Wreckfest 2 is getting significantly beefier with its seventh Steam Early Access update, rolling out new vehicles, an entirely new track location, overhauled physics systems, and a completely novel race mode that turns traditional circuit racing on its head.
The update introduces three new vehicles to the demolition racer's lineup, though one arrives with tongue firmly in cheek. The Stahlwagen draws inspiration from a classic Mercedes-Benz E-Class wagon, while the Valken channels 1990s Saab 900 styling. The novelty entry, the Half a Crusader, does exactly what the name suggests: it's a version of the existing Crusader chopped cleanly in half and dragged around the track on its front wheels alone.
Perhaps the most intriguing addition is the Suicide Race mode, which splits the field in half and sends one group racing clockwise while the other goes anti-clockwise on the same track. The mode pairs naturally with a new US-based oval track, though the location actually adds three layouts total, including a traditional road course and a short sprint circuit.
The Suicide Race concept isn't entirely new to gaming. Test Drive: Eve of Destruction, a 2004 demolition racer that has maintained a cult following, featured an identically named mode alongside other creative race types like trailer races and flagpole events. Bugbear Entertainment clearly has room to explore more of that formula.
Beyond the surface additions, the update digs into core mechanics. Collision physics and visual damage systems have been substantially reworked, and Wreckfest 2 now features a full tuning system for the first time. Players can adjust steering responsiveness, suspension geometry, brake bias, gear ratios, differential behavior, and numerous other parameters. Custom setups save as presets and function across multiplayer lobbies, giving serious competitors ways to fine-tune their machines.
The game remains in early access on Steam, with no timeline announced for its full launch or its planned console ports. Those versions are confirmed to be coming, but Bugbear has kept release details under wraps for now.
Author Emily Chen: "Half a vehicle being dragged across the track is the kind of beautiful chaos that makes Wreckfest special, and a tuning system finally gives players the depth to match the destruction."
Comments