Gravel

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 55 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 55
  3. Negative: 13 out of 55
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  1. ninjanya
    Mar 12, 2018
    4
    This game had a chance to refresh the stale arcade racing genre but it lacks depth, the career is just a sequence of senseless races without any kind of progression, the vehicle physics is "floaty", buggy and frustrating to control and the tracks are mostly plain highways going trough boring environments.
    Multiplayer didn't work at all and that's one of the biggest reason for such a low    This game had a chance to refresh the stale arcade racing genre but it lacks depth, the career is just a sequence of senseless races without any kind of progression, the vehicle physics is "floaty", buggy and frustrating to control and the tracks are mostly plain highways going trough boring environments.
    Multiplayer didn't work at all and that's one of the biggest reason for such a low score.
    4 is a poor result but this game doesn't feel AAA except for the menu and some parts of the presentation.
    I honestly don't see any reason to buy this game full price, but for the amount of time you will need to go trough the mildly boring campaign 10-15 bucks may be the right price to pick it up if you are really desperate to have a cheap Sega Rally to waste a week end on.    … Expand
  2. hushthemyth101
    Feb 27, 2018
    9
    While this game isn't on the level of Forza or Gran Turismo its a lot of fun!!!
    Its not very deep, but its a nice break from the other racing titles to relax and not take
    things so seriously. Cars, tracks, weather conditions, damage, shortcuts, jumps, What could you ask for?
    Graphics 8
    Sound 8
    Controls 9
    Fun factor 10
  3. Righter
    Feb 28, 2018
    5
    No Local Split-Screen Multiplayer. That automatically reduces the possible fun value of this game. Don't developers understand that this is the best way to give the game appeal and longevity? What the gaming world really needs is a new Blur.
  4. jlm70
    Feb 28, 2018
    10
    Excellent game in terms of fun: graphics are clearly catching more and more benefits thanks to the usage of the Unreal4 engine (illumination, weather conds, etc.). Some tracks are really well done, such as for Namibia and Australia, and the multiplayer is very well done. Excellent 60fps on my Pro.
    It's not and doesn't intend to be a sim, so... catch your gamepad if you've those 20mins of    Excellent game in terms of fun: graphics are clearly catching more and more benefits thanks to the usage of the Unreal4 engine (illumination, weather conds, etc.). Some tracks are really well done, such as for Namibia and Australia, and the multiplayer is very well done. Excellent 60fps on my Pro.
    It's not and doesn't intend to be a sim, so... catch your gamepad if you've those 20mins of free time and have fun!    … Expand
  5. kwstas
    Mar 1, 2018
    6
    The game is not bad , but it still could be better , it feels like a fun game but it defendtely cany touch dirt 4 , graphics are good though not the best , driving is okay but not something thrilling , sound effects are really poor . Career mode dont say too much and it looks someway short to me . It has some cool cars , some of them cant be found nowhere else but still are not too many .The game is not bad , but it still could be better , it feels like a fun game but it defendtely cany touch dirt 4 , graphics are good though not the best , driving is okay but not something thrilling , sound effects are really poor . Career mode dont say too much and it looks someway short to me . It has some cool cars , some of them cant be found nowhere else but still are not too many . Ans the last thing for me which is the worst , it is apparently not a game to sell on 70 , even dirt 4 which is a far more completed and more well known game wasnt selling at 70 , i think this game it could be best to sell at 40-50 to be a fair price . Anw its fun game but i think someone looking for this kind of games just buy dirt 4 and wait for this one to go on a discount .… Expand
  6. GrumpyReviewer
    Mar 19, 2018
    6
    The driving part of it is fun; there is a mix of arcade and simulation that I can enjoy (though I prefer as much arcadey as possible - the Motorstorm series is my favorite). So Gravel is not a bad game, it delivers the driving, the championships, that package you would expect from a game like that - with a lot of customization for those who are interested in tweaking their game. It's allThe driving part of it is fun; there is a mix of arcade and simulation that I can enjoy (though I prefer as much arcadey as possible - the Motorstorm series is my favorite). So Gravel is not a bad game, it delivers the driving, the championships, that package you would expect from a game like that - with a lot of customization for those who are interested in tweaking their game. It's all there.

