We have tested the closed beta of Auto Club Revolution, and today we present this exclusive review of the game.

Auto Club Revolution is both a racing game and a powerful and flexible social platform for communities of car enthusiasts and racing fans. The game’s front end is web-based and the racing engine is delivered via a downloaded application (client). This combination of web and client empowers the player to manage their game, garage and network of friends on the web from anywhere, while the downloadable element provides a premium quality race experience.

While racing game fans will enjoy the array of officially-licensed cars complete with realistic driving performances and handling, car enthusiasts will immerse themselves in an online world built around their favourite car brands.

You can see on the screenshots and videos the high graphical quality of Auto Club Revolution’s racing experience, which claims to deliver console-quality online racing to the free-to-play games market.

Auto Club Revolution allows players to face in multiplayer races. Multiplayer races begin in the Race Hangout, where players meet to find and create lobbies. Races initially support between two and eight players and opponents can be found by either inviting friends or other players in the Race Hangout, or through automated Match-Making.

Auto Club Revolution has a range features and activities for a compelling single player experience. Time Trial mode allows players to set personal best lap times and post them to their profile as well as to public leaderboards. Single player mode is extended through an array of personal challenges that are generated for every player and that assist them in the discovery of game features and provide a variety of in-game content.

Cars are classified into 8 categories and you can try 28 of them in the closed beta, but it is only the beginning! Once purchased, you can customize your car in the workshop.

In the Workshop players can customise their cars through an entirely web-based interface which combines highly detailed 3D car models with easy-to-use tools. With complete freedom over the colour and paint style of their cars and a rich set of decals, shapes, designs and paint schemes, Closed Beta players will be able to create a unique and personalised garage of cars.

In addition, for further customization, Auto Club Revolution also has an upgrade parts shop with officially licensed parts from over eighty real-world aftermarket manufacturers. The parts available for purchase from Auto Club Revolution’s upgrade shop include engine upgrades, turbochargers and fuel injection to brakes, gearbox and tyres, from top manufacturers such as Brembo, HKS, Borla and AC Schnitzer.
You start the game with a standard vehicle and you earn the game’s currency by participating in races. With this money, you can buy parts to make the car lighter, more maneuverable, faster, etc. Once you have enough money, you can buy new cars and compete in higher categories.

The race. A feature rich, visually stunning racing experience is delivered through a downloadable application, giving users an authentic, exciting race experience with the cars they own.

Auto Club Revolution supports a range of control methods including keyboard, mouse, gamepad and steering wheel. Other options include a choice of manual, automatic or-semi automatic gear changes.

During races you can make use of assists to make your car easier to drive and follow dynamic racing lines around the track. To start the assists are very useful because without them, some vehicles are very difficult to control because of the power of their acceleration. Then, once you get use to the car, you can get rid of them. Moreover, accessible upgrading and tuning improve the performance and the maneuverability of the cars.

The in-race Heads-Up Display (HUD) features familiar elements such as position indicator, lap time plus total race time, proximity of the car in front and behind and a race mini-map. Both drafting (slip streaming) and drifting are fully supported for a richer racing experience, as are controller/wheel vibration and force feedback. All this, contributes to the pleasure of driving that you feel playing the game. In our opinion, fans of free to play racing games shoudn’t be disappointed by Auto Club Revolution. If you like that kind of games, you should really give it a try!

Anyone who has played a chart-topping console or retail PC racing game will be familiar with many of the features in Auto Club Revolution. The surprise is to find all this in a free-to-play game!