HELL yeah, the car combat genre SO needed this!

A nice breath of fresh air that's both satisfyingly simple and just deep enough to keep you hooked.

Demo feels solid, honestly.

Love the updates and addons, tracked vehicles are great and feel sturdy. Different machines also feel good so far. Physics has gotten an improvement, environments are far more detailed, and mud deformation has been updated heavily.

There are still things to work on, don't get me wrong. Fuel and damage feel absent, and hopefully they'll be present in the full game. Remember, this is a demo. What I've seen so far feels fun and rewarding. You can pave roads anywhere, or build bridges where you please. It's a 'play how you want' sort of game, and it has much longer objectives and extended playtime. I personally prefer this, and can't wait to see the full release.

Also I have no idea where all of these performance complaints are coming from. On a 2080ti hooked up to a 2k monitor I get a steady 60fps on full high. Only thing that feels bad are the loading times, but once everything is cached and loaded it runs smooth. Maybe take a look at your CPUs and RAM if the game is giving you trouble; a powerful GPU isn't the only thing you need anymore.

All in all, I see good things coming from this game. If you play it and immediately feel like you don't like it, then maybe it just isn't your thing.

The vibes are immaculate

It's chill, immediately pulls you in, and is really fun and easy to play

There are plenty of options, the maps are uniquely generated with each playthrough, and there are plenty of places to go, see, and hitchhikers to pick up
The 'longevity' is there if you take it easy and play your way, instead of rushing every objective. There are multiple endings with multiple ways to reach each one, and plenty of side-things to do in between

Absolutely love this game

We're getting patches, adjustments, and fixes; which is good! A few gripes still exist, and it's still in early access, but it's good to see player concerns get addressed and worked on during this early period.
There are still difficult races, but many fans know this is a 'feature' in TXR rather than a bug. The previous iteration of Melancholy Angel though was a tad ridiculous, but it's been adjusted with a compromise.

Progression still needs work, unlocking things is still a bit of an issue; namely the limited points you get for perks, and not being able to get through some once you beat every racer-... but the game is solid and shows that it can and will change for the better while still being a genuine TXR title

===PRIOR REVIEW===

It's in early access, and it shows.

Despite the thumbs down, the game looks and feels great. It's a competent remaster/remake of the golden age of TXR games. The cars feel good to drive, and the soundtrack is on point.

While it lacks the comprehensive vehicle list of some of the previous titles, this isn't it's biggest flaw.

Where the game falls completely flat is balance and difficulty.
It starts out pretty mild, low end cars and some light upgrades. Some races feel easy, and some are a challenge. You advance and earn better cars, and more upgrades are made available. Once you can start buying more, the game quickly gets very easy if you play your cards right.
Emphasis on very easy.
A fully upgraded car in the second stage(s) will absolutely destroy most race teams, and the AI really just feels like it's racing on rails; only switching lanes abruptly to avoid traffic...

Then, after the first two waves of teams and bosses, it hits you full force with a series of rivals that are basically unbeatable later on.

A few require more intricate tuning, or more careful play. This isn't a bad thing, but it may alienate more casual players. I play with manual shifting and I know how to tune a gearbox. Not everyone else will...
Correct tire choice may sometimes be a factor. Getting the temporary one-night upgrade from the mechanic is needed for a boss or two. There are times when you have to think or change your approach to a boss or wanderer. As I said, not a bad thing.

But, even for veterans of TXR, we have to talk about 'Melancholic Angel.' This boss is so ridiculously busted, that there is no feasible way to defeat them without glitching or exploiting. Their car has twice the power of anything you are allowed to own or upgrade, and racing them is completely pointless.
This is where the second big issue pops in; the progression. It's done terribly, requiring you to 'advance' through groups and bosses in order to be allowed to purchase better cars and upgrades. But, the bosses that you're asked to race can only be rivaled with better cars and upgrades! This takes all of the enjoyment I had up until that point and grinds it to a halt...

It's not that unlocks shouldn't exist, it's their pacing that's absolutely out of whack... a progression system like this can work, but only if the resources given to the player aren't gapped so far with the AI you're expected to race and beat.

So, until the balance and progression is fixed or addressed, I can't recommend the game; since these issues make it nearly unplayable once you hit the limit...

Valve is... well, Valve! What can I say?

As someone who got into VR late, and chose Alyx as my first VR experience, I have to say it introduces you to the world flawlessly and just feels so natural. The environments are ambient, the mechanics feel solid, and the story is as exciting as expected!

Which, in another way, makes all other VR games I played after this one a little more disappointing!
I do sympathize with people who can't experience this because they don't have access to VR though, especially when Alyx introduces a pretty big story point in the series...

Otherwise, yeah. I can see why there are others who went out and got a VR headset specifically to play this game!