    But I will not sugarcoat it. Gravel is a very ugly game. The scenery might fool you for a while, with the lighting effects and all, but the cars are a travesty. Blocky and ugly, making Gravel look like a PS3 game (like a game the PS3 would get by the end of its lifespan). Gravel looks like a "PS3 remaster" not a PS4 title. It's that ugly. When the car spins like a coin, after a crash, it's actually pretty funny... it's unbelievable they released the game like this... looks unfinished and unpolished.

    I expected a bit more from it... watching the trailers and gameplay videos. Maybe on the PC it's better (probably is); but on the consoles it looks like sh*t. Offers racing fun for a while, but it's ugly as sh*t, sorry.    … Expand
  7. Gamemonster
    Mar 20, 2018
    1
    A 30fps arcade racer? It feels like a slideshow compared to GT sport or Forza. Not recommended.
  8. RichieIncognito
    Jun 4, 2019
    0
    I paid $9.99 for the deluxe edition of this game. I feel like I overpaid by at least ( dollars.
  9. garethvk
    Mar 16, 2018
    7
    Last year at the start of PAX West; Genevieve, Joseph, and myself were invited to get a look at the pending racing game GRAVEL in a private meeting at a suite near the convention. What made this even more exciting was that the meeting took place a day before the convention opened so since we were in the area to run errands and pick up our press passes; this was a very appealing way to seeLast year at the start of PAX West; Genevieve, Joseph, and myself were invited to get a look at the pending racing game GRAVEL in a private meeting at a suite near the convention. What made this even more exciting was that the meeting took place a day before the convention opened so since we were in the area to run errands and pick up our press passes; this was a very appealing way to see a game and get the jump on our convention coverage.

    I do want to say at the start that I am horrible at driving games. My preferred method of braking often is using the wall, other cars, and obstacles to redirect my vehicle or slow down, but it does not stop my appreciation for them.

    GRAVEL is a very fast paced and enjoyable game that mixes online and offline racing and allows players to use and customize trucks and cars as they race on tracks and outdoor courses. Everything from the Pacific to Alaska and Africa come into play and there are even some amazingly difficult night races where you have to make your way with only your headlights to keep you on the ever changing off-road course.

    I had hoped for a few more locales, but there are variations on each locale and you can expect more maps and possibly modes will come down the road.

    The graphics are fantastic and playing the game on a PS4 Pro with a 4K television brought the visuals of the game into amazing focus as it was easy to become immersed in the game from the very start.

    The menus do take a bit of getting used to as it was at times unclear what form of racing I was about to embark on but I was up to speed in no time.

    Matchmaking was fairly easy but it did seem to match me with drivers of a far superior ability time and again which makes it hard to see anything other than a last place finish should I make one mistake on the course.

