When it was released in 2023, The Crew Motorfest was a pleasant surprise. In what was initially designed as a spin-off for The Crew 2, the project morphed into a standalone game which eschewed the ginormous map size of its forebearer.
Instead, it was leaner, focusing on visual fidelity and a detailed environment instead of just mass.
The risk paid off.
With the franchise on a new course, regular free updates with themed event playlists (alongside the live-service Main Stage offerings) kept pulling us back for more.
Now, however, developer Ivory Tower has taken things a step forward with a significant free expansion.
But, as the contrast between The Crew 2 and Motorfest highlights, greater map size doesn’t necessarily guarantee more fun…
New beginnings
The new island of Maui sits alongside the existing O’ahu, conjoined by an umbilical cord bridge reminiscent of a Scandinavian connection.
Releasing alongside the area is a sequel to the most-driven playlist to date in Ubisoft’s open-world racer – Made in Japan Volume 2.
This set of events sees you driving in, as expected, modified Japanese cars and is one of the few collections that goes out of its way to drastically alter the environment. Expect dark races with neon lights and paper dragons.
For the sequel, the venue is the second island, which the developer claims is four-fifths the size of the main location. However, that seems to include a series of small isles on its outskirts.
These Toyota and Mazda-fulled events act as a quasi-introduction to the tropical location, with the first race taking you across the aforementioned bridge, before a series of varied events around Maui.
These play out… much like Vol.1. There’s a sense of déjà vu – perhaps Motorfest is at its best when it tries something fresh, like the first time we thrashed around the charcoal volcanic ash or the recent Hoonigan-themed playlist.
There’s a scenic tour mixtape for O’ahu and maybe a similar approach here would be welcome, as in the Japanese races you can’t see the bamboo forest or flowing waterfalls properly in the darkness.
Sideways in Tokyo Maui
You should not completely judge the increased archipelago on its launch day alone.
Presently, the new island feels lacking in challenges, as all but one of the free playlists are set on the original land mass.
There’s a paid DLC Chase Squad add-on based here too, which we shall cover separately to split up ‘Season 5’ into paid-for and free.
It’s important to bear in mind that Maui is set to be the venue for many more challenges, tasks and playlists, plus Main Stage events, over the year to come. Framed like that, while there appears to be a dearth of events now, it should continue to prosper.
In between main Made in Japan quests, we also explored the environment behind the wheel of the new-to-Motorfest Porsche 911 GT3 RS. Yes, the range-topping sportscar was also added to Forza Horizon 5 this week too, in what must be the most ubiquitous vehicle in 2024 gaming.
A small feature, but worth noting, is that in the cockpit view, both the rear-view mirror and wing mirrors are now functional. In our pre-release build testing on PC, they were clearly providing a lower-fidelity view but didn’t seem to overtly affect performance. Long overdue.
More new cars are on the way too. For those willing to part with cash, there’s the police-based content and a second year of hot vehicles. Dubbed the ‘Year 2 Pass’, it includes the Chase Squad playlist and a vehicle pass.
Apart from the interceptor customised vehicles, all cars in this pass will be available to every player – it’s just that purchasing the pass adds them to your collection early and without using in-game credits.
It begins with the BMW M5 CS and Nissan Skyline GT-R (R32), with more to follow across the next 12 months.
A welcome addition
Not wildly different from the base game’s location – it is still in Hawaii, after all – we’re also intrigued to see how its main rival, Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, handles its expansion later this year.
It moves from Hong Kong to Ibiza, in a drastic shift, perhaps showing new islands don’t necessarily have to be tied to the base game’s location.
For now, Maui is a welcome addition that perhaps needs fleshing out with more to do. All the Motorfest traits remain, from the wieldy vehicle handling to stunning viewpoints and an accomplished sense of cohesiveness.
The game also repeatedly sets the template for post-release support and community engagement. Roll on 2025…
The Crew Motorfest Maui expansion at a glance
- Update lands 6th November 2024
- Free island, four-fifths the size of the existing O’ahu, for all The Crew Motorfest players
- Launches alongside some quality-of-life tweaks for free, such as functioning mirrors (not on PS4 and Xbox One), being able to combine parts and playlist remixing
- Porsche 911 GT3 RS also added
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