NASCAR Heat 5 Review: Familiar But In a Good Way

[Jeffrey99]

After playing the game more over the weekend, I'm really liking it over 4. It seems much easier to drive with a controller. Maybe it's because I'm using a Xbox one controller instead of PS4 and sitting closer to monitor. IDK. But having more fun then Heat 4. The AI seems to drive better.

Still amazes me they couldn't update the menus. Like not a single bit. It's literally Heat 4 UI across the board.

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[StoneCalf]

Patch Notes upon launching the game today: (XB1)

IMG_5606 NH5 PN.jpg

[StoneCalf]

Quote: Originally Posted by Jeffrey99

After playing the game more over the weekend, I'm really liking it over 4. It seems much easier to drive with a controller. Maybe it's because I'm using a Xbox one controller instead of PS4 and sitting closer to monitor. IDK. But having more fun then Heat 4. The AI seems to drive better.

I too thought it handled better with a controller over NH4, but I need to add my sample size was small, but I was pleased nonetheless.

Regarding the AI you mentioned, I haven't played enough to say for sure, but am hopeful.

The horse has been beaten to death about how much of NH5 is a copy and paste, and that's a fair point, but another thing I picked up, either from reading or watching youtube videos, was that it has "Improved AI". I want to say I read that the game mechanics were also tweaked, but I'm just not certain I remember that part correctly.

[Bvrat76]

Played a lot more over the weekend and determined this game is complete trash. Thankfully I conned the kid at Target into giving me store credit back for it so the wife has some money to get the kids clothes. This game is board line unplayable. Anyone saying that it has redeeming qualities needs their head examined.

1. Paint booth - AWFUL. I understand they can't do a "full" booth with downloadable logos but no reason you can't offer custom paint/colors and make the numbers the correct size. We won't get into the neon wheels/white number issue.

2. Damage - no other comment needed

3. Tuning the car the few options you have has ZERO impact.

4. Career mode - why in the blue heck do you start without enough crew members to work on the 3 aspects of the car? No detail, no depth the list goes on

5. DLC - your going to charge for paint schemes, but put in fictional drivers and made up cars from you "pro" league?

6. AI - the computer races way to clean, and in longer races the pitting makes no sense all all under green.

The list goes on and on and on...this game is complete trash, its not only a copy and past (dead horse being beaten again) it's an insult to anyone that dropped money for it. What makes it worse is these complaints have been around since the first edition and the developer could care less. If it was 2000 it would be a top notch non PC racer but its 2020.

[countryboy]

The more I'm playing this game the more I'm enjoying it. Granted I didn't play NH4, so coming from NH3 to NH5, the differences are quite noticeable.

Car handling/driving with the controller is the biggest improvement for me. That and I like the career mode better this time around.

The game definitely isn't as "sim" as I would like, but its better than what I've played before and more importantly it's fun and a great change of pace from other games in my rotation.

[Dominic2670]

Considering getting NH5 on my ps4, however, with the PS5 coming in the next few months, I want to make sure it will play on the PS5 with no issues. Can anyone help me out with this question

[sgf83]

Quote: Originally Posted by Bvrat76

Played a lot more over the weekend and determined this game is complete trash. Thankfully I conned the kid at Target into giving me store credit back for it so the wife has some money to get the kids clothes. This game is board line unplayable. Anyone saying that it has redeeming qualities needs their head examined.

I want 704 and NASCAR Heat to be successful. I want to have a game that gets me hooked in for months at a time. It's sad when I can go and play a PS2 game from 2003 and it is better as a game than what we have today. I'm not talking about graphics either, that doesn't make a game good.

I guess I'm spoiled by Papyrus but I truly want a reason to buy/play NASCAR Heat. All you have to do is take Nascar Thunder 2004 and update graphics, rosters, tracks and sponsors and you will have an awesome game. It can't be that hard. Dirt to Daytona is another game they could just update.

[Jeffrey99]

Quote: Originally Posted by sgf83

I want 704 and NASCAR Heat to be successful. I want to have a game that gets me hooked in for months at a time. It's sad when I can go and play a PS2 game from 2003 and it is better as a game than what we have today. I'm not talking about graphics either, that doesn't make a game good. I guess I'm spoiled by Papyrus but I truly want a reason to buy/play NASCAR Heat. All you have to do is take Nascar Thunder 2004 and update graphics, rosters, tracks and sponsors and you will have an awesome game. It can't be that hard. Dirt to Daytona is another game they could just update.

I went into Heat 5 knowing it's Heat 4.5. There is literally very little different. Even menus are identical.

But I honestly wonder how many console racers want a realistic sim like the old Papyrus days. I do wish they'd atleast go the F1 route and go sim-cade and give us the options to make it more realistic. I think the AI is much better in 5 and it races better. Bit still dumb things happening under caution (like the AI plowing the player straight through the caution car or caution car with massive damage staying out and causing a massive pileup ok restart.

Heat 5 was a gift, otherwise I probably would have stayed with Heat 4.

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