The Crew 2 review – racing simulator takes the long and grinding road

PS4, Xbox One, PC; Ivory Tower/Ubisoft
In this road-trip fantasy, you can drag-race in Vegas, cruise through Manhattan and divebomb off Mount Rushmore. So why isn't it more fun?

In The Crew 2, you and up to three online friends are free to journey across a make-believe America, switching between boats, planes and cars with a swish of the right analog stick. Happily, there's no need to worry about real-life road-trip concerns such as the laws of physics or LA's perpetual traffic congestion, and should you wish to somehow drive a Motocross bike to the top of Mount Rushmore to perform a front flip from its peak, you need no written permission.

Within the open-world map lurks a swathe of by-the-numbers events from the Need for Speed mould. There are urban checkpoint races; three-minute supercar scrambles in which the throng of opponents never seems more than a few feet behind; and more adventurous events like powerboat races, motocross trials and aerial freestyle stunt challenges. As a rookie driver competing in a preposterous America-wide motorsport festival, you're out to make a name for yourself by winning races and pulling off feats of lunatic daring. Veterans of the Forza Horizon games will recognise the setup and the exuberant voiceovers, if not the low-rent execution.