Gear.Club Stradale

As car racing games go, this title offers more breadth than depth, which is fine for many beginning racers. While Gear.Club: Stradale is an accessible and attractive game that gets a lot of it right, it also falls short in a few areas. While you can play solo, much of the focus is on your Club, which you can create or join with up to five others. The fun starts when you move into your own illa and then expand it by filling it up with gorgeous cars and making a name for yourself in the region. The higher your reputation, the more vehicles you may buy from some of the world's top automakers. While there's less variety in the tracks, there are multiple game modes and events to partake in, and the incentive to earn credits, which can be used in-game for more vehicles.

But there are random issues that hurt the overall experience. The first is a long wait time for the game to load, and the graphics, while overall impressive, ruin the suspension of disbelief as some items don't look real while others do (trees look fake and windmills don't ever turn). Also, while there's a lot of detail on the outside of the car, you don't get to see the interior, which "gear heads" would probably want. Similarly, there's only one camera angle in the game (third-person, slightly behind and above the vehicle). There isn't much here for single-player gamers and the A.I. isn't too difficult to beat, so experienced players may find this game too easy or stick with the multiplayer options instead. Also, the weather and vehicle you drive don't seem to affect performance much, nor did many of the upgrades, therefore car fanatics may have an issue here, too. The fun is spending time with your Club, seeing their progression, and working together in events to win and earn better reputation. While this is a slightly above average racer, it's mostly a fun ride through scenic Italy with some of the most sought-after supercars.