Grid Legends
- February 25, 2022
- Codemasters
- 25h median play time
GRID Legends is a wonderful racer that dials down the simulation elements of other racers, making it accessible to everyone. It features a fair amount of modes and some stunning visuals, as well as a wide range of cars to choose from.
"Grid Legends: Deluxe Edition offers thrilling motorsport experiences with 4 post-launch packs, featuring new Story events, game modes, locations, cars, and more. The Voltz Pack and Mechanic Pass are included, allowing for exclusive cars and faster vehicle upgrades. Create personalized races, compete in live multiplayer, and engage in a virtual production story for immersive and spectacular action racing."
Reviews
- The driving mechanics are thrilling and provide a fun arcade experience.
- The graphics are impressive, with stunning visuals and weather effects.
- The game features a variety of cars and tracks, offering a good amount of content.
- The AI is often frustrating, with aggressive behavior that can lead to unfair collisions.
- The story mode is short and lacks meaningful impact on gameplay progression.
- There are numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt the gaming experience.
- story458 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The story mode in "Grid Legends" offers a mix of engaging and cheesy elements, featuring a narrative that follows an underdog racing team through various challenges, presented with live-action cutscenes. While some players appreciate the unique storytelling approach reminiscent of a Netflix documentary, many criticize its predictability, lack of depth, and the disconnect between gameplay performance and narrative progression. Overall, the story is seen as a fun addition, albeit short and somewhat flawed, with a runtime of around 5-6 hours, and is often overshadowed by the more extensive career mode.
“The main campaign is pretty fun, having you drive events in between 'Drive to Survive' style docu-drama videos, telling a story of a new underdog team rising through the ranks and challenging the cocky champions.”
“The story is very compelling, albeit flawed. It follows you, a rookie driver, trying to build their way to becoming a racing legend.”
“The story mode is quite an interesting lead-in for the career mode, and the production quality feels like watching a Netflix show.”
“The story mode is the biggest crime.”
“The actual driving isn't too bad, but the 'story', if you can call it that, is awful.”
“The story is simple... team Seneca has a problem because the co-driver for their star, Yume Tanaka, turns out to be a complete doofus who can't even keep their car on the road.”
- graphics162 mentions
- 59 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game have received widespread praise for their realism and visual fidelity, with many users highlighting stunning weather effects and detailed car models. While some reviews noted a loss of cinematic flair compared to previous titles, the overall consensus is that the graphics are impressive, especially for an arcade-style racing game, and run smoothly even on mid-range hardware. However, a few critiques mention occasional graphical bugs and a lack of significant innovation in visual design compared to earlier installments.
“The visuals are phenomenal - I really like racing at night, when it's snowing.”
“The graphics are absolutely stunning, especially when it rains.”
“Graphics are excellent on my rig, handling and vehicle selection are good.”
“It's a good continuation of the series, it's got a story mode unlike Grid 2 and the graphics do look more modern yet they've lost their cinematic edge from the previous game; same with the UI, it looks more sterile and lacks the personality it once had.”
“The graphics look very blurry.”
“It is incredible how poorly this game is made, graphics are terrible, gameplay is mediocre at best, audio settings are a nightmare, avoid even on sale.”
- gameplay116 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its engaging racing mechanics and variety of vehicles, while others criticize the driving physics as overly simplistic and unchallenging. Players appreciate the visual quality and the integration of unique events, but many express frustration with bugs, tedious grind mechanics, and a confusing user interface that detracts from the overall experience. Despite its flaws, the game offers a fun, arcade-like racing experience that may appeal to fans of the genre, especially when played with a controller or steering wheel.
“The racing gameplay itself is nice, typical grid-sim-arcade driving that works fine with a gamepad and steering wheel (Thrustmaster TMX).”
“Grid Legends absolutely nails its role as a tried and true 'simcade' experience thanks to well-balanced gameplay mechanics, a healthy variety of vehicle types and track designs, and just an overall fun feel.”
“Gameplay is solid and there's enough content to keep you occupied.”
“Grind: there are some really tedious and frustrating free-to-play style mechanics in the game.”
“Driving mechanics are disappointing; it's not much of a driving experience.”
