GRID Legends for Quest is proof that even bad ports can be pretty good games

GRID Legends is the right illustration of a disastrous sport launch. When EA and Codemasters introduced the sport’s existence a mere 6 days earlier than its launch, most of us within the XR group had a really unhealthy feeling about what that might imply for the sport’s high quality. Upon launch, our fears have been realized: it is a sloppy port launched simply after the Holidays probably in a cash-grab effort to capitalize on the thousands and thousands of Quests that have been opened on Christmas day.Almost all the pieces about this port is unhealthy, however the sport itself truly is not. The graphics are unhealthy and the efficiency may even be fairly unhealthy. The controls largely suck and do not benefit from the platform in any respect. It’s even clearly simply straight-ported in most methods, together with the painful quantity of menus and different nonsense you will have to sit down by means of earlier than you race.But, at the same time as somebody who just isn’t within the meant viewers for the title — in spite of everything, I personal a 20-year-old Toyota Corolla and know virtually nothing about automobiles — I can see how addicting this sport could be. The physics are good. The story is nice. The areas are attention-grabbing and the rewards for profitable are heavy. It’s acquired dozens of hours of gameplay and much more in the event you get into the multiplayer.So why did not EA at the very least attempt to give a rattling when it ported it to the Oculus Quest 2? Boy, I positive want I knew.An indication of issues to return. Maybe. Also, hopefully not.(Image credit score: Android Central)EA has dabbled in VR earlier than and it is largely resulted in failed experiments. Star Wars: Squadrons is the one shining good instance amongst all of the unhealthy or unnoteworthy makes an attempt — probably the most disappointing of which might be Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond (opens in new tab).But, like with Medal of Honor, GRID Legends’ existence provides me hope that we’ll begin to see some bigger IPs make their solution to VR. We’ve had a smattering of them over the previous few years and, with the recognition of the Meta Quest (opens in new tab), I’ve a sense we will begin seeing much more within the coming years.I simply hope all of them aren’t like this.Lightly relating the visuals, it is clear that the builders have been tasked with getting this sport ported to the Quest 2 in as little time as doable. Without any inside info, although, I can solely assume this. Here’s why I feel that is the case, although.It’s clear that the builders have been tasked with getting this sport ported to the Quest 2 in as little time as doable.First off, it is utilizing one thing Meta calls Application Space Warp, a know-how that is nice for porting highly-detailed video games (opens in new tab) to the Quest’s modest {hardware}. The drawback is that it is not meant for video games with numerous high-speed motion. If it wasn’t already obvious by now, it is a racing sport. Probably not a fantastic match for such a tech.Second, even with the usage of this tech, the efficiency could be abysmal at occasions. Several occasions throughout any given race, the sport can randomly hitch and pause, clearly calculating one thing within the background earlier than resuming the motion once more. It can completely break your focus when it occurs, because it did with mine on this clip beneath.Next up are the controls, that are the laziest, sloppiest transition into VR I feel I’ve ever seen. Forget the truth that you’ve got acquired these superb controllers in your arms that do not have simply buttons and joysticks, however can be completely tracked in actual house as you progress your arms and arms.Seems like Codemasters forgot this little tidbit and determined that buttons have been the one factor that mattered to “real gamers” or one thing and fully wrote off any facet of monitoring. Those arms you see on the steering wheel? Yeah, these aren’t your arms. They’re simply there for adornment.Those arms you see on the steering wheel? Yeah, these aren’t your arms. They’re simply there for adornment.To management automobiles in GRID Legends, you will simply be tapping the left joystick to the left or proper to steer. The set off on the best controller is your gasoline pedal, whereas the set off on the left controller is the brake. Slap that A button now and again to ignite the emergency break and you have principally accomplished the driving tutorial.Granted, a few of that is Meta’s fault for not permitting correct driving wheel equipment on the Quest but. You’d suppose an organization with as a lot clout as EA may have labored with Meta to launch their high-profile racing sport alongside such an enormous characteristic addition however, no. At least that matches in with the narrative that EA did not care about this port within the first place.(Image credit score: Android Central)Lastly, the complete interface — even the one within the first-person automobile view — feels fully misplaced in VR. Plenty of VR video games undergo from “2D UI” issues however GRID takes it to a brand new stage. In most instances, you are simply taking a look at a floating TV in entrance of you that is clearly the identical factor you’d see when enjoying on an Xbox or PlayStation in your actual TV.Can you think about driving an actual automobile with none rear-view or facet mirrors? Yeah, I am unable to both.Some of that is tremendous sufficient — I do not want the devs to give you some metaverse-looking menu when a easy click on will work — however numerous the problems additionally mix with the sport’s poor visuals.Mirrors in automobiles do not work in any respect, as an example. They’re only a grey texture with no try at a mirrored image or straightforward solution to know the place your opponents are. Can you think about driving an actual automobile with none rear-view or facet mirrors? Yeah, I am unable to both.At least you possibly can pivot your head to go searching which takes benefit of VR in a roundabout way, however most of those racing automobiles aren’t constructed to allow you to soak up your wonderful environment. They have been constructed for pace, not for views.Never choose a e-book by its tattered, worn cowlThe issues on this sport go far past the standard “never judge a book by its cover” saying, however the identical thought nonetheless applies right here. If you may get previous the ugly graphics, the shoed-in controls, and the poorly optimized efficiency and UI, you will discover a sport that may reward you with dozens (or tons of) of hours of content material.As you race, you will earn cash, stage up, and can buy completely different automobiles, decals, and even power-ups for pleasant AI drivers. You’ll drive all the pieces from semi-trucks to racing pickups, Dodge Chargers and different muscle automobiles, F1 automobiles, offroad rally-type automobiles, and extra.The tracks aren’t practically as attention-grabbing because the automobile selection however they don’t seem to be unhealthy tracks, by any means. Just a bit vanilla so far as a road racing sport goes.If you may get previous the ugly graphics, the shoed-in controls, and the poorly optimized efficiency and UI, you will discover a sport that may reward you with dozens (or tons of) of hours of content material.What’s not so vanilla is the AI which frequently makes human-like errors whereas driving. I’ve seen them wipe out round a nook by going too quick, crash right into a wall and destroy the automobile and loads of different habits that is surprisingly convincing. The sport additionally has correct harm modeling, which you’ll allow to your detriment within the settings.(Image credit score: Android Central)You may even play this one on-line with different GRID Legends avid gamers, extending the lifetime of the sport properly past the single-player unlocks or story mode.The level is that, regardless of all the problems, GRID Legends continues to be a very good sport on Quest 2. It’s positively not well worth the $40 entry value as a result of it is such a half-baked effort however, in the event you’re a racing fan and are in search of a stable racing SIM — even when this one is a little more arcadey than one thing like Gran Turismo — you are not going to get any higher on Quest 2.Truth be instructed, although, in the event you’ve acquired every other system GRID Legends is on, you are in all probability higher enjoying it there.