Beyond the Flag
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NASCAR Heat 2 – A brave new world for racing video games

By Alex Herbst

DOVER, DE - MAY 14: Daniel Suarez, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, and Elliott Sadler, driver of the #1 OneMain Chevrolet, take the green flag to start the NASCAR XFINITY Series Ollie's Bargain Outlet 200 Heat #2 at Dover International Speedway on May 14, 2016 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
DOVER, DE - MAY 14: Daniel Suarez, driver of the #19 ARRIS Toyota, and Elliott Sadler, driver of the #1 OneMain Chevrolet, take the green flag to start the NASCAR XFINITY Series Ollie's Bargain Outlet 200 Heat #2 at Dover International Speedway on May 14, 2016 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) /
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It’s a big step forward in the world of racing video games with NASCAR Heat 2, but as with any racing attempt, there is always room for improvement.

One month removed from the release of NASCAR Heat 2, and fans have enjoyed the new amenities of this rethought video game. Added to the fun from the first release of NASCAR Heat Evolution are the Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series, as well as all of their standalone tracks. But what improvements can be made for any future iterations of this game series?

Of course, the new additions to the series have made the game even more fun for fans of stock car racing. Being able to race the Xfinity Series cars at Road America, or the Truck Series on the dirt at Eldora, helps set NASCAR Heat 2 apart from any other recent NASCAR video game.

Unlike the EA Sports franchise that came before it, both lower divisions are able to race on the actual standalone tracks they use in reality, rather than the programmed fantasy tracks from the minds of developers.

Beyond the new tracks, it is an eclectic group of teams and drivers that 704 Games has assembled in each series. While the Cup Series has buy-in from nearly every full-time operation, GMS Racing is the most notable holdout in the lower series. No Spencer Gallagher, Johnny Sauter, Justin Haley, or Kaz Grala in NASCAR Heat 2 means some interesting names make appearances in the field.

Some of the cars in the video game have made only one start in the 2017 season, such as Stephen Leicht with Obaika Racing and Clay Greenfield with his own #68 Chevy. But once again, that comes with the territory of developing a racing video game.

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Perhaps an area designers should focus on in future games in the series is the use of flags. There have been some complaints on the use of caution flags in the game, particularly at Eldora Speedway and the road courses. With the dirt track, too few times the yellow flag is displayed for spun trucks or wrecks on track, while the opposite is true on the road courses.

Speaking of Eldora, while fans are excited to see a dirt track finally back in a NASCAR game, the physics do not seem to agree with that sentiment. Many have commented that the driving style around Eldora resembles driving around a paved oval with a loose truck, rather than true slide jobs and riding the cushion like Eldora is accustomed to creating. This user has found Eldora fun and challenging, but also dull and humdrum during long green flag runs, as it appears all of the drivers have been programmed with the same skillset for the dirt track.

Outside of the direct gameplay, a welcome addition back into the game is the paint booth and custom car design, though not nearly as robust as in NASCAR The Game or Inside Line. It is great to see buy-in from so many NASCAR sponsors who wanted to be part of the paint booth, but not having the ability to create custom decals for cars and trucks is a step backward. Further expansion of this concept should hopefully be seen in future games.

Overall, NASCAR Heat 2 is a great step forward from its predecessor NASCAR Heat Evolution, and a welcome addition to the motorsports video game marketplace. Only time will tell if 704 Games continues to invest in new games for stock car fans, but with continued support from series sponsors, teams, and tracks, there’s no reason why this direction should not continue.

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What do you think of NASCAR Heat 2? Are you a fan of the game, or do you miss the older franchises of stock car racing video games? NASCAR Heat 2 is available on PS4 and Xbox One today through their stores or online via multiple online retailers.

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