As Codemasters’ first GRID game under EA’s ownership, GRID Legends steps things up in a number of ways, bolstering the roster of modes and features and hitting PS5 and Xbox Series X|S with a host of upgrades compared to the last-generation version of the game.
Taking centre stage is the game’s story mode, which uses some industry-leading tech to create environments and backdrops. But there’s plenty to shout about with its multiplayer modes too. Here’s everything you need to know.
Grid Legends release date
The Grid Legends release date arrived on Friday, February 25, 2022 for PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC.
The release date was announced by Codemasters during a gameplay showcase on December 3, 2021.
The game launched to a decent reception, achieving a Metacritic score of 76. This was an improvement on its predecessor, the 2019 game simply titled Grid, but was still below the critical reception the first games in the franchise achieved. Our very own Grid Legends review gave it a 7/10.
Grid Legends gameplay
Given the decades of experience Codemasters has in crafting some of the best racing games ever, it’s not surprising that Grid Legends’ on-track action is very solid. It sits in a satisfying middle ground between hyper-realistic sim racing and arcade racing.
The game launched with over 120 different vehicles, spanning from high-performance race cars, to supercars, to drifters.
It also launched with a very impressive lineup of tracks. These include recognizable real-world circuits like Brand’s Hatch, Suzuka, and the Red Bull Ring, alongside lots of exciting street races in cities such as London, Shanghai, and Chicago.
Grid Legends features
The headline feature that everyone was talking about when Grid Legends launched is its story mode called Driven To Glory. This was inspired by the popular F1: Drive to Survive series on Netflix and will see racers battle each other in a “classic underdog tale”. Codemasters has also brought in Sex Education star Ncuti Gatwa to play its lead character.
Unlike a lot of other videogame story modes, the actors aren’t simply scanned in or mo-capped and then animated in-engine. Instead, Grid Legends uses similar tech to The Mandalorian series, and films its cast in immersive virtual environments.
Alongside the story mode there is your traditional online racing modes, which can support up to 22 players at once. One of the most impressive elements of Grid Legends is how it can get you into an online race so quickly thanks to speedy load times, slick menus, and rapid matchmaking.
There are also dozens of career mode events that you can play either offline or co-operatively with friends.
The game also has a race creator, which lets you create your own events using assets from the game, and a photo mode.
There’s an overview for you on Grid Legends – while it may not go down as one of the best PS5 games and best Xbox games, it’s definitely worth a try if you’re a racing game fan.