“The gameplay is an awkward mix of simulator and arcade that doesn’t lend itself to either’s strengths, and with puzzling direction will likely alienate fans of both.”
- music62 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the dynamic soundtrack that enhances the racing experience, particularly in story mode, while others find it repetitive and forgettable, leading them to mute it during gameplay. Many players appreciate the energetic and thematic tracks that contribute to the excitement of races, but there are complaints about the lack of music in career mode and the overall quality of the soundtrack after the main campaign. Overall, while the soundtrack has its highlights, it seems to fall short in variety and engagement for some players.
“The game also has the best racing music I’ve heard, which keeps reminding me of Devil May Cry because of the strong angelic and demonic themes and vibes, and it makes racing extra exhilarating.”
“Playing this game with a G29 steering wheel and music on during a race is addictive.”
“Having a dynamic soundtrack play both in singleplayer and multiplayer just makes the racing way more exciting.”
“There is no music (which sucks because the music in story mode was great and was a mix of Metal Gear meets The Matrix).”
“I don't much care for the music - even with dynamic music on, I find the music in the story races very repetitive and I find myself muting the music more than anything.”
“Music: first thing I noticed was that the music was atrocious.”
- optimization39 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game is highly praised for its optimization, delivering smooth performance and impressive graphics across various systems, including midrange and low-end PCs. Players report minimal stuttering and frame drops, even at high settings, with many enjoying flawless gameplay on both desktop and Steam Deck. While some minor bugs and performance dips were noted, overall, the optimization is considered a standout feature, enhancing the overall racing experience.
“The game is extremely well optimized, and I experienced no stutter or frame drops.”
“Graphics, sound, and optimization are what you would come to expect from a Codemasters title, which means it sounds great, looks great, and runs great on the vast majority of systems with great optimization and FPS even on midrange and low-end PCs.”
“Game is also surprisingly well optimized, and I've yet to face a stutter in it.”
“Why can't I change my teammate and hire new options based on a performance wheel?”
“The game still has some bugs that, at this stage of release, are somewhat unforgivable (super low quality textures on the driver car sometimes, occasional softlocks in the main menu, audio stuttering/clicking, and others).”
“In time attack, AI cheats because their performance is based on your car performance during the time attack mode, and if you finish 1st and were like -0.5 sec faster (legend AI), after the finish line you end up being like 12th, give or take, and they make like 2 sec faster times.”
- grinding32 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- -6 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received significant criticism, with many players finding the career mode excessively tedious and reminiscent of free-to-play mechanics. Reviewers note that the need to repeatedly race for upgrades and complete sponsor objectives leads to a lack of meaningful progression, making the experience feel monotonous and frustrating. Overall, while some acknowledge that the grind is somewhat less severe than in other racing titles, it still detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding, as it allows you to unlock powerful abilities and gear.”
“The grind is challenging but satisfying, making every achievement feel well-earned.”
“I love how the grinding mechanics encourage exploration and experimentation with different strategies.”
“The game economy is way too grindy; outside of story events and some specific career events, you earn basically chump change, and the length of race and difficulty has either no, or very little impact on the reward, so you are basically stuck racing a handful of events over and over to get decent progress.”
“The career mode is so grindy, it almost gets a negative review.”
“After grinding Grid 2019, I expected something new, thrilling, and fun, but it was very disappointing.”
- stability22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of technical glitches, bugs, and crashes that significantly hinder the gameplay experience. While the graphics and sound are praised for their quality and optimization, the persistent issues with the interface, car selection, and online connectivity detract from the overall enjoyment. Many players express frustration over lost progress and the lack of timely fixes for these problems, making it difficult to recommend the game despite its appealing features.
“Graphics, sound, and optimization are what you would come to expect from a Codemasters title, which means it sounds great, looks great, and runs great on the vast majority of systems with excellent optimization and FPS even on mid-range and low-end PCs.”
“Looks good, runs great, with fantastic car sounds and a solid soundtrack.”
“Firstly, this game looks great and runs great as well.”
“Just lost 15 hours of career progression due to changing the difficulty while in an event; the game is a buggy mess, so I can't recommend anyone play it.”
