A small game that has some big ideas to work with

Dec 20, 2014 00:07 GMT  ·  By

Next up in our Softpedia Game of the Year 2014 awards is the best racing game runner-up title.

It’s the final lap of a race and my driver knows that in order to get past the rival who is in first place he needs to do something radical and possibly dangerous.

There’s too much riding on this race to simply accept second place and to hope that a better performance in the next few races will erase the shame of defeat.

So I choose to use the reins to whip my horses into a frenzy in order to try a risky high-speed outside move and I end up crashing, with a dead charioteer and severely damaged equipment.

Qvadriga is not a vehicle racing game by the strictest definition, but it does manage to deliver more exciting moments than many other members of the genre that were launched in 2014, which is why it is my runner-up for the GOTY 2014 category.

I also spent more time with it than with DriveClub or The Crew.

Qvadriga is about calculated risk and about the way good equipment and solid skills can be combined to defeat superior opposition.

The actual racing is turn based, which initially does not make too much sense, but they are gripping in a way that other car-based titles never manage to be.

Qvadriga shows gamers the effects of failure, while at the same time makes it clear that winning is the only way to get to the Coliseum in Rome.

Horses and wood are less sturdy than modern steel and engines, which coupled with the relatively limited driving options actually enhances the moment-to-moment feeling of danger and excitement.

A small game against AAA launches

Qvadriga is my choice because it offers something unique and engaging, mixing genres and ideas in interesting ways, but the sad state of other racing games launched in 2014 also contributed to this choice.

DriveClub had big problems when it was launched and many of the social aspects that made the experience unique were not functioning as they should have.

The driving model and the courses are maybe better than those of its rivals, but the game had problems that have not yet been entirely addressed and the PS Plus limited version of the experience will probably never be launched.

The Crew also had issues when it was first introduced and seems to lack an innovative element that can make it the kind of title that a racing fan will play in the long term.

Take a look at the full Softpedia review for Qvadriga for more details about the title.

Qvadriga Images (10 Images)

Ancient look
Turn timeSpeed lane
+7more