I really wanted to love The Crew 2. The concept of an open-world racing game with such a diverse range of vehicles and environments is exciting. However, after spending considerable time with the game, I have to say it's been more frustrating than enjoyable, primarily due to the sheer number of bugs and lackluster gameplay mechanics that ruin the experience.

First and foremost, the game's physics engine is seriously flawed. When you crash into obstacles like rocks or other cars, it feels like the vehicles are made of cardboard. There's no weight or impact to the collisions, making them look and feel completely unrealistic. Instead of the satisfying crunch or destruction you’d expect, you’re left with a lifeless, robotic reaction that completely breaks immersion. The cars simply bounce off objects as if they’re indestructible toys. This lack of dynamic damage modeling and ragdoll physics makes every crash feel underwhelming and, quite frankly, boring.

The visuals in the game may be impressive at first glance, but they can’t mask the robotic nature of the driving mechanics. Cars feel stiff and unresponsive, almost as if you’re controlling a hovercraft rather than a high-performance vehicle. The lack of realistic crash effects and damage takes away from the thrill of high-speed chases and reckless driving, which are supposed to be the core appeal of a game like this. It’s disappointing to see a car slam into a cliff at high speed and simply bounce back with minimal damage or effect.

And then there are the bugs. Oh, the bugs. It’s hard to list them all without turning this review into a bug tracker, but here are a few highlights:

1. Character Standing Through the Roof: I’ve had my character standing up through the roof of the car after pressing the escape key. It’s hilarious but also indicative of how unpolished the game feels.

2.Random Graphical Glitches: From flickering textures to vehicles disappearing and reappearing out of thin air, these glitches are constant reminders that the game needs serious attention from the developers.

3. Unresponsive Controls: There are times when the car just doesn’t respond to inputs, almost as if the game is deciding for me whether I should turn or not. This is infuriating during tight races or challenges where precision is key.

The Crew 2’s overall game design also leaves much to be desired. The open world feels empty and lifeless. Sure, there’s a lot of space to explore, but what’s the point if there’s nothing meaningful to do or discover? The missions are repetitive and lack the excitement that should come with a racing game. Even the vehicle customization options, while extensive, fail to compensate for the lack of depth in gameplay mechanics.

Ubisoft has had plenty of time to address these issues, but it seems like The Crew 2 is still stuck in beta mode, even years after release. It’s disheartening to see a game with so much potential be held back by these glaring flaws. The developers need to put more effort into polishing the game and fixing these issues if they want to keep their player base engaged.

In conclusion, The Crew 2 is a game that promises a lot but delivers very little. It’s a racing game where the cars don’t feel like cars, and the world feels more like a glitchy simulation than a thrilling playground for speed enthusiasts. If you’re looking for a realistic or even semi-realistic racing experience, look elsewhere. Until Ubisoft decides to overhaul the game’s mechanics and fix the plethora of bugs, I can’t recommend The Crew 2 to anyone who values quality and realism in their racing games. This game needs a serious tune-up before it’s roadworthy.