“Tons of technical glitches, many of them months old without a fix.”
“As soon as this game loads, it defaults to connecting online with EA Games, and it freezes. A few seconds later, it will crash my computer and make it restart.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding the story mode and character interactions, particularly those involving the villain, to be genuinely funny and entertaining. However, the humor tends to wane after the initial hours, as the game shifts focus to less engaging tasks and campaigns, leading to a decline in overall comedic quality. Despite this, many players still appreciate the humor's ability to bring a smile, especially during the early stages of gameplay.
“Notably, the story and music quality take a dive after the main campaign: there are hardly any stories in the rest of the four small campaigns, but the humor did put a smile on my face.”
“The story mode is hilarious with the bad guy and his uncle being such jerks you can't help but laugh.”
“The villain driver is super conceited, and at one point even says to the cameraman, 'I have money and good looks, but actually good looks is a curse, you should count yourself lucky.' Hilarious!”
- emotional7 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be engaging, particularly praising the well-written and acted story that enhances the overall gameplay experience. However, frustrations with the AI and gameplay mechanics detract from the emotional immersion for some, leading to mixed feelings about the game's overall execution.
“So far only playing story but fun, emotional, exciting story. Looking forward to the rest of the game.”
“Gameplay is so fun, and the story is well written and well acted - very tense, emotional and pushes you even deeper into the so-fun gameplay.”
“Though, I had a good time with the story.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized as exploitative, with many reviewers describing it as a cash grab that prioritizes microtransactions over gameplay quality. While the introduction of a new story mode is seen as a positive addition, it does not compensate for the overall weakness of the career mode and the feeling that the game has been compromised for profit. Overall, the sentiment reflects disappointment in how monetization has negatively impacted the game's core experience.
“They are the Facebook of gaming; they buy up studios and turn those studios into a hollow shell of their former selves due to the microtransactions and features that don't work, all while completely neglecting the core of the game.”
“It's almost like someone got to the end of the development and started to distort the game to sell microtransactions to the point that a lot of content in the game became almost unplayable.”
“This smells like a cash grab and such a huge waste of talent; I'd honestly rather have written a review on how rehashed this was and too similar to the first game than this mess.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is criticized for feeling forced, with limited tracks and similar car handling diminishing the experience. While some players find value in the achievement system and the potential for extended playtime, others feel it falls short of the immersive replayability seen in previous titles. Overall, it offers a decent but not exceptional replay value, with hopes for improvement in future updates.
“This game isn't quite where it needs to be to recapture the sheer level of immersion and replayability the original Grid had, but it's a great start towards achieving and hopefully surpassing those standards.”
“[Driven to Glory is a safe and enjoyable campaign, with car selection and replayability, making it a solid arcade racer.]”
“Many sponsor objectives (achievements) are messy and bugged. It's not entirely true; they just require a specific way to be completed, and they reset themselves to increase gaming hours for endless replay value, I guess.”
“The lack of meaningful choices in the game makes replaying it feel pointless. Once you've seen the story, there's little incentive to go through it again.”
“After completing the game once, I found that the experience didn't change much on subsequent playthroughs, which really diminished its replayability.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is praised for its vibrant graphics and arcade-like feel, particularly highlighted by the reflections of cars and lights during rain. However, some users feel that recent changes, such as the removal of Russian flags, have diminished the overall ambiance, which is crucial to the motorsport experience.
“The circuits have nice graphics and create a unique arcade atmosphere, distinct from the typical race circuit vibe.”
“I love the atmosphere and the reflection of the cars and lights on the road when it's raining!”
“Removing Russian flags in Moscow in the v.07 update kills a little bit of the atmosphere.”
“Motorsport is all about the sound and the atmosphere.”
Critic Reviews
GRID Legends review
GRID Legends is a wonderful racer that dials down the simulation elements of other racers, making it accessible to everyone. It features a fair amount of modes and some stunning visuals, as well as a wide range of cars to choose from.
85%‘GRID Legends’ Review – PC
‘GRID Legends’ is a damn fun simcade racing game.
88%Grid Legends review
Grid Legends finds its niche alongside Forza Horizon and Gran Turismo, offering track-based thrills for all skill levels.
80%