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NASCAR Heat 4

Last year’s NASCAR Heat 3 was an unremarkable racer, but it did the job if you wanted some NASCAR action.
NASCAR Heat 4 Game Cover
75%Game Brain Score
graphics, gameplay
optimization, stability
81% User Score Based on 1,280 reviews
Critic Score 66%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

Xbox Series X|SPCTabletPlaystation 5PhonePlaystation 4Xbox OneXboxWindowsPlayStation
NASCAR Heat 4 Game Cover

About

NASCAR Heat 4 is a single player and multiplayer racing game. It was developed by Monster Games and was released on September 13, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"NASCAR Heat 4" is the official video game of NASCAR, featuring new graphics, sound, and driving control options. Compete for a real NASCAR esports team, with updated tracks, dynamic AI, and unlockable paint schemes. Also includes a $50 race ticket voucher with digital purchase for participating tracks.

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81%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,280 reviews
graphics65 positive mentions
optimization12 negative mentions

  • NASCAR Heat 4 offers a fun and engaging career mode that allows players to start from dirt racing and work their way up to the Cup Series.
  • The graphics and sound design are significantly improved, providing a more immersive racing experience compared to previous titles.
  • The AI has been enhanced, making races more competitive and challenging, with cars that draft and race closely together.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including crashes and stuttering, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to lost progress.
  • There is a lack of customization options for controls, making it difficult for players to set up their preferred driving configurations, especially for wheel users.
  • The multiplayer experience is lacking, with few players online and no option for private lobbies, making it hard to find competitive races.
  • graphics
    126 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising their quality and detail, particularly on PC, while others criticize them for being mediocre or lacking customization options. Some users highlight the impressive lighting and car modeling, noting that the visuals enhance the immersive experience, but there are also complaints about performance issues and outdated graphics compared to newer titles. Despite these criticisms, many agree that the graphics contribute positively to the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “The graphics are wonderful; I love the immersion you feel in career mode and how there is interaction, reputation, etc., involved and associated with all the other drivers.”
    • “The overhaul of the graphics engine has created a far nicer looking game and a far more immersive environment in which to race.”
    • “Graphics are finally beautiful and physics are great.”
    • “Oh and don't expect to be able to properly tune graphics settings either as there's hardly any settings to mess around with.”
    • “The graphics are subpar for 2019 and again, this isn't a sim game.”
    • “The graphics might look dated and have some blurriness even with anti-aliasing disabled, but the lack of video adjustments is disappointing.”
  • gameplay
    41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is generally well-received, with many players enjoying its fluid mechanics, engaging career mode, and unique AI interactions, particularly the rival system. However, some criticisms arise regarding outdated rosters, physics issues, and a lack of variety, which can detract from the overall experience. While the graphics and sound are praised, the gameplay experience can vary significantly depending on individual expectations, especially for those seeking a more simulation-oriented racing experience.

    • “The main thing is the gameplay and it's pretty solid once you get into it :)”
    • “Very enjoyable gameplay honestly and the graphics are pretty cool.”
    • “The gameplay and game format keeps me interested and that's all that I care about, and in that department the game does not disappoint.”
    • “The reputation mechanic is neat in theory, but a mess in actuality.”
    • “Horrible physics, horrible graphics, terrible gameplay.”
    • “I liked the career mode; in fact it is the classical mode where you start from the bottom categories driving on dirt and making it up to the top signing contracts and building a racing team, but soon the excitement fades off as you face the monotonous driving mechanics and lack of charm of the game.”
  • music
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the soundtrack as excellent and enjoyable, featuring a blend of rock and country songs that enhance the racing experience. However, others criticize the limited tracklist and repetitive nature, leading to fatigue over time. Overall, while the soundtrack is appreciated by many, it may not appeal to all players, and sound effects have been noted as lacking in comparison.

    • “The soundtrack, the sound effects when you're going full speed, the way the campaign is laid out so you become a top NASCAR driver starting from the bottom, the challenges, etc. If you like racing, you will enjoy this a lot!”
    • “The soundtrack is pretty much all excellent, with a lot of returning artists from past games, but it's a very short tracklist of songs and you will grow tired of them very fast, which is a shame because they're all well worth a listen standalone.”
    • “Soundtrack is wonderful, you will not mind it looping endlessly because you'll find yourself jamming along.”
    • “I couldn't even get past the choice of victory music; I kept trying, but it kept crashing.”
    • “The selection of music is far from what I'd generally listen to, in addition to hearing a car stay at high revs for a long period of time.”
    • “Music is absolutely awful, and the game plays like trash on a steering wheel.”
  • optimization
    19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting intermittent stuttering and frame rate drops even on capable hardware, which detracts from the overall experience. While the graphics and racing mechanics are praised, the performance issues, particularly in multiplayer modes, have led to frustration among users, indicating a need for further optimization. Overall, despite its visual appeal and gameplay features, the game is considered poorly optimized by a significant portion of the player base.

    • “There are videos from your rivals and friends (real NASCAR drivers) that will be sent to you in accordance with your driving style, mistakes, performances, and trading paint throughout your career.”
    • “Also having multiple different scenarios that could play out during contract time (small cup teams taking a shot at a good truck prospect, big teams being skeptical at a prospect's performance, etc.) would help make each playthrough feel more authentic and unique.”
    • “Graphics look stellar, track performance is amazing (Bristol, which has been notoriously bad in previous entries, is now one of the best in the game), and increased customization options for car, driver, and racing settings (you can control almost every aspect of how the AI drives and it's great) makes this a solid entry for the franchise.”
    • “Got some minor stuttering while driving, but the graphics card (GTX 1080 Ti) was not even fully utilized.”
    • “This, however, is at the cost of smooth performance, and even on medium settings I had slight frame rate stutter at the beginning of races, despite having a more than adequate machine at my disposal.”
    • “Good game ruined by constant stuttering.”
  • stability
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is generally positive, with many players reporting smooth performance and great visuals on high-end hardware. However, some users have encountered bugs, including sound glitches and occasional crashes, particularly when accessing certain menus. While the game is enjoyable, potential buyers should be aware of these issues, especially if they are sensitive to glitches.

