Crossout | Xbox One | Review

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The one thing better than a car is a car with massive guns strapped to it. We’ve learned from experience that it isn’t always easy to turn this delicious concept into a game however, as the N64 and PlayStation era brought the dizzying heights of Vigilante 8 as well as the cynical, cash-grabbing lows of 007 Racing. Most recently, you might recall elements of the concept in Mad Max or even Borderlands 2 to an extent, but other than World of Tanks - a far more realistic take on vehicular warfare - the market for this experience is far from saturated.

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 by​
James
Michael
​Parry

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@James_Parry

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Developer: Targem
Games
Publisher: Gaijin
Entertainment
Platforms: Xbox One,
PlayStation 4, PC
Players: 1- 16

Theoretically a strong direction for relatively unknown developer Targem
Games to take their concept and run with it then. Rather than opting for a narrative-driven approach, which Vigilante 8 did to great effect, Crossout is styled as an MMO, encouraging players to work together to tackle objectives against enemy AI and players.

Visually, the game isn't a lot to write home about, generally being on par with other independant titles which attempt a realistic aesthetic. Vehicles still have a distinctly videogame feel though, rather than microscopically true-to-life, and it fits the bill well. Whilst adequate, given the game's status in beta, the presentation is helped by Xbox One X enhancement, which adds some stability even when things get hectic to ensure everything runs fairly smoothly, bar the odd jitter caused by network issues.

Taking a leaf out of Banjo Kazooie: Nuts ‘n’ Boltz’s book, players begin with a smattering of level 1 parts and a basic pick-up truck to get to work on customising. The short tutorial sees you grab a machine gun to mount on your bonnet (or hood, depending on where this finds you) and from there you gradually unlock more parts and sprays to tweak your vehicle however you see fit.

Given that this is a free to play game, and in beta, you should set your expectations accordingly. The Xbox Store itself is where you’ll find a handful of things to splash out on, whether that’s in-game coins or specific, pre-made vehicles. There are also fan-made machines at which to marvel in the game’s exhibition, and even download as blueprints, but, though you can view a list, there doesn’t seem to be an easy way to buy or get hold of all the parts you need to actually make a blueprint a physical reality - at least not without going through the time consuming process of manually searching for ingredients on the market.

Other than World of Tanks - a far more realistic take on vehicular warfare - the market for this experience is far from saturated.

Creativity is definitely encouraged in the process, though. The garage and its array of possibilities can be quite overwhelming; even though the controls are constantly in view at the top of the screen, it takes some time to get to grips with the interface, and it’s particularly challenging to work out what each component is until you start throwing them together.

As you begin to level up and the array of jigsaw pieces widens, there’s also the introduction of factions to account for. These require a certain amount of reputation to unlock, and give less traditional design options, such as combining features of aeroplanes and vintage cards, in the specific case of the Nomads.

On the battlefield, the variety on offer starts to show itself, and immediately the priorities for building become more apparent. Specifically, vehicle damage is quite substantial, to the extent that wheels and complete parts of your vehicle may fall off if you take too much punishment, or too specific a ramming from your adversaries.

Wheels are a particularly weak link, leaving you beached and motionless or simply spinning in a circle if you aren’t careful, though this is also an Achilles’ heel you can use against enemies. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous you may ditch wheels altogether and go for a hovering vehicle instead, but bear in mind that they’re incredibly hard to control, though traditional vehicles aren’t exactly a walk in the park either.

On the battlefield, the variety of customisation options on offer starts to show itself, and immediately the priorities for building become apparent.

Whatever your approach, taking on missions requires the use of fuel, a limiting factor to the game that’ll ask you to wait 24 hours to refill your tank, or speed the process up through microtransactions. This seeming sharp edge is blunted when you consider the cost in in-game currency is low and can be earned by selling excess parts, however. The missions themselves refresh each day, to give a bit of variety - though they stick to fairly basic archetypes like escort or attack and defend - and are level locked to give you a fighting chance.

In all the game is a solid starting point for a beta, if lacking in character and richness of world, despite a nicely done intro cinematic which is rare these days. You might get more of a narrative pull in other titles, though how much that bothers you really comes down to personal preference. Strong potential is a good starting point for an unknown newcomer like this, and the gradual approach of rolling it out means that you aren’t generally left waiting for a game for minutes on end and, more importantly, there’s a bit of fun to be had once you’re there, assuming you don’t mind putting up with the odd rogue player

Pros

• Simple concept with a solid foundation
• ​Variety of vehicles to construct is near endless
• Free to get started

Cons

• Patience required to keep playing for free
• Construction in general is a lot to take in
• Looks and feels fairly basic

Verdict