Info about LEGO® 2K Drive:

Official game description:
LEGO® 2K Drive Awesome Rivals Edition
=====================================
THERE'S MORE AWESOME IN THE AWESOME RIVALS EDITION  
LEGO 2K Drive Awesome Rivals Edition includes:  
*   Aquadirt Racer Pack  
*   Year 1 Drive Pass: Includes Season 1, 2, 3 and 4 DLC packs, the Awesome Pizza Vehicle, and 550 Coins. Release timing of the DLC contents will be revealed at a future date.  
*   Awesome Bonus Pack: Includes Wheelie Stunt Driver Minifigure, Machio Beast Vehicle and Propeller Spoiler Deluxe.  
*   Awesome Rivals Bonus Pack: Includes Royal Sailor, Royal Outtaliner, Royal People Rover, Reckless Scorpion Stunt Driver Minifigure, Hamburghini Royale, Out for the Count, and Super Engine Block (Red).
LEGO® 2K Drive Awesome Edition
==============================
THERE'S MORE AWESOME IN THE AWESOME EDITION  
LEGO 2K Drive Awesome Edition includes:  
*   Aquadirt Racer Pack  
*   Year 1 Drive Pass: Includes Season 1, 2, 3 and 4 DLC packs, the Awesome Pizza Vehicle, and 550 Coins. Release timing of the DLC contents will be revealed at a future date.  
*   Awesome Bonus Pack: Includes Wheelie Stunt Driver Minifigure, Machio Beast Vehicle and Propeller Spoiler Deluxe.
About the Game
==============
Welcome to Bricklandia, home of a massive open-world LEGO® driving adventure. Race anywhere, play with anyone, build your dream rides, and defeat a cast of wild racing rivals for the coveted Sky Trophy!
In LEGO 2K Drive, your awesome transforming vehicle gives you the freedom to speed seamlessly across riveting racetracks, off-road terrain, and open waters. Explore the vast world of Bricklandia, show off your driving skills, and build vehicles brick-by-brick!
THE ULTIMATE LEGO DRIVING EXPERIENCE
------------------------------------
Get behind the wheel and gear up for tons of open-world exploration and thrilling races! Take on the exciting Story mode, jump into a single race or Cup Series tourneys, and let loose in off-the-wall minigames. Master the art of drifting, boosting, jumping, and using power-ups to defeat opponents!
RACE FOR THE SKY TROPHY
-----------------------
Story mode follows your journey from rookie racer to famous champion as you compete against a series of charismatic rivals. With each victory, you'll work your way up the ranks to take on the infamous Shadow Z.
OPEN-WORLD EXPLORATION
----------------------
The vast and vibrant world of Bricklandia is yours to explore as you see fit, full of colorful characters and kooky quests. Zoom past lush fields on Turbo Acres' pavement, go off-roading in the deserts of Big Butte County, cruise across Prospecto Valley's picturesque waterways, and more.
UNLEASH YOUR CREATIVITY
-----------------------
Building vehicles in the Garage is as easy as snapping bricks together. Construct new cars and boats from scratch, modify any vehicle in your collection, or unwind with guided builds, then take your creation for a drive!
PLAY TOGETHER AT HOME AND ONLINE
--------------------------------
Roam around Bricklandia in local splitscreen or join your driving buddies online!

Release date: 18 May, 2023

Categories: Open-World Exploration, Vehicle Customization, Sandbox Creation, Racing, Competitive Multiplayer, Cooperative Multiplayer, Single-player Story, Mini-game Collection


