Review: NASCAR's video game debut this generation underwhelms

At first glance, the combination of the NASCAR license and Forza 6 gameplay would seem a match made in heaven. Forza 6 is widely regarded as one of the finest racing video games of all time and it received a 5/5 score here on Sporting News; meanwhile, NASCAR drivers, vehicles, and racetracks are among the most widely recognized and revered in North America. Even more, the current generation of video game consoles has lacked any NASCAR experience, so fans are understandably excited about the opportunity to jump into the recently launched NASCAR Forza 6 extension on the Xbox One.

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So that begs two simple questions: Was the NASCAR Forza 6 downloadable add-on worth the wait — and the $20 price tag? The short answer is, shockingly, no.

To be fair, that’s a “no” with a “but” attached. As in, no — but there’s still plenty to like about the Forza 6 NASCAR DLC. At its core, the addition of a new racetrack, dozens of licensed car skins, and a meaty campaign of races at real sites around the world is solid. After all it’s built soundly upon the excellent Forza 6 racing engine. Simply put, the cars look and sound amazing, and the battles can get intense quickly.

So what’s not to like? Unfortunately, the NASCAR DLC feels a bit like a game out of its own element, as it follows the existing Forza 6 flow without branching out into any new territory.

Fans of the Forza series don’t really get much of a new experience with the added cars and track, as the racing feels extremely similar to the existing title. On the other hand, serious NASCAR fans don’t get the experience of playing a season in a battle for points against other NASCAR drivers, nor do any of the other key areas of a NASCAR career come into play. There’s no battle to move up from the lower tiers of the racing series to get to the big leagues, no interaction with sponsors to boost your revenue and improve your car, no rivalries or feuds with other drivers to fuel a controversial story line. Instead, it’s a bit of a NASCAR “fantasy” game, pitting you in many situations against cars of other styles and/or in places that NASCAR vehicles don’t normally go.

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The racing does feel great, with a nice balance between simulation and arcade controls. The big ol’ NASCAR cars feel considerable and top-heavy as you’d expect. In particular, they feel solid on the road courses, a style of track where the big Sprint Cup cars routinely put on an excellent show in real life. However the opening videos make a big deal about the importance of drafting yet it seems like none of that matters very much when it comes to the actual races.

Ultimately, the NASCAR Forza 6 DLC is underwhelming. Perhaps it’s the relatively large price tag ($20 for the content on top of having to own the $60 Forza 6 “proper” game), the lack of NASCAR-specific racing modes, or the lack of compelling NASCAR-based multiplayer to go along with the single-player series of events.

Unless you’re simply chomping at the bit to get your hands on a NASCAR vehicle you’re better off waiting for a sale on the NASCAR Forza 6 DLC down the line. While it’s certainly high-quality racing, the Forza 6 game on its own has more than enough for you to sink your teeth into in the meantime.

The NASCAR expansion for Forza Motorsport 6 on Xbox One is available for $20 and includes a 10 hour Career Mode experience, 24 cars from the 2016 season, and Homestead-Miami Speedway. The DLC was purchased to complete this review. For more on the NASCAR expansion check out discussion over its merits at Hit The Pass.