by Danreb VictorioIt’s been a while since I’ve let driving games really absorb me. It honestly hasn’t been since the N64 era, when the genre really grabbed me, though I did have stints with DriveClub, Forza Motorsport 5, Forza Horizon 3 (because of the Hot Wheels DLC), and, more recently, Forza Horizon 6. Part of what really grabbed me about Horizon 6, aside from it being in Japan, was that there was a story. Sure, it was basic, but it was enough to hook me. So when I started receiving invites to a hands-off preview of Maverick Games’ debut title, I was a little reserved but interested. First of all, I hate hands-off previews. But also, it was for a “narrative-driven driving game from former members of the Forza team.”
Yeah, okay. Sold.
After showing us the trailer, the narrative demo began with a glimpse of the protagonist Theo Martial’s adolescence. He was in the back of a boxcar being scolded alongside his sister, and after their guardian left them in the car for just a minute, the presumably 10-year-old or so Theo drove the car away since the keys were still in the ignition.
Just a year later, we see Theo driving away from the cops, followed by his involvement in drag racing six months after that. His car is even equipped with a grappling hook to take others out. Go, Speed Racer, indeed!
All the while, we’re seeing gameplay of the driving being demoed, and as you’d expect, it’s pretty much Forza. Like Forza, you’ll be awarded with points for the way you drive, and there are also on-screen hints as to whether you should brake or perform other maneuvers behind the wheel. While hardly new, it’s stuff I absolutely appreciate, especially since when it comes to driving games, I have RT pulled all the way and rarely brake, resulting in my car being extremely ugly after a session (for the record, I don’t actually drive like that). On top of these cool hints, we’re also seeing livestreaming on social media while Theo drives. That’s about as today as it gets.
Meanwhile, it seems like his sister Cass is quite the driver as well, and both Martial siblings end up in a big stadium race for RK–the game’s version of Monocan NASCAR or something. As the race begins, one of the teammates on the Martial team is involved in a fiery crash. This causes the sport to go into a panic, with RK leadership getting complicated in a safety crisis. From here, the story goes full Jerry Bruckheimer, and I’m absolutely in on all that.
The story builds to a point where Theo pretty much disowns everything including the RK and gets involved with more shady dealings. He then has a meeting with a fixer character played by Jane Perry, who tasks Theo with stealing a car… at the top of a penthouse in Downtown Monaco. It goes without saying impossible hilarity ensues but not before we find out you can get to use Theo and walk around the condo. The action is not completely behind the wheel. Sure, it might be basic walking simulator stuff, but this is top-notch AAA gameplay here.
The presentation ended with around seven minutes left to spare, and they asked if any of us wanted to try driving, which actually wasn’t in the itinerary. I didn’t get a chance to play, but the guy who had the controller immediate said “Yep, this is Forza.“
You can probably tell from the trailer and the screenshots, but they don’t do it any justice. The game looks absolutely beautiful, and I can’t wait to tear up the streets of Monaco seeing how Theo and Cass live their lives. While driving isn’t something I’m particularly fond of, I absolutely adore Speed Racer, F1, and The Fast and the Furious, and I’m really looking forward to seeing how everything takes shape in Clutch.
Clutch is currently slated for a spring release next year, and we’ll definitely be around to cover it. You might have heard news that Amazon made the mistake of ditching the game as a publisher, but something tells me Maverick Games will be perfectly fine despite that drama.
Clutch