- Hardware Profile: No data
Feature extractions:
- Community Price: No data
- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Fun, polished, and visually appealing (weight 0.91): The game is praised for its fun and enjoyable gameplay, appealing graphics, and overall polish. Many reviewers highlight the game's lighthearted nature, humor, and accessible mechanics, making it suitable for both casual players and children. The game's visual presentation, including its colorful world and detailed environments, is also frequently commended.
- Extensive vehicle creation/customization (weight 0.75): A standout feature is the ability to create and customize vehicles using LEGO bricks. Players enjoy the freedom to design their own cars, boats, and other vehicles, with the game providing a wide array of parts and tools. The vehicle creation mode is in-depth yet easy to control, and the game allows players to share their creations with others.
- Combines Forza, Mario Kart, LEGO (weight 0.49): The game successfully blends elements from popular racing franchises like Forza Horizon, Mario Kart, and LEGO Racers. Reviewers appreciate the mix of arcade-style racing, power-ups, and open-world exploration, creating a unique and engaging experience. The game also features split-screen multiplayer, adding to its appeal as a kart racer.
- Easy to earn in-game currency (weight 0.45): The game features an in-game currency (Brick Bux) that can be earned relatively easily, allowing players to unlock new vehicles, characters, and parts. Reviewers note that the currency is plentiful, especially later in the game, making it easy to acquire new items through normal play. Microtransactions are present but are easily avoidable and do not block progress.
- Destructible environments and transformations (weight 0.21): The game features destructible environments and car damage models, adding to the immersion and satisfaction of the racing experience. Crashing into objects causes them to break into individual LEGO pieces, accompanied by satisfying sound effects. The vehicle transformation system, which allows players to seamlessly switch between cars, off-road vehicles, and boats based on terrain, is also a highlight.
- Appropriate rubber-banding (weight 0.05): Rubber-banding is present in the game, but reviewers note that it is well-hidden and appropriate for keeping races interesting, especially for younger players. The rubber-banding is described as near perfect, ensuring that races remain competitive and engaging.
- Microtransactions are easily avoidable (weight 0.05): Microtransactions are present but are off by default and require account linking to access, making them easily avoidable. Reviewers note that it's possible to play the game entirely without microtransactions, and that they are purely cosmetic. This is less impactful in a game where you can build your own car.
- Suitable for younger players (weight 0.04): The game is suitable for younger players and provides a lot of enjoyment for children. One reviewer mentioned that their six-year-old child enjoyed the game for a hundred hours. The game is also enjoyable to play with children.

Common complaints:
- Aggressive, predatory monetization practices (weight 0.82): The game is plagued with aggressive and predatory microtransactions, battle passes, and a rotating cash shop, especially considering its full price and target audience of children. Essential content, like LEGO bricks for customization, is locked behind paywalls, requiring excessive grinding or real money to unlock. This monetization detracts from the core gameplay experience and feels like a cash grab.
- Uninspired, repetitive gameplay experience (weight 0.65): The game suffers from clunky gameplay, poor physics, and uninspired track design, leading to a repetitive and unfulfilling experience. Rubberbanding AI and a lack of meaningful progression further diminish the sense of skill and accomplishment. Many reviewers found the game to be unpolished and lacking in depth.
- Frequent crashes and performance issues (weight 0.4): Many reviewers reported frequent crashes, stuttering, and performance issues, even on high-end hardware. Some users found the game unplayable due to these technical problems. This significantly detracts from the overall experience.
- Limited, frustrating vehicle customization (weight 0.27): Vehicle customization is limited and frustrating due to awkward controls, a restricted selection of building blocks, and a strict submission system for online use. The game forces players to use premade bases and locks additional parts behind paywalls, hindering creative freedom.
- Drive Passes offer minimal value (weight 0.13): Drive Passes offer minimal value, adding few new activities and unappealing rewards. Leveling up the Season Pass feels like a chore due to the lack of endgame content and the need for excessive grinding. The driving physics are also criticized for being too arcade-like and lacking challenge.
- Poor handling and drifting mechanics (weight 0.11): The game's handling and drifting mechanics are poorly implemented, making it difficult to control vehicles and stay on track. The controls feel sluggish and unnatural, detracting from the overall driving experience.
- Poor split-screen optimization (weight 0.1): The game suffers from poor optimization in split-screen mode, with lag and low frame rates. Local co-op is limited to 2 players and requires 2 controllers. Some users also reported long matchmaking times in multiplayer mode.
- Disappointing online racing experience (weight 0.05): Online racing is a disappointment due to frequent crashes, long loading screens, and disruptive NPC chatter. These issues detract from the overall multiplayer experience.
- Requires unnecessary 2K account (weight 0.04): The game requires players to create and bind a 2K account, which is considered inconvenient and unnecessary by some reviewers.
- Lacks cloud saves, data loss (weight 0.04): The game lacks Steam Cloud support, requiring manual save file backups. Some users also reported losing story mode progress, indicating potential issues with save data management.

