Should you start your engines or take the car back to the garage?
It’s been a few years since I played a NASCAR game, actually the last one was when EA Sports were still making them. I was surprised to see them let the franchise go, but I guess they didn’t exactly set the world on fire…but can NASCAR 14 do just that?
Sadly, no. NASCAR 14 is more or less the same game it’s always been and now it’s beginning to show, it looks like something from the beginning of the generation of PS3/360 not the end where they’ve been pushed to the limits. The controls are passable, but the damage control and lack of modes really let down the overall package.
It’s very basic, you have a career mode which is as you would expect. A single race option and multiplayer, that’s about it. The career is obviously the big focus of the game and it does work well, but you need to put a lot of time and effort into it to get it to pay off for you. NASCAR fans will be pleased with the career mode, but those new to the series will be left wondering what the fuss is all about.
Ultimately it depends on personal taste; I for one don’t see the appeal of NASCAR but know it’s huge…especially in the US. But even still, the fans deserve better than this and the bigger question is where are the next-gen versions? It seems odd at this point that a PS4/Xbox One version didn’t launch alongside the current gen ones, but we can only hope that NASCAR 15 does and hopefully it will look a lot better than 14 does.
The Verdict
NASCAR 14 doesn’t add anything new for fans, which is a major letdown. It handles well and the career mode isn’t too shabby, but overall the package is shallow and holds it back from both veterans and newcomers.
