast or slow you're going, if you touch something even slightly, you either get spun upside down, pinged backwards, or you just get stuck in whatever you collided with. Honestly, that is my biggest gripe with this game. Once you wrap your head around the controls, it can be quite immersive, but the second you tap something, that immersion is ripped away as you ping off of a gate you barely touched.”
- “The flight mechanics need some work.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for delivering smooth performance on high settings, with many users reporting over 60 fps even on mid-range hardware. However, some players experience significant graphical issues and stuttering, particularly on certain tracks, indicating that optimization may not be consistent across all systems and scenarios.
- “Runs smoothly on my gaming laptop (over 110 fps on medium settings), really fun to fly.”
- “- Runs smoothly on highest quality at 60+ fps easily using a GTX 1070.”
- “If your computer can run higher graphics and performance, the game really shines!”
- “Despite its appealing graphics and efficient optimization, the game lacks the realism and instructional value expected from a simulator.”
- “This version has some issues that I'm not going to be the only person who has them, and it's down to the graphics performance.”
- “My rig is Intel i5 2.90GHz, 8GB RAM, NVIDIA 940MX 2GB and should have no issues running this sim/game on low or medium settings, but I am finding so far on the tracks I've raced on, the Bando and city seem to be the worst for the game glitching, which makes flying almost impossible due to the stuttering graphics.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game humorous, highlighting its comedic elements such as amusing character skins, like the "green McDonald's" skin, which adds to the overall fun experience.
- “I got the green McDonald's skin first, so funny!”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that grinding in the game can be quite challenging, particularly for beginners, suggesting that players may require significant time investment or even a second life to effectively progress.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “I couldn't imagine a beginner grinding through it.”
story
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate that the story is engaging and well-crafted, with users appreciating its depth and character development. However, some feel it could benefit from more originality or clearer pacing. Overall, the narrative is a strong point of the game, drawing players into its world.
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's music is well-received, enhancing the experience of free-flying and performing tricks. Players appreciate the combination of enjoyable tracks and diverse level designs, making it accessible for both beginners and seasoned drone racing enthusiasts.
- “Fun game, nice to just go into free fly, listen to music, and do some tricks.”
- “The game music is nice, and the level designs and racetracks are epic to fly through, varied enough to be enjoyable for beginners all the way to professional drone racing pilots.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users praise the game's stability, highlighting its realistic physics and impressive graphics that run smoothly even on older hardware, such as a five-year-old MacBook Pro, without any glitches or dropped frames.