The Crew 2

The Crew 2 expanded the ambitious concept of its predecessor with an entirely new dimension – on Xbox One, players could freely switch not only between cars but also motorcycles, boats, and planes, all within one giant open-world map, a scaled-down replica of the United States. This transition between elements happened practically without interruption, so it was possible to set off from a car race, fly over a canyon in a plane a few seconds later, and land directly on the water for a powerboat race, which was a unique gaming experience at the time of release that no other title of a similar scale offered.

The game structured its content around the concept of motorsport disciplines and so-called Live families – street racing, off-road, freestyle, and pro racing, each with its own specific vehicles and racing styles as well as its own sets of rewards and upgrades. Career progression was tied to the player's follower count on fictional social networks within the game world, meant to motivate trying out as wide a range of disciplines as possible before gaining access to the most prestigious races. Over the following years, the game also received extensive free updates that added new vehicles, seasonal events, and other content, turning it into a long-running live service rather than a one-off title.

On Xbox One the game benefited from a vast, richly detailed map featuring iconic locations from New York to the Grand Canyon, although smooth framerate had to give way to the size of the open world and the amount of displayed detail. Reviews at the time praised the scope and variety of content, though some players complained about a less refined driving feel compared to more specialized racing games. The Crew 2 thus remains an interesting demonstration of how far one can push the concept of a single giant interconnected motorsport world, one the player could return to at any time in any vehicle without a single loading screen.

Why play it: Anyone wanting to drive across a giant interconnected world from New York to the Grand Canyon in any vehicle without a loading screen will appreciate The Crew 2's scope and variety of content despite its less refined driving feel.