NASCAR Heat 4
- September 10, 2019
- Monster Games
- 20h median play time
Last year’s NASCAR Heat 3 was an unremarkable racer, but it did the job if you wanted some NASCAR action.
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"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.
PC
Phone
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Tablet
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features improved graphics and sound design, making for an immersive racing experience.
- Career mode is engaging, allowing players to start from dirt racing and work their way up through the NASCAR ranks.
- The AI has been significantly improved, providing a more challenging and realistic racing experience.
- The game lacks proper keyboard and mouse support, making it difficult for PC players without a controller.
- There are issues with sound glitches and stuttering during races, which can detract from the overall experience.
- The customization options for cars and controls are limited, which may disappoint players looking for more depth.
- graphics125 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the solid visuals and detail, particularly on PC, and noting improvements over previous titles in the series. However, some users criticize the lack of customization options and report issues like blurriness and mediocre environmental graphics. While the game is generally considered visually appealing, it falls short of being technically impressive compared to other racing simulations.
“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 graphics are amazing.. wish customization was like the older NASCAR games... career is okay at best.”
“The overhaul of the graphics engine has created a far nicer looking game and a far more immersive environment in which to race.”
“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.”
- gameplay40 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is generally described as enjoyable and engaging, with solid mechanics and good graphics, though opinions vary on the physics and realism. While some players appreciate the unique AI interactions and career mode, others criticize the repetitiveness and lack of depth in driving mechanics. Overall, it seems to cater well to NASCAR fans, offering a mix of arcade and simulation elements, but may not satisfy those seeking a more authentic 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 and light.”
“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.”
- optimization19 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 63 % negative mentions
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 and during transitions, indicate a need for further optimization. Overall, despite its visual appeal and gameplay potential, the game is hampered by significant performance problems.
“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.”
- music18 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack for its variety and quality, featuring a blend of rock and country tracks that enhance the racing experience. However, some players find the tracklist too short and repetitive, leading to fatigue over time. Overall, while the sound effects and driving physics have improved, opinions on the music range from enthusiastic appreciation to outright disdain.
“The soundtrack is great.”
“Really pretty, awesome soundtrack and fantastic gameplay.”
“Soundtrack is wonderful, you will not mind it looping endlessly because you'll find yourself jamming along.”
“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 fucking god awful and the game plays like trash on a steering wheel.”
“And don't ask me why I can't stand the music in this game... I will pass.”
- stability11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 64 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally positive, with many users reporting smooth performance and great visuals on high-end hardware. However, some players have encountered occasional bugs, sound glitches, and crashes, particularly when accessing certain menus, which may affect the experience for some. Despite these issues, many still recommend the game for its fun gameplay, provided players are tolerant of minor 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.”
- story10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is noted as lacking depth, with players expressing a desire for a more developed narrative. While some enjoy the action and graphics, they feel that a structured storyline, such as starting or joining a racing team, would enhance the overall experience. The current rival system can be frustrating, further highlighting the need for a more engaging story mode.
“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.”
“☐ no story”
“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.”
- humor8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it particularly enjoyable when playing with friends, though some criticize the soundtrack. Many appreciate the comedic exaggeration in the game's claims, such as being the "most complete NASCAR experience ever," while others express a desire for improvements to enhance the humor further, especially in gameplay mechanics. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch, but there are calls for more refinement.
“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.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
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.
“The atmosphere, animations, and how the track loads as you race is impressive.”
“The menus and interface are reminiscent of Project Cars, which I don't mind, but they don't quite capture the mood of the NASCAR atmosphere.”
“There's still a lack of race day atmosphere, such as announcers and the iconic 'Drivers, start your engines' moment.”
“I don't really like NASCAR; I prefer open-wheel racing like IndyCar and dislike the whole redneck atmosphere from the NASCAR fans.”
“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.”
“Still no race day atmosphere like announcers, 'Drivers, start your engines,' or things of that sort.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite demanding, with some suggesting it requires an excessive time commitment. 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.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability, highlighted by its extensive career mode with numerous choices and challenges. Players can enhance their experience by adjusting difficulty settings, which further increases the game's replay value. Overall, it is well-regarded for its depth and variety, earning a replayability rating of 8/10.
“It has a very long career mode and offers great replayability due to the many options available during the career path.”
“It's challenging but rewarding with all assists off and maximum AI difficulty (105) across all kinds of tracks and cars/trucks, and the replayability value is pretty high as well.”
“Replayability: 8/10”
“The game has a very long career mode, but the replayability feels limited due to a lack of meaningful choices in the career path.”
“While it's challenging and rewarding with all assists off and maximum AI difficulty, the replayability value diminishes after a few playthroughs.”
“Despite the initial excitement, the game quickly loses its replayability as the content feels repetitive and lacks variety.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
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 game is enjoyable for solo racing, players express frustration over the repetitive nature of the series and the lack of multiplayer engagement.
“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.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
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.