Gameplay feedback:
- Arcade-style racing, familiar mechanics (weight 0.24): The game features arcade-style racing with mechanics like drifting, boosting, and power-ups, drawing comparisons to games like Mario Kart and Need for Speed. However, some reviewers felt the gameplay didn't quite reach the same level of quality as Mario Kart.
- Extensive LEGO car customization (weight 0.16): A key feature is the ability to design and customize cars using LEGO bricks, with new brick types and parts being unlockable. While the building mechanic is intuitive, some reviewers noted a lack of incentive to fully utilize it.
- Open-world exploration, collectibles (weight 0.13): The game features an open world with various side activities, mini-games, and collectibles scattered throughout five distinct maps. Some reviewers found the open-world exploration fun and engaging, while others compared it to Ubisoft games with repetitive fetch quests.
- Automatic vehicle transformations (weight 0.06): The game features automatic vehicle transformations between street racers, off-road vehicles, and boats, allowing for seamless transitions across different terrains. This adds a unique element to the racing experience.
- Single-player and multiplayer modes (weight 0.05): The game offers both single-player and multiplayer modes, including online play with cross-platform support and local split-screen. Multiplayer modes include races and tournaments.
- Story mode with tournaments (weight 0.04): The game features a story mode with animated cut-scenes where players complete circuits and win flags to participate in tournaments, ultimately aiming for the Celestial Cup. The story mode includes a large open world with collectibles, races, and mini-games.
- Weight affects vehicle handling (weight 0.03): Vehicle handling is significantly affected by weight, with lighter cars being prone to oversteering and heavier cars feeling sluggish. Vehicle classes are tied to player level, affecting vehicle stats.
- Downloadable cars via Creator's Hub (weight 0.02): The Creator's Hub allows players to upload and download vehicle models, offering access to a wide variety of free cars.
- Variety of tracks available (weight 0.02): The game features approximately 30 tracks, including Forza Horizon-esque circuits on the open-world maps and original cup races.
- Car builder limitations, brick unlocks (weight 0.02): The vehicle builder has limitations on car width and tire selection, and not all bricks are available from the start. Players must complete puzzle modes and buy/unlock brick packages during story mode to access more bricks.
- Rewards for completing challenges (weight 0.01): Completing races and secondary challenges rewards players with in-game currency and experience points for the character and active season.
- Standard season pass system (weight 0.01): Season passes function like standard battle passes with a time limit, containing brick bundles, cars, characters, engine sounds, stickers, and wheels.

Performance notes:
- Inconsistent, often poor performance (weight 0.29): Many players report significant performance issues, including stuttering, frame rate drops, and crashes, even on high-end PCs. These issues are especially prevalent during races or when there are many effects on screen. Some users on Steam Deck also experience performance problems, while others report smooth gameplay, indicating inconsistent optimization.
- Consistent Steam Deck performance (weight 0.02): The game can be locked at 40Hz on Steam Deck without slowdowns and has consistent performance at 1600x900 when docked.
- Claims of perfect optimization (weight 0.02): Some reviewers claim perfect optimization or report no bugs, but these are outliers compared to the more common reports of performance issues and crashes.
- Launch bug requires Steam reinstall (weight 0.01): One reviewer reported a specific bug that prevents the game from launching unless Steam is reinstalled. This is a significant issue that can prevent players from accessing the game.
- Car creator crashes frequently (weight 0.01): The car creator feature seems to be particularly prone to crashes, even on average computers. This suggests a specific optimization issue within this part of the game.
- Monetization crash fixed quickly (weight 0.01): A patch was released specifically to address a crash related to the microtransaction shop. This highlights a potential prioritization of monetization over other bug fixes.
- Native ultrawide support (weight 0.01): The game natively supports ultrawide monitors, which is a positive feature for players with such setups.

