NASCAR 14 is the latest racing offering from the talented crew at Eutechnyx. This newest NASCAR experience is available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC gamers. Is this newest entry worthy of admission for racing enthusiasts?
In short…absolutely. Eutechnyx has listened to the feedback of gamers and implemented online leagues. Good competition is key in any sport and this allows gamers to join forces on the tarmac. Matchmaking has also been greatly improved by delivering skill-based matches making the action more intense and challenging than ever. This sport allows for little user error making each pass and straight critical. Your crew chief will help guide you and warn of you of nearby contenders looking to overtake your position.
Patience is so important yet it’s incredibly easy to just go for it. Sometimes you get lucky and make multiple passes or you get clipped or flagged. It takes quite a lot of focus to finish at the top which is how it should be. The difficulty mode can be lowered if you wish to drive with reckless abandonment but this defeats the purpose in my eyes. I must say though it’s impressively entertaining watching your friends cause massive pile ups due to a heavy foot and poor judgement on tracks with nice long straights.
To take the checkered flag gamers will need practice and lots modifications. Unlock more horsepower, tweak your suspension and make other adjustments as you see fit to make your car unstoppable on the race track. Customization doesn’t stop there as there is a plethora of paint jobs to consider and various sponsorship’s to earn. The controls are more polished in NASCAR 14 than ever. Eutechnyx has finely tuned their racer so that newcomers can jump right in and have a blast while at the same time veterans of the series can take advantage of the customization available to tune the car to their liking.
Deep Silver Inc. COO, Geoff Mulligan had the following to say about NASCAR 14. “Deep Silver is releasing the best NASCAR game yet,” said . “By delivering a true NASCAR experience that captures the competitive thrill of the sport, we are allowing hardcore fans to get as close to the track as possible.”
Vice President of licensing and consumer products Blake Davidson shared his thoughts on this exciting simulator. “With the Daytona 500 only a week away, the level of anticipation for the 2014 NASCAR season is reaching its climax with teams, drivers and fans. We are equally as excited about the launch of NASCAR ’14, as it brings our sport into the homes of gaming enthusiasts across the country.”
Key Features:
- In “NASCAR Highlights”, you determine the outcome of each race’s biggest thrills from the season; Eutechnyx recreates the action where the condition of the cars is exact, weather the same, track positions identical – the only difference is you
- Work your way through the ranks in a comprehensive career mode; complete with custom car builds, sponsor acquisition, and R&D to get your team into victory lane
- Race against the official NASCAR teams & drivers on your favorite tracks from the high banks of Daytona, to the twists & turns of Sonoma, and exhilarating speed of Talladega
- Take competition to the next level and host online leagues with your friends, fully supported by dynamic statistics, challenges, rankings and replay
- Take advantage of dynamic skill-based matchmaking, tournaments, and easy drop in/out server browser functionality for a fair and enjoyable experience
Final Thoughts
NASCAR 14 improves upon Eutechnyx’s racing simulator formula in many areas making it the best of the series yet. The online leagues and skill-based matchmaking really make this racer shine and a blast for friends to play. It’s challenging yet has high scalability for newcomers and racing enthusiasts alike. With the vast improvements, new modes and superior controls, this is a must for any NASCAR fan.
System Requirements
Minimum:
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ (2*3000 MHz)
Memory: 2048 MB RAM
Graphics: GeForce 8800 GT
Recommended:
Processor: Intel Core I5-760 (4*2800 MHz)
Memory: 4096 MB RAM
Graphics: GeForce GTX 260