If there’s a driving sport up for assessment, you’d finest imagine I’ll be placing my hand as much as attempt it out after which scribble some phrases. Besides The Crew Motorfest, as I nonetheless haven’t gotten over the frustration of the primary sport.
Anyway, what this rambling opening is main onto is the arrival on Xbox of a brand new off highway driving simulator, that includes honking nice vehicles driving by means of locations you’d battle to stroll by means of. Going by the title of Heavy Obligation Problem from Nano Video games and Aerosoft Video games, this comes that includes the official licence from the Europa Truck Trial league (nope, me neither). However can it deliver one thing new to the desk, or is it simply one other additionally ran? Effectively, strap your self in, we’re going offroad.
I like to begin my opinions by waxing lyrical about narratives and tales, what it’s driving us to try to push a truck by means of essentially the most hardcore of locations. However with Heavy Obligation Problem, I can’t. There isn’t any narrative past “you’re on the beginning line in a truck, attempt to not die!”. Brief paragraph this time round…
What I can discuss is the presentation, and after we are our varied vehicles within the pre-driving display screen, all is gorgeous. The truck fashions are apparently formally branded and have the true liveries that they do in the true world. Whereas I’m certain that is beautiful for these of you on the market who observe this league, I used to be none the wiser. It’s not precisely Gulf or Martini racing liveries, is it?
Nonetheless, the vehicles look fairly good. Nonetheless, after we come to the visuals discovered whereas we’re out within the wild, driving about, the whole lot right here simply seems to be a bit final gen. It’s all kind of blurry and vague, with among the worst pop-in I’ve seen since Tomb Raider on the PS1. Heavy Obligation Problem seems to be a bit rushed, a bit unfinished.
The sound can also be a bit far and wide, with the engines of the totally different vehicles sounding remarkably alike; a uninteresting roar. The remainder of the sound results are fairly underwhelming too – should you fall off a bridge in your truck, for instance, (not that I ever did, you perceive) then you definitely’d anticipate it to sound like the top of the world, however no, it’s the identical as should you bump a tree. Additionally, on the realism scale, when a truck has fallen over, I’m pretty certain you possibly can’t get it again on its wheels by steering and reversing, however you possibly can on this sport! A lot for a “Extremely life like physics simulation” eh?
Effectively, now that we all know that Heavy Obligation Problem seems to be a bit ropey and has no story, how does it play is the following query. And I suppose the reply relies on what you anticipate from the sport, to a big half.
Let me clarify. As a way to get totally onboard with the driving that HDC presents, it’s at all times a good suggestion to check out the tutorial missions first. These do a very good job of introducing you to the totally different classes of vehicles – they are often two axle, three axle, or, anticipate it, 4 axle rigs that we take out for a spin. All drive barely in another way. Clearly a nippy little two axle truck is the hare to the huge 4 axle tortoise, if you’ll. Every tutorial consists of a course that it’s a must to drive and get the perfect time on, and the missions do a very good job of educating you tips on how to use the handbook gears and likewise tips on how to lock varied differentials to present the perfect traction throughout tough terrain. To this point, so good, and I loved these tutorials. In truth, I used to be raring to exit into the world of in opposition to the clock competitors, particularly given the presence of on-line leaderboards and the like.
Think about my shock then that, when sat on the beginning line in my little sport truck, I drove by means of the beginning gate and located myself in a forest, with no indication of the place the observe went, or the place the top of the stage might have been. Nope, only a forest, some farmland and a number of sheds and bushes. By driving round aimlessly I managed to interrupt the truck, fall down a ravine, off a bridge and get completely misplaced. I by no means noticed one other gate that wanted driving by means of. Apparently there are 5 gates to search out on this course, however no map, no on-screen indications and no frickin’ concept which solution to go. The crimson mist quickly descended and I stop out to play one thing extra stress-free, like Lies of P. It’s a lot much less irritating.
Battle by means of and the precise driving expertise present in Heavy Obligation Problem is nice and – primarily based on no expertise in any way – fairly life like. For those who attempt to go up a hill in too excessive a gear, the truck will grind to a halt, and going over rock strewn pathways wants all of the differentials to be locked, however you study this gorgeous rapidly. Toggling the diffs, the gears and the steering to get to the place you need to go is fairly engrossing, I’ve to say.
The digital camera views fluctuate wildly in usefulness although. The default is the in-cab view, the place we’re sat behind the steering wheel that strikes with nobody touching it, which is a bit spooky at first. You can too select a view from the passenger seat (why?), and from someplace close to the entrance bumper. Nonetheless, this viewpoint, my favorite in each driving sport, does appear to be mounted behind the bull bars on the entrance of the truck, which diminishes its utility considerably. The ultimate viewpoint is behind the truck within the third particular person, and whereas this makes essentially the most sense in “seeing the place you’re going” sort of manner, it does considerably kill the immersion.
The opposite odd factor is that the digital camera controls have the axes inverted, and I can’t discover a solution to put them the precise manner spherical. A minor annoyance, however it does add to a rising pile of niggles to spoil the expertise.
All in all, Heavy Obligation problem is an odd duck. It seems to be tough however the precise driving expertise is engrossing, even when it’s not precisely amusing a minute. However then, that is meant to be a simulator, not a enjoyable sport! The dearth of steering in phases might put you off, but when driving a truck aimlessly at a heady 13mph for hours on finish is your concept of enjoyable, then Heavy Obligation Problem will really feel like a dream.