Introduction

If you ever dreamed of traveling across a condensed version of the United States, without any pesky TSA security checks, then The Crew is about as close as you'll get-unless you've mastered the art of time travel or can teleport. However, prepare for the occasional glitch that, if you're lucky, might even turn your car into a ghost that can drive through walls. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's time to hit the virtual roads in Ubisoft's ambitious online racing game, "The Crew."

Gameplay

The Crew throws you into a shared persistent universe where you can roam freely, which only slightly resembles the actual United States. From Miami to Los Angeles, all in a nutshell (or should I say a smaller-than-desired USB stick), you can race, explore, and get lost, which you'll do often due to the confusing map and user interface-imagine a GPS designed by someone who gets lost in their own neighborhood. There's a storyline in there featuring Alex Taylor, a man who tries to solve the murder of his brother with the finesse of a soap opera star. Players can participate in Skills Challenges and jump into races with friends, but the real challenge seemed to be figuring out how to actually start a race without accidentally cruising into a lake. Oh, and did I mention it's always online? So, if you lose your internet connection, it's like a cruel game of musical chairs-but with only one chair.

Graphics

Graphically, The Crew isn't exactly setting the world on fire, but it's not awful either. The cars look like polygons, which, incidentally, makes it easier for them to crash into one another while trying to look cool. The environments are occasionally pretty, like scenic views or a lovely sunset, only to be interrupted by the sight of your car glitching through a building. One moment you'll marvel at a majestic mountain; the next, you'll question your life choices as you tumble down a steep incline. The overall world is large, so large that it makes Middle Earth look like a kiddie pool, and the design succeeds in making you feel like you're driving through a quaint version of America, as long as by 'America' you mean 'somebody's video game made by a group of tired developers.'

Conclusion

The Crew has lofty ambitions and a sprawling world, striking a decent balance between racing and open-world exploration. Yet, the always-online requirement feels like an anchor weighing it down-like being invited to a party, only to find out it's in a dungeon. It's fun, it's sometimes frustrating, and it might just make you scream at how your character keeps crashing into effigies of himself (probably a performance art piece along the lines of "Why Am I Like This?"). Overall, if your idea of gaming is tearing through a virtual landscape and you can overlook its technical flaws, then The Crew might just rev your engine. But if you want a drama-free, smooth ride... well, good luck finding that in the world of video games.

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