My opinion is basically similar to review of
Traxion.
"It's a fantastic game, and with patience and a certain level of skill, you can enjoy its fun and depth. However, the controls are difficult to master, and the AI is also challenging, so casual players won't be able to reach that level."
That's my impression.
Handling: Twin-stick controls aren't as intuitive as inertial drift, and the effects aren't as clearly noticeable. Personally, I think it's better to focus solely on drifting with the right stick until you get used to it.
In my case, it took about three hours of gameplay to get used to the controls. However, once I got used to it, I found the physics and operation enjoyable, and instead of aiming for faster lap times, I wanted to drive in a way that was closer to my ideal, a beautiful driving style that I could enjoy.
AI: The AI is quite challenging even on the lowest difficulty level. I myself am only an average player, but even on the lowest difficulty, beating the AI requires flawless driving, and in the early stages of the game when I wasn't used to the controls, I saw the game over screen over and over again. To put it bluntly, I think this is their biggest mistake.
Story: While you can skip it, I personally recommend enjoying the story if possible. The story of this game is not like the typical modern racing games that say, "We're friends!", "You're a superstar!", and "The police are bad guys, and street racers are heroes!". It's more of an ensemble drama, with many drivers participating in the race based on their own individual goals, and various changes are occurring within that context. This may not be a story everyone will enjoy, but Milestone has made a bold attempt to reclaim something that has long been forgotten in racing games.
Soundtrack: Perfect. Alongside TXR25, this game boasts one of the best soundtracks in modern racing games. There's no run-of-the-mill hip-hop here. Each theme is composed specifically for a character or team, and the music alone evokes the character. The soundtrack is available on Spotify and other platforms, so I highly recommend checking it out. My personal recommendation is "Lies," Kagawa-Kai's theme song. It's a great song that expresses the antisocial nature and the "lies" they carry as yakuza, and it's fantastic as background music for a racing game.
Graphics: What NFS Unbound really needed. While anime-style, it also has realistic elements, and the rain graphics, in particular, are stunning. The only downside is the lack of an option to select the time of day or weather in modes like Time Attack.
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I bought the Digital Deluxe Edition on Steam, and I have absolutely no regrets; I thought the price was justified. However, I suspect that new players will think this game is "the worst game ever!" within the first few hours due to its difficult-to-learn controls and overly challenging AI. That misleading game design is truly a shame.
