Nearly 10 years ago, former Need for Speed developer Ghost Games copped a kicking for making its 2015 series reboot online-only, even in single player.
In response, its 2019 follow-up Need for Speed Heat did not require a persistent online connection. Earlier this year, Ubisoft decommissioned The Crew, making it impossible for owners to play from now on – even by themselves. The move wasn’t received well. This very week Ubisoft has confirmed The Crew 2 and The Crew Motorfest will now get offline modes.
In contrast to these course corrections, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown arrives in 2024 as another online-only racing game that seems to have little interest in being something that’s satisfying to play solo. It’s a baffling start and, despite a nice handling model and a lot of effort on display in its unique open world, it unfortunately doesn’t get any better.