    While the game may not have the depth of other racing games, I found it to be instantly engaging and very fun which is saying quite a bit considering I usually do not play many racing games. Joseph is a fan of racing games and he was able to successfully complete many of the races in our PAX West meeting with no issues and often in the top position.
    In the end GRAVEL is a fun entry for those looking to dip their toes into some off road racing or for diehards, but some hardcore racers may want more depth and variety.
    3.5 stars out of 5    … Expand
  10. EasternUNO
    Sep 19, 2021
    0
    Unfortunately I have to give 0/10 points to this sluggish game. I was playing it wirelessly on DS4 controller, but when I lost control of my vehicle several times, I tried to counter-steer to make sure the car is under control again, but it was almost impossible, so I connected Logitech G29 wheel to PS4 (using USB cable) and tried it again with the same result. When I rapidly turned theUnfortunately I have to give 0/10 points to this sluggish game. I was playing it wirelessly on DS4 controller, but when I lost control of my vehicle several times, I tried to counter-steer to make sure the car is under control again, but it was almost impossible, so I connected Logitech G29 wheel to PS4 (using USB cable) and tried it again with the same result. When I rapidly turned the wheel on one side, I could see that driver in the game moved the wheel with approx. 300 - 500 ms delay making this game completely unplayable. I also double made sure that deadzones settings were set at value=0. After 30 minutes of constant fight with this game I tried Gran Turismo Sport where everything worked properly with low input lags as well as in other racing games I have. Avoid this game at all costs!… Expand
  11. tomason
    Sep 18, 2020
    8
    I'm having such a good time with this game. It reminds me of the golden era of arcade racers when the only thing that mattered was the fun factor. If you love off road racers, give Gravel a chance.
  12. Mr_Eleganto
    May 9, 2021
    8
    I'd say it's one of the best offroad games i played this generation. The game should be cheap now, grab it if you're a fan of this type of games and rally discipline.
  13. Blackstone_296
    Jul 22, 2018
    8
    After owing this game for a few weeks, sinking hours into it and completing the career mode, What can I say apart from "Gravel is FLAMING FANTASTIC". Its not perfect by any means but its a fun addictive game that's easy to recommend to anyone with even a slight interest in racing games.

    First of all its important to mention that YES Gravel is an Off-Road based Arcade racer however its    After owing this game for a few weeks, sinking hours into it and completing the career mode, What can I say apart from "Gravel is FLAMING FANTASTIC". Its not perfect by any means but its a fun addictive game that's easy to recommend to anyone with even a slight interest in racing games.

    First of all its important to mention that YES Gravel is an Off-Road based Arcade racer however its is realistic enough and apart from a few strange collisions the physics are reasonably on point, In short Gravel isn't as much of an arcade game as Burnout or NFS and its not as much of a Sim as Project Cars. Instead it sits in the same league as the Forza Horizon games and obviously is strongly influenced by the old school classics such as Sega Rally.

    Good Points
    - Graphically, While Gravel doesn't meet the draw dropping elements of Forza or Gran Turismo it is still a great looking game and it has its own art style that remains consistent throughout. Lighting, weather effects and track detail are top notch, Car detailing and Locations are ok, Some of the far away objects and textures are a little dated looking but certainly not a letdown

    - Gameplay wise Gravel is FUN!!! Seriously!! The racing is unbelievably addictive and is constantly intense and thrilling as Gravel is one of those rare racing titles where the challenge level is nailed! Weather you win or loose a race its always by the skin of of your teeth. For an Arcade racer Gravel can be very challenging and some of the Time-Attack and Smash up events can really leave you really perplexed over how to get a better time.

    - The progression "Star" system is very well done and is another thing that makes gravel addictive, No matter how many times you complete an event you will want to do it over and over without getting bored until you've earned the max amount of stars out of every event.

    - Variety! Another reason Gravel is never boring is the amount of variety in the Tracks, Locations, Vehicles, and Event Types. There's just so much to keep the player going.

    Bad points
    - Some of the liveries on the cars are a bit lacking, Some are fantastic and suit the games art style but most are simple two to three colour patterns that look like something from an N64 era title and there's usually only 3 or 4 available per car that have to be earned as you level up. Good idea but really there should be 3 or 4 to start off with, with more to earn. And the ones you earn should actually look good... And the earning the Boss liveries each time you beat one of the bosses... While its a good idea in itself why didn't they think to remove the bosses name when you apply the livery to your vehicle? SERIOUSLY! Who the hell wants to drive around with someone else's name on their car!!! Seriously annoying!

    - Last but not least, The lack of depth in the career mode! This seems to be the problem with alot of Milestone games recently. While no one necessarily plays racing games for the story, I feel that Gravel had a good premise, With each series of events being catalogued into an episode of the 'Gravel' TV Show and having to beat the main rival at the end of each series... Great idea but SO much more could have been done with it... Drivatar's, sponsor objectives, fan building, PR etc etc... Bit of a missed opportunity.

