The Crew Motorfest Reviews
A pub band cover version of Forza Horizon 5, that despite a few unique ideas doesn't come close to the fun and variety of its inspiration.
Gorgeous and full of varied events, it still isn’t nearly enough to help the The Crew Motorfest stand up to the other top racing dogs thanks to a laundry list of poor decisions, awkward vehicle handling, and a distinct failure to make use of some of the franchise’s strongest attributes.
A fun arcade racer with lots of variety but one which often confuses and feels decent, rather than brilliant when moving at top speeds.
An open-world Hawaii and a generously spirited racer, chafed by always-online irritations and a lack of originality.
Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but when it comes to games, you have to bring some of your own improvements to the table. The Crew Motorfest is clearly trying to be very similar to its competition, but it can't help but fall short. In the many areas where its features are almost carbon copies, they aren't implemented as well and force the player into playing the game in an odd way between bouts of grinding for credits. In the areas where it tries new things, it barely commits to them and leaves them feeling like afterthoughts. If Forza Horizon could also be played on Sony hardware, The Crew Motorfest would have no reason to exist.
True to the motto "better a good copy than a bad one", The Crew Motorfest wants to take on the big flagship that has been giving us the best open-world arcade racers for years. Will the throne be shaken? At least a little bit. Because the game world, presentation, visuals, sound and vehicles are quite convincing and make a lot of fun in places. The arcade handling is very solid. Thus, we get a game that I had more fun with than expected. However, the game doesn't manage to outdo the big idol in any point. It does everything that Forza Horizon does quite well, but never as well as the original. Whether handling, scope, track design. FH is somehow always a tire ahead. That's not a bad thing, though, because even those who don't own a PC or Xbox get a good alternative. However, those who can call the aforementioned systems their own will probably have little reason to get away from Forza. Motorfest doesn't offer enough of its own identity and doesn't quite manage to capitalize on its USP (boats & planes).
Review in German | Read full review
The Crew Motorfest offers fun, fast-paced variety, all with a stunning aesthetic and excellent presentation. The always on component is disappointing, environment repetition becomes noticeable, and playlists disappearing is a shame, but this is such a brilliant game with so much content you can lose hours without even realising.
The Crew Motorfest's biggest problem is that unlike the previous two titles in the series, it tries too hard to emulate an already flawless result.
Review in Greek | Read full review
The Crew Motorfest isn't just trying to be a copycat of the rival Forza Horizon series. Thanks to the improved driving model and sound compared to the second game, this is an excellent arcade race that you will be happy to return to. The replacement of the traditional campaign with the playlist mode is also to blame. Thanks to them, you will discover the whole island of O'ahu and also try out most of the fleet.
Review in Czech | Read full review
The Crew Motorfest would be exactly what the series needs to shake off the concept that, nowadays, no longer has a grip on gamers. The very strong inspirations from the Forza Horizon series don't bother and, indeed, create an alternative that would also be viable, and definitely fun, were it not for a dastardly, microtransaction-driven progression.
Review in Italian | Read full review
The Crew Motorfest definitely brings the heat, but in the end, it’s sitting at a distant second until it learns what exactly it wants out of itself.
The Crew Motorfest very much wants to be the next Forza Horizon 5, but in forcing us to compare the two, the blemishes that hold this Hawaii-set racer back are made even more obvious. The Playlist system gives a sense of variety and scale that is exciting initially, with genuinely interesting romps through automotive history and a wide range of vehicles keeping things interesting. But the uninteresting open world that connects them all and limitations around how you unlock more of them could have you putting on the brakes sooner than you might expect. Even so, The Crew Motorfest is visually lovely and has an incredibly solid racing foundation, so it warrants a pit stop at the very least.
The Crew Motorfest manages to entertain with an incredible range of vehicles, beautiful scenery and a large number of races, but the sense of déjà vu compared to Forza Horizon 5 is constant and it should have dared more to escape from the shadow of Playground Games' title. Too bad, also, for some choices that undermine its essence, such as the inclusion of more simulative elements in a purely arcade context or the impossibility of using our own vehicles in playlist races.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Motorfest boasts both its strengths and weaknesses, and the way you perceive it can range from an exceptionally engaging experience to a somewhat underwhelming one. Nevertheless, if you have a penchant for arcade racing, you're likely to find enjoyment in your time spent with it.
Review in Persian | Read full review
After a couple of unsuccessful outings, The Crew franchise finally finds itself on solid ground with Motorfest. It has to borrow a lot ideas to get there, and still has plenty of oil leaks to deal with, but at least there's finally some enjoyable arcade racing to be had.
In short, it is a fun game, yes, there are some parts that are a little annoying and need to be developed, but despite that, I found myself playing it for hours without stopping, as it is very fun and varied and makes you excited with each new series - the playlist is also suitable for amateurs and racing lovers alike.
Review in Arabic | Read full review
The Crew Motorfest continues the franchise's legacy of delivering a fun and exhilarating racing experience set in a visually stunning open world. It's packed full of cars, customization, and content, which is sure to cater to both casual gamers and harcore racing enthusiasts alike. However, it does suffer from some poor design choices and repetitive grindy gameplay that keeps it from achieving the heights of its inspirations.
The Crew Motorfest is an acceptable reproduction of the Forza Horizon concept. If you focus on the thematic playlists and roam the colorful open world listening to the radio, you’ll get a lot of mileage out of the game. There’s enough content here to last you well over 20 hours between events and exploration. However, apart from the ability to change vehicle types on the fly, the game is unfortunately short on original ideas. The limited multiplayer, lack of compelling side activities, and restricted crossplay also hold The Crew Motorfest back from passing the finish line ahead of the curve.
The Crew Motorfest provides plenty of fun arcade racing, though it does very little to break new ground for the genre. There's plenty to get your teeth into, but there are some annoying design decisions and a few technical issues that take the shine off it. Still, I can see it finding plenty of fans, particularly on PS5 where the only competition from a 'Horizon' game involves robotic dinosaurs.
The Crew Motorfest is a robust racer with a confident sense of style, but its smaller map lacks life, its multiplayer isn't really worth the wait, and its omnipresent microtransaction opportunities are still tedious.