It’s uncommon {that a} online game map will make me excited. Hell, it’s uncommon that I even discover them, as most maps are serviceable and little extra. So earlier than enjoying a number of hours of Ubisoft’s open-world racing recreation, The Crew Motorfest, I didn’t anticipate to be blown away by its in-game map. And but, I used to be. It is perhaps the most effective and coolest online game map of 2023.
The Crew Motorfest, out right now by way of early entry, is the third recreation in Ubisoft’s open-world racing franchise. However this time round, the builders have determined to cease making an attempt to recreate all the United States and do one thing higher: Copy Forza Horizon. Okay, that’s a bit reductive, however Motorfest actually seems like Ubisoft’s stab at making an attempt to duplicate the enjoyable and thrilling vibes of Microsoft’s common Forza Horizon franchise. I’ll need to play extra earlier than I can ship a last verdict on how efficiently Motorfest pulls off the method, however I don’t have to play extra to inform you that its map is wonderful.
After the thrilling and really Forza Horizon-like opening of Motorfest, I used to be plopped into Hawai’i and let free on its roads, ramps, and hills. However earlier than I hit the fuel and flew out into the world, I popped open the map to get a lay of the land. Once I did, the sport seamlessly zoomed out to point out a greater view of the island, which appeared fairly cool. Then, nonetheless, I found I may spin the totally 3D and extremely detailed map round whereas vehicles and planes continued to maneuver about it in real-time, which was much more spectacular. Nevertheless, it wasn’t till I zoomed in on the map extra that my thoughts was blown.
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Typically, maps in video games characterize the world by way of easy strains that create a crude facsimile of the particular place you’re exploring. Even people who attempt to supply a extra visually detailed illustration of the setting usually don’t allow you to zoom in too near the motion. That’s not the case in The Crew Motorfest, nonetheless. As a substitute, after I zoomed into the map, I noticed all the main points of the sport world represented in real-time within the map viewer. And I may zoom into any a part of the massive island and watch NPCs mill about or vehicles drive round.
I can’t stress sufficient how seamlessly and flawlessly this all works, too. Certain, you possibly can poke at it and slowly zoom out and in to identify a number of the methods Ubisoft is pulling off to make this all work. However nonetheless, this is among the coolest maps I’ve seen in a recreation. I ended up enjoying round with the map for like 20 minutes after discovering how carefully you possibly can zoom in on any a part of the island. (The Crew 2 featured a similar map, however this time round Ubisoft allows you to zoom in much more and it seems to be even higher.)
It’s particularly good to have a formidable and helpful map like this after enjoying a ton of Starfield not too long ago, which has a decidedly much less cool and really dangerous in-game map. That “map” in Bethesda’s RPG hasn’t helped me in any respect. In the meantime, The Crew’s map not solely seems to be superior, however it really supplies helpful details about the place roads join, how buildings are formed, the place hills are situated, and different geographical data.
Ubisoft, spin off this tech and make a recreation about exploring maps and discovering assassins or hackers or no matter franchise greatest works with this concept. I’d play that. Till then, I’ll preserve enjoying round with this depraved cool map. Oh, and I’ll play Motorfest, the precise recreation it’s linked to, as effectively. Finally…
