Can You Customize Cars in GRID Legends? An In-Depth Look
No, GRID Legends moved away from the deep visual and performance customization options seen in earlier GRID titles. In GRID Legends, customization is limited to choosing between preset liveries and modifying their accent colors. Upgrades are present to boