Gravel Reviews
Gravel is a game displaced. It's a competent and occasionally pretty pick-up-and-play arcade racing game at its core, but it has the whiff of a game released in the wrong era – a scent it just can't shake. A 2018 rendition of '90s ambition. Gravel certainly channels the spirit and straightforward simplicity of Milestone's own 1997 arcade off-roader Screamer Rally but it has no unique hook for today's audience; no over-the-top arcade pizazz that folks will still be discussing 10 or 15 years down the track. It's functional and fun enough in small bursts, but arcade racers have come a long way over the past two decades and Gravel doesn't bring any new ideas to the paddock.
Gravel's arcade sensibilities conjure occasional moments of flat out fun, but unimaginative track design and a lack of depth means most races are just dull.
New arcade racers have been few and far between over the last half decade, and Gravel is just one attempt to reignite the genre. There's some good racing to be found here, with plenty of licensed cars to take through some lovely scenery, but it doesn't get your heart pounding with excitement. Gravel might be a fairly decent racer, but its biggest sin is that, despite the fireworks and exotic locations, it's just a bit boring.
Milestone's Gravel rocks! A solid arcade driving game which features mainly off-road races with a convincing sense of speed and a good variety of competitions, vehicles and tracks. Too bad for the thin longevity of its campaign and the complete lack of alternative single-player modes, which greatly reduce Gravel's specific weight.
Review in Italian | Read full review
With its simple gameplay, Gravel can win the hearts of all fans of arcade driving. However, its proposal is exhausted after a few hours when the main game mode "Off-Road Masters" ends due to the lack of enough unlocks to keep the game alive.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Despite one or two cruel difficulty spikes, Gravel is one of the better examples of off-road racing in a while. Its mix of semi-realism and over-the-top arcade style makes for some exciting races, while its progression system keeps it accessible to almost anyone.
If you like fun racing games, especially ones that never try to be too serious, Gravel will scratch your itch. The driving part of it is consistently enjoyable.
Gravel is welcome a return to Milestone's roots: a fun, engaging and exhilarating racing arcade, along the lines of Dirt 2 and V-Rally. The driving model is accessible but not trivial, the gameplay is challenging without being frustrating, some locations are simply unfogettable and the multiplayer has a lot of potential. Green light!
Review in Italian | Read full review
Milestone's latest is a fun romp through a variety of off-road locations, offering both quantity and variety in terms of tracks, cards, and modes. It's not the most ambitious racer ever, but the non-serious style of the flagship Off-Road Masters mode will be very appealing to those wanting an enjoyable arcade experience.
Milestone has created something that's been missing in the genre, and though imperfect, it's a good start to what may be a new recurring franchise.
Gravel is a fun game that I siphoned a lot of enjoyment out of during its brief stint. I wish online was more populated and I wish the single player was a bit more meaty, especially at full asking price. Still when it hits a deep sale Gravel is worth a look for those that enjoy the off-road arcade racing we used to be flooded with on consoles.
Gravel may be visually inferior to other modern racers, but what Milestone has achieved mechanically and creatively deserves to be praised.
While Gravel has issues like strange collisions, cars literally merging into each other and some issues with shadows, there is a lot to say about it. There's a wide variety of racing types, tracks and cars to use. Almost everything is fast paced and entertaining and simply gratifying. Simply put, Gravel is a very good arcade style racing game and Milestones best game yet.
It is certainly not difficult to find faults in Gravel, but most of them are easy to forgive. It's a great feeling to put the pedal to the metal and just enjoy some great arcade racing. Rarely has a racing game been this fun and varied, although It could – and maybe should – have been better in a lot of ways.
Review in Swedish | Read full review
Gravel is a nice change of pace from the simulation-heavy racing games available elsewhere in the industry. While decidedly light on content outside of the main campaign and devoid of any real multiplayer options to speak of, the most important part of any racing game, the driving, is consistently fun. Soaring through the skies in multi-ton behemoths or nimble boxer engine Porsches is always a good time, and for capturing that, Milestone deserves praise. But a half-hearted career mode should've stuck with a traditional setup, as opposed to the phoned-in fake television series that we ended up playing. Still, for those aching to race on open courses or jump around in dirt tracks around the world, Gravel is right up your alley, and for slightly less than some of the competition ($49.99 USD) to boot.
If you are a huge racing game fan that is interested in what the game is trying to do, it may be worth checking out, as it's not a poorly-made game. Otherwise, I'd wait for a price drop before adding this to your collection. Gravel does have a lot of room to expand for a sequel, so I do hope Milestone gives this type of racing game another stab with more memorable results.
Gravel is fun enough as an arcade off-road racer, but it feels like it was designed to compete with the hits of five or six years ago, not the racers of today. While there's something likeable about its no-nonsense, rough-and-tumble action, it lacks the poise, power and polish of a mud-flinging, tyre-spinning champ.
Gravel offers arcade racing fun at a high level, but can not quite compete with competitors like Dirt 4 or Forza Horizon 3.
Review in German | Read full review
Gravel is a game that holds up, but which, like the races it offers, skids and slips often offroad. It will therefore satisfy the ones that likes this kind of games for fifteen hours to complete the Off Road Masters mode and probably a half dozen for completers who want all the stars and liveries. Its launchprice price under the bar of 50 € can help to make a decision and remains finally very coherent with the proposed offer.
Review in French | Read full review