    Anyway imperfections aside, Gravel may not be the next Forza Horizon 3 but its the best game of this type since then and is one of the best racers of 2018 without a doubt! Go buy this game, don't let it be swept under the rug!    … Expand
  14. 360barrier
    Jul 10, 2023
    0
    i was hyped for this because I thought it was open world where I can drive around and do anything I want but its not. why can't you leave the car and steal another like in gta? a lot of missed opportunities with this one
  15. BallzyDan
    Nov 16, 2022
    8
    fun racing game. Not very deep for replay-ability and one grindy trophy, but overall fun enough to try to get all the trophies. one trophy is even glitched on the final build of the game, and is not possible to get. cool , yet familiar feeling rewind system, good amount of cars and tracks.
  16. tadnid
    Aug 17, 2022
    7
    It's a good game. You have a wide selection of cars that you don't find in other games. The game can be picked up by casual gamers, here the easy difficulty is easy (there is even a "very easy" option). There is a career mode. You cannot modify cars except for paint work. The performance of cars is not shown in stats, instead you are only shown the cc and hp. Unfortunately the game is notIt's a good game. You have a wide selection of cars that you don't find in other games. The game can be picked up by casual gamers, here the easy difficulty is easy (there is even a "very easy" option). There is a career mode. You cannot modify cars except for paint work. The performance of cars is not shown in stats, instead you are only shown the cc and hp. Unfortunately the game is not very memorable, you are not motivated to finish all races of the campaign, it becomes boring. Still, good game on sale. If you buy this, then buy the special edition, as the DLC adds some pretty cool stages and cars, it's a good DLC.… Expand
  17. DestroyerM24
    Jun 2, 2022
    6
    Even though this game has much to offer, like many cars (both historical and modern-day) and tracks (all terrain type), the game still doesn't give you anything special to be remembered by due to a short and bland career and bad voice acting (repetitive pre-race commentators). The game is undriveable with a steering wheel, I don't know why, but it is preferable to play it with aEven though this game has much to offer, like many cars (both historical and modern-day) and tracks (all terrain type), the game still doesn't give you anything special to be remembered by due to a short and bland career and bad voice acting (repetitive pre-race commentators). The game is undriveable with a steering wheel, I don't know why, but it is preferable to play it with a controller, the assists are there, the damages are there but nothing breathtaking.

    All in all the best thing the game offers are the graphics (Unreal Engine 4), but apart from that it's just a short game full of content that doesn't hook you up. A good, but not great game.    … Expand
  18. Shenandoah
    Sep 8, 2020
    8
    A really nice arcade racer. The color calibration of HDR has some issues and should be optimized by the developers of this game. All in all technically not perfect but still good enough. The gameplay makes fun, the fps seems to be unlocked on PS4 pro and dynamically scales somewhere between 20 and 50fps, but most time is around 30fps which could be better for such an arcade racer.
  19. RobbyRush
    Jul 22, 2020
    9
    The game is just great, its and oldschool feeling like i played sega rally plus motorstorm while, gameplay is just fun and progression is good, ai mood is competitive, milestone did the best game from their list, im putting 9 of 10 only because of graphics, its ok but could be better on ps4 generation.
  20. Eluxi
    Oct 4, 2021
    3
    WOOF where do i start,
    the handling is awful break dont work shoots you in to the barrier ahead and most matches struggled to render certain car colours and 5 of the races I've played didnt even load my car in so i had to guess where i was driving

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
67

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 30
  3. Negative: 0 out of 30
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    May 9, 2018
    70
    As generic as generic gets. [May 2018, p.86]
  2. IGN Japan
    May 8, 2018
    66
    With its relatively realistic physics, Gravel is a game on the hard side. However, if you are looking for an arcade-like offroad race game, you should be able to appreciate this one.
    Read full review
  3. Games Master UK
    Mar 22, 2018
    60
    Intermittently fun, but not consistently hair-raising enough to keep you glued to the steering wheel. [Apr 2018, p.80]
See all critic reviews »