Gritty Unrealism
There’s nothing like an arcadey racing game when you’re a few whiskeys deep in the rumpus room on a weekday evening. Wreckfest has been my go-to for this sort of activity for the last year or so, but while watching a YouTube video on the recently-released Screamer the other day I saw a few clips of Milestone’s previous racing game, Gravel. My eyes were treated to visions of a Toyota Celica with Castrol livery speeding along a beach alongside various other iconic AWD masterpieces, and I was instantly smitten. The guy who made the video said that Gravel was great, and I felt that a quick trip to eBay was in order.
Sitting on a Metacritc average of 67, Gravel, which was released back in 2018, obviously didn’t set the racing game world alight, but for those who like high-speed thrills and off-road chaos in exotic locations, Gravel is a bit of a hidden gem if you’re willing to ignore some of its flaws.
First off, it’s got some absolutely iconic licensed vehicles. If you want to slide around the coast of Namibia in a Subaru Impreza WRX or a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution then you’re golden, and more importantly, the Toyota Celica, Lancia Delta Integrale and Lancia Stratos are all present and correct for the Sega Rally Championship fans out there. The track designs, aside from some tight, winding arena layouts, emphasise long, high-speed turns and extended, pedal-to-the-metal straights scattered with water hazards and jumps just to keep you on your toes. This, along with some forgiving handling and a rewind feature, makes for a somewhat casual but always enjoyable and occasionally spectacular experience that’s ideal for a bit of digital drink-driving.
If you wanted to pick some nits, though, they’re not hard to find. Visually, the game isn’t anywhere near the top of the pile, and while it looks fine in motion, the cars can appear a bit flat and the environments a little messy. The sound is just fine, with acceptable engine notes, a somewhat generic metal soundtrack playing in the background at all times, and a kind-of-charming narrator who sounds like he’d be more at home announcing events at a steam rally in the British countryside. The physics aren’t great though, and crashing at high speed in Gravel will demolish any illusion of driving a high-powered rally vehicle as your ride flips around like a cereal box caught in a brisk wind.
I have encountered some glitches, too. Most notably my car disappearing after making use of the rewind feature, leaving me to finish the race using only my tyre tracks to figure out where I am. This has happened on three separate occasions so far. I successfully finished the race twice, and had to restart the third time because I just couldn’t keep track of where I was. Then again, I was tipsy at the time.
Faults and frustrations aside, Gravel is a very entertaining, undemanding racing experience that really feels like an arcade blast from yesteryear. It can’t touch the likes of DiRT or Forza Horizon for technical mastery and visual spectacle, but it can absolutely bring the thrills, and when you’re kicking up sand in your Castrol-livery Toyota Celica, blasting along the beach with Imprezas, Focuses, and Lancers jostling for position all around you, it’s absolute racing bliss. As such, I’m very happy to recommend that you try some Gravel in your diet.
Did you know that many species of birds eat gravel? It’s good for the gizzard, apparently.
Played on PS4