Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged Review: Good Old Racing Fun

The game releases of 2023 have been full of surprises, from games we have been waiting decades for to smaller ones made by passionate development teams who put all their heart and effort into making standout titles. Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged undoubtedly leans towards the latter, as it is a game that innovates and improves on all the elements of the first installment by adding new features while keeping what works intact. It’s a title full of fast-paced racing, endless cars to collect, and the simplicity of a racing game that I’ve missed for a long time.

Hot Wheels Unleased 2: Turbocharged Review: Go With The Winner

When I got the opportunity to review Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, I didn’t imagine I would spend so much time playing it. Not because I don’t like the genre, but because I thought it wouldn’t be as engaging as other games from 2023. How wrong I was! With a wide variety of race tracks, many fun game modes, and one of the largest collections of Hot Wheels I have ever seen, I won’t lie to you: I went to my toy chest to see which cars I had because I wasn’t going to rest until I collected them all in the game and put them through their paces on the track.

Story: An Excuse to Use Hot Wheels

It is more than expected that games of this genre do not typically feature a compelling story. Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is no exception. I wouldn’t say it’s lacking in its delivery; I’m likely just not the target audience. At the end of the day, this game’s story might appeal to younger fans, and I understand the decision as to why the narrative is the way it is. Still, it’s a good excuse to collect and use cars on toy tracks full of traps and miniaturized creatures.

The story is as simple as you can imagine. There is a group of monsters on the loose in the city. A scientist calls upon an eclectic and colorful group of heroes to shrink down and defeat the creatures while using Hot Wheels. This sounds epic, and it would be if it weren’t a combination of all the stereotypical “teen dialogue of the moment” writing with the style of a Disney animated series. I’m sure many will like it, but I didn’t enjoy it. What I did enjoy and would bring me back after skipping the cinematics is exploring all the maps and completing all the career modes.

Gameplay: A Collector’s Paradise

Before discussing the wonderful racing mechanics of Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged, I want to discuss the cars. Yes, there are arguably too many of them. The game loves to show off the array of toy cars now in digital format in each race. If you’re a collector of these toys, you’ll love seeing your cars in the game; at least, I know I did.

To collect them, you can go to the store to buy them with in-game currency, and the rotation changes every 30 minutes. I’m not too happy with this decision, but I imagine it’s a strategy to keep the player around; you can refresh it by spending your coins, though. Thankfully, everything is bought with in-game money, so you don’t have to spend real-life cash.

When it comes to the actual racing mechanics, they’re some of the best I’ve seen in years. You have different types of cars: Drift, Balanced, Rocket, Swift, Off-Road, etc. Each one plays differently. So far, I can’t help but be amazed at how a toy car has almost the same weight as a real one and how each one, despite being in the same category, feels unique. I applaud the developers for bringing Hot Wheels to life and, beyond that, giving them personality.

In races, you can use your boost to pass your opponents. This boost fills up as you drift more. But outside of this ability, you have jumps that allow you to dodge obstacles and even a lateral move that will enable you to push opponents off the track. The potential for chaos in multiplayer matches has me eager to experience the madness.

The tracks are some of the best you’ll find in the racing genre. One thing I feel sometimes happens in racing games is that the tracks become tedious or repetitive. That doesn’t happen here. What I enjoyed the most in Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged was the variety of tracks. Although many had the same location, the assembly of the tracks was different. Some had traps, some had no borders, and each presented a different challenge to learn and adapt to. I’m sure the community will create some fantastic ones because, yes, the game allows you to make your race track.

One thing that I feel needs a bit of balancing is the AI opponents. Initially, I started playing in normal mode, and I felt it was too easy. I upped the difficulty level a bit, and the AI became more aggressive than in a Mario Kart game when they throw blue shells at you incessantly. Although it presents a challenge, I feel that the younger audience will not find a middle ground, and this needs to be remedied.

Graphics and Audio: Toys Never Looked So Real

One thing that fascinated me was the care in the visual texture of each Hot Wheels. Many cars have that matte finish similar to real life. Frankly, I was not expecting this level of realism for a toy racing game and was amazed. One of my favorite cars was the one that had transparent plastic parts that let you see the chassis of the car. This attention to detail is something we don’t see much nowadays — so my respects to Milestone.

The audio is top-notch. Although the music is not out of this world, it works to keep the adrenaline of the races going, no matter the track. The best thing, though, was the sound design of the cars. While each handles differently, they sound different as well, from the muscle cars with throbbing engines to the new ATVs that roar as they drift around every corner. The personality of each vehicle goes beyond the design; you can appreciate it in the audio, too.

Conclusion: A Top-Notch Racing Game

Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is one of the most fun games of the year that gave me many enjoyable moments. Although some systems are not to my liking, such as the store or the AI, they are tiny and never slam on the brakes to bring my fun to a halt. With some of the most ingenious tracks and an excellent collection of cars, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is here to stay, and I don’t think it will slow down anytime soon.

Hot Wheel Unleashed 2: Turbocharged is available now on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Reviewed).

Review copy given by Publisher.