    • “I have an RTX 2070 Super 8GB and a FreeSync monitor, and the game looks and runs great on both.”
    • “Looks and runs great on my machine (4K with 1080 Ti), and using an Xbox controller gives you great control over the vehicle.”
    • “Really fun game, runs great on PC; I recommend it to anyone who loves NASCAR games.”
    • “It is an arcade game with some glitches.”
    • “Sound glitches - sometimes when you get a caution flag and go back to green, the car sounds begin to stutter.”
    • “It freezes and crashes about 50% of the time while trying to enter the options page.”
  • story
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews indicate a desire for a more developed story in the game, with players expressing that while the gameplay is enjoyable, the lack of a detailed narrative detracts from the overall experience. Some users suggest that a story mode featuring team dynamics and rivalries could enhance engagement, as the current system can lead to frustrating gameplay. Overall, the consensus is that a richer storyline would significantly improve the game's appeal.

    • “With a story line, you can play as a driver starting your own team or joining a team in four different racing series; it is filled with fun!”
    • “Good action, nice story, nice graphics.”
    • “I wish the story mode was a little more detailed.”
    • “Couple little random things that annoy me here and there... like the rival system if you do really bad (like me on short tracks and road courses) and you get several rivals and can't really race anymore because they literally make it their mission to wreck you.”
    • “Nascar is the sport that I don't have a story for how I got into it.”
  • humor
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it particularly enjoyable when playing with friends, though some critiques highlight that it can fall flat when played solo. Many appreciate the comedic exaggerations, such as the over-the-top claims about the game's realism, while others express a desire for improvements to enhance the comedic experience further. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch, but there are calls for more engaging content.

    • “This game is funny with friends; I would never play alone.”
    • “"The most complete NASCAR experience ever" they claim is a hilariously false statement.”
    • “Very funny, and the career mode is awesome.”
  • replayability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players highlight the game's strong replayability, noting the extensive career mode with multiple series and diverse options that encourage repeated playthroughs. The challenge of maximizing difficulty settings further enhances the experience, contributing to a high replayability rating of 8/10.

    • “The controls are nice, plenty of content to go through, and the career mode, although a grind, offers endless replayability with 4 series.”
    • “It has a very long career play and offers replayability too, due to so many possibilities to take during the career path.”
    • “It's challenging but rewarding with all assists off and max AI difficulty (105) across all kinds of tracks and cars/trucks, and the replayability value is pretty high as well.”
  • atmosphere
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in the game is described as decent, with satisfactory animations and track loading, but it lacks the immersive race day experience typical of NASCAR, such as announcers and iconic phrases. Additionally, some players feel disconnected from the NASCAR culture, preferring other racing styles and finding the fan atmosphere unappealing. Overall, while the interface is reminiscent of Project Cars, it does not effectively capture the essence of NASCAR.

    • “Menus and interface are pretty much the same as Project Cars, which I actually don't mind, but they definitely don't capture the mood of the NASCAR atmosphere.”
    • “There is still no race day atmosphere like announcers saying 'Drivers, start your engines,' or things of that sort.”
    • “The atmosphere, animations, and how the track loads as you race is decent.”
    • “Menus and interface are pretty much the same as Project Cars (which I actually don't mind that, but they definitely don't capture the mood of the NASCAR atmosphere).”
    • “Still no race day atmosphere like announcers, 'drivers, start your engines', or things of that sort (minor).”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite demanding, with some suggesting it requires significant time investment. While it can feel tedious at times, many still enjoy the overall gameplay experience despite the grind.

    • “It can be a bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “I'd give it an A+ but the controller setup was tedious; by default, it's keyboard X + X. However, the game is a lot of fun and the AI is great.”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized for deceptive advertising, particularly regarding its promotion of NASCAR Heat 5, which misleads players about the game's current community and content. While the gameplay is enjoyable, especially with a steering wheel setup, the lack of multiplayer engagement and repetitive game releases have left some players feeling frustrated with the overall value proposition.

    • “The advertising for this game on Steam is deceptive.”
    • “Good game if you want to race by yourself; no one plays this. Not even a year in, and they're advertising NASCAR Heat 5 in-game. I don't understand why they keep making the same games with just different numbers on the box.”
    • “It's good with a controller, but much more fun with a steering wheel and pedals. It's so rewarding when you win with no driving ads turned on.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Users express a sense of frustration and confusion regarding the game's mechanics, which can lead to unexpected emotional responses, such as disappointment when experiencing technical issues like motor burnout. This highlights the game's potential to evoke strong feelings tied to gameplay challenges.

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20h Median play time
21h Average play time
5-36h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

NASCAR Heat 4 is a racing game.

NASCAR Heat 4 is available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Phone and others.

On average players spend around 21 hours playing NASCAR Heat 4.

NASCAR Heat 4 was released on September 13, 2019.

NASCAR Heat 4 was developed by Monster Games.

NASCAR Heat 4 has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its optimization.

NASCAR Heat 4 is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include NASCAR Heat 5, NASCAR 25, NASCAR Heat 2, NASCAR Heat 3, NASCAR '15 Victory Edition and others.