- Publisher: Milestone S.r.l
- Release Date: Sep 27, 2021
- Also On: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One
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- Critic score
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Sep 27, 2021This is the kind of game a cheap uncle buys a kid for Christmas out of the bargain bin giving little thought beyond, “little Timmy likes cars so I’ll buy him this thing.” Sadly, it will only keep kids entertained for as long as it takes them to realise the odds are stacked against them. While some real passion has gone into the transition of some much-loved toys into digital form, the challenge of Hot Wheels Unleashed is just too great for its target audience. Without significant fixes, it will do little more than frustrate all who pick it up.
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Sep 27, 2021Hot Wheels Unleashed feels less like a cohesive racing experience and more like a framework where more and more Hot Wheels branded content can live as the months go on. This comes through not only in the lackluster presentation but in the currency system that robs players of any sense of urgency to complete missions. It doesn't feel satisfying to go through an hour of races and grind up currency to get a single box that contains a duplicate of an already-unlocked car. Instead of unlocking cars like heroes in Overwatch, the game operates as a video slot machine. While there's no way as of this writing to purchase currency with real-world money, the entire system feels tailor-made to support exactly that kind of philosophy. At that point, it might be a better investment to simply pick up some actual Hot Wheels and just watch them zoom around the track in real life.
| This publication does not provide a score for their reviews. | |
| This publication has not posted a final review score yet. | |
| These unscored reviews do not factor into the Metascore calculation. | |
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Sep 30, 2021Hot Wheels Unleashed is up there with Milestone’s MotoGP and Monster Energy Supercross, as well as the F1 and WRC games, as another winner in the ongoing renaissance of licensed motorsports gaming. For those who are perhaps not dedicated motorsports or sim racing fans, it could be a strong contender for their racing game of the year. I’ve become a virtual gearhead over the past four years, and Hot Wheels Unleashed is at least in the discussion for mine.
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Sep 27, 2021Hot Wheels Unleashed is quite a positive surprise. It gained our attention when it was first announced and after testing it, we can easily say we’re impressed. Thanks to its 100% arcade gameplay and its easy handling, one is immediately having fun. Content-wise, the game is quite generous, both in terms of the number of cars and tracks available. The latter are a real success, magnified by superb lighting effects. The only downside is that collisions with the environment and opponents lack impact. Nevertheless, Milestone delivers a beautiful copy that will delight both young and old gamers.
Awards & Rankings
User score distribution:
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Positive: 18 out of 26
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Mixed: 3 out of 26
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Negative: 5 out of 26
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Feb 10, 2023
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Sep 29, 2021
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Aug 25, 2023