Recommendations:
- Buy only on sale. (weight 0.64): Many reviewers suggest only purchasing the game on sale due to concerns about its full price value.  These concerns often stem from issues like microtransactions, bugs, or a lack of content relative to the cost. Some reviewers provide specific price points they deem acceptable.
- Compared to other racing games. (weight 0.23): Some reviewers draw comparisons to other racing games, both LEGO and non-LEGO titles, to help players determine if this game aligns with their preferences.  They suggest alternatives for those not interested in the building aspect or those seeking a more polished experience. Some reviewers recommend the game to fans of specific franchises.
- Developers let down by 2K. (weight 0.07): Some reviewers believe that the game developers were let down by 2K's interference and monetization strategy. This suggests that the game's potential was hindered by external factors.
- Conflicting views on suitability. (weight 0.06): There are conflicting opinions on the game's suitability for children, despite its LEGO branding. Some reviewers find the dialogue childish and not appealing to adults, while others caution parents about the aggressive in-game store. Some reviewers feel that the game is not as good as other LEGO games.
- Rubber-banding AI issues. (weight 0.05): The game suffers from rubber-banding AI, which negatively impacts the racing experience. This issue, combined with other concerns, leads some reviewers to not recommend the game.
- DLC not worth the cost. (weight 0.04): Some reviewers feel that the DLC is not worth the cost. They suggest that the game is overpriced, especially considering the lack of licensed cars.
- Completion is a miserable experience. (weight 0.02): Some reviewers found the process of achieving 100% completion or all achievements to be a miserable or annoying experience. This negatively impacted their overall enjoyment of the game.
- Need more content, avoid mistakes. (weight 0.02): Some reviewers suggest that the developers should focus on adding new race courses, explorable zones, and unique minigames to benefit players. They caution against making the same mistakes as other live service games.
- Desire for better storyline. (weight 0.02): Some reviewers express a desire for a more compelling storyline and a collaboration with High Voltage Software to create a sequel to Lego Racers. They criticize the uninspired antagonist and wish for a remaster of Lego Racers 1 with improved features.
- Lacks long-term engagement. (weight 0.02): Some reviewers lost interest in the game after only a couple of hours of play. This suggests that the game may not have enough depth or variety to keep players engaged for an extended period.
- Split-screen and monitor issues. (weight 0.02): The game has issues with split-screen co-op and may not be suitable for players who do not use a 16:9 monitor. These technical limitations can detract from the overall experience.

Other player notes:
- Unobtrusive live-service elements (weight 0.09): The game uses a live-service model with microtransactions and season passes, but they are largely unobtrusive. All content is earnable through gameplay, and store items don't provide a competitive advantage. The in-game shop is also skippable for those focused on single-player content.
- Season pass content unclear (weight 0.04): The content included in the season pass and DLCs is unclear, even after completing the story mode. However, all levels and races are included in the base game, and season pass rewards can be earned without purchase. All seasons of the battle pass are available simultaneously.
- Lighthearted story mode (weight 0.03): The game features a lighthearted story mode and Polish dubbing. The reviewer found the game engaging enough to collect all collectibles, despite a detector malfunction.
- Varied world of Bricklandia (weight 0.02): The game is set in Bricklandia, a world divided into distinct zones, each with its own theme and challenges. This provides varied landscapes and races for the player to experience.
- Disable promotional content (weight 0.01): Promotional content can be disabled in the options menu, allowing players to remove it from the in-game experience. This allows players to customize their experience.
- Lego losing quality (weight 0.01): The reviewer states that Lego is losing quality in general and is not interested in DIY Lego car building. This point is largely based on subjective feelings without specific examples, so the importance is reduced.
- Take-Two account required (weight 0.01): Linking a Take-Two account is required to access the in-game store. This may be a barrier for some players who do not wish to create an account.
- Custom vehicles require approval (weight 0.01): Custom-built vehicles cannot be used in online races until they are approved. This is likely to prevent inappropriate or unfair vehicle designs from being used in multiplayer.
- Arcade-like driving feel (weight 0.01): The driving feel is very arcade-like. This suggests a focus on fun and accessibility over realism.
- Vehicle assembly required (weight 0.01): The vehicle needs to be assembled and modified using the manual. This suggests a focus on customization and creativity.
- Lacks heart of old games (weight 0.01): The reviewer feels the game lacks the heart of older Lego Racers and is too influenced by shareholders. This point is largely based on subjective feelings without specific examples, so the importance is reduced.

Emotions:
No emotions}