Warhammer 40 000: Speed Freeks has been radically changed from that early access period, removing all the microtransactions and fixing the online, while improving the overall gameplay. I have never seen such a dramatic shift after an Early Access period, where the game has had so many changes. But thankfully these changes were for the best.
Warhammer 40 000: Speed Freeks can best be thought of as a Warhammer 40 000 take on Twisted Metal, mixed with more elements from Mad Max. However, Warhammer 40 000: Speed Freeks is not just about vehicular combat, but is also a racing game with a variety of modes.
There is an arena based mode, a team based mode and more. The Team Based mode is one of the most fun combat racing experiences I have had in a while, and that is because it is so different. This mode sees you and your team needing to run through a series of checkpoints as quickly as you can, but at the same time you are doing this, you must attack your enemies to make sure they do not make it. After all, this is a combat game.
There are a wide variety of vehicle classes you can choose that each have their own strengths and weaknesses. You can go for a fast ride that will get you through the checkpoints faster, but these are far more frail and at risk of getting blasted. Then there are other vehicles that can act as hunters, letting you chase down other racers and blow them apart. You can also choose to play as a Tank and just destroy everything, including physical obstacles.
Each plays a role in the team based mechanics and has a great role to play, and gives the game a very healthy replay factor and incentive to try everything. But I would be hesitant to say Speed Freeks has become a perfect game, as the controls can be a bit awkward to get the hang of. This game is a mix of racing and vehicular combat and tries its best to marry the control scheme of those two genres, but it does not exactly nail the process.
Still, Warhammer 40 000: Speed Freeks is overall great. It may not look amazing visually, but it does enough to draw players in and depicts the Orks well. It helps that the Ork characterizations are handled almost perfectly, with the right blend of humour and violence needed for this type of game that shows why people love the Orks, complete with the Orkish dialogue.
Warhammer 40 000: Speed Freeks runs extremely well online now, and I am happy to say that the online community is healthy so far for the game. I am hopeful a lot more content will continue to be added over time, to keep players interested and excited, because that will be necessary for survival. The developers shifting the game from publisher Plaion to Wired Productions was an excellent move for the game’s future and now things are looking up.
Warhammer 40 000: Speed Freeks may have had a rough start, but thankfully things are now in a better direction. With a healthy online scene, and much improved mechanics that do not render the game free to play, Speed Freeks is now a fun game. This is one that Warhammer 40 000 games should definitely check out.
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
