Fast & Furious: Crossroads released August 7, but reviews have not been forthcoming–it seems that very few media got code for the game, and those that did certainly didn’t have them in time for launch. GameSpot has not reviewed the title, but the sites that have covered the game, unfortunately, have few good things to say about it.
Crossroads seemed, in the lead-up to launch, like a possible winner. The game was developed by Slighty Mad Studios (Project Cars 3) alongside Tigon Studios, the Vin Diesel-owned studio behind The Wheelman. It features Diesel as series mainstay Dominic Toretto, along with Michelle Rodriguez and Tyrese Gibson, reprising their roles. The Fast & Furious saga has struggled to produce a good game, but this one seemed to have a chance.
The game, which was originally due to release in May alongside F9: The Fast Saga before its delay, is out now, and the few reviews have not been kind. Common complaints cite poor mission design, awful handling, and lousy visuals, although the plot has earned some mild praise for feeling, more or less, like a typical Fast & Furious story. There’s at least one flat-out positive review so far, too–we’ve included it below.
The reviews are, at least, more positive than the ones Fast & Furious: Showdown received. But it seems that the best Fast & Furious game ever remains Forza Horizon 2 Presents Fast & Furious, which has long since been de-listed and wasn’t exactly heavy on Fast & Furious flavor.
- Game: Fast & Furious: Crossroads
- Platforms: PC, Xbox One, PS4
- Developer: Slightly Mad Studios
- Release date: August 7
- Price: $60 / £50 / $90 AUD
The Gamer – 8/10
“I can understand why some people might bounce off Crossroads. Its story is campy, its driving unrealistic, and its physics and graphics a bit on the wonky side. This is the furthest thing from a polished AAA experience, and it’s very clear that Bandai Namco isn’t marketing it much because of that. But here’s the thing – I value creativity, fun, and focus over polish, to an extent. To me, Crossroads is bursting with those things. Yeah, it’s janky and a bit dumb, but what other game this year is going to let you chase a space shuttle through New Orleans?” – Bella Blondeau [Full Review]
Game Informer – 5/10
“Many of us lived through the era of video games that was overflowing with bad movie-to-game adaptations, and Crossroads is a pointed reminder of those days, showing just how far games have come since then. It’s a mess of a game that hones in on why the Fast movies are great, but will make you want to put the controller down to watch one of those movies instead.” – Andrew Reiner [Full Review]
The Xbox Hub – 2/5
“The controls in Fast & Furious Crossroads are dreadful, with as much feel as a dead trout and as much effect on the way your race goes as rubbing your lucky rabbit’s foot. One mission sees Cam trying to win a race on a narrow course in Rio, and without a word of a lie it took me about 15 attempts to get around the course without crashing on every corner. Handbrake turns don’t work, slowing down doesn’t work – you may as well close your eyes and mutter a little prayer every time you come up to a corner, and I feel like you wouldn’t do any worse than if you tried to race properly. The secret to beating this level? Wall grinding – just letting the track take you where you need to go. Although the barriers do seem to be weirdly magnetic, as once you hit them it is hard to drive off them.” – Paul Renshaw [Full Review]
Push Square – 3/10
“How Fast & Furious Crossroads wound up as a full-price release will forever remain a mystery. It is lacking in every department possible, from shallow and repetitive gameplay through to abysmal visuals that belong on the previous generation of consoles. Not even the most committed Fast & Furious fans should subject themselves to this monstrosity. That is unless you want to have a good laugh alongside Vin Diesel.” – Liam Croft [Full Review]
Metro – 2/10
“Fast & Furious Crossroads is an unwanted reminder of the bad old days of movie tie-ins, when cheaply made games would be thrown out as quickly as possible (or not in this case) in order to make money on name recognition, before word got around that the game was no good. It had seemed that such days were long behind us, but this is just as bad as all the other Fast & Furious games, if not worse given how it wastes the behind the scenes talent.” [Full Review]
Eurogamer – Avoid
“Perhaps the biggest frustration, coming to Crossroads as a Fast & Furious fan, is those glimpses of what could have been, and seeing an enjoyable enough slice of series lore being under-served so severely by the game behind it. In a saner, less cruel world Crossroads might have been put to rest when it became clear it just wasn’t going to work – as it is, it’s just been left to limp out in this sorry, sorry state. What a disappointment.” – Martin Robinson [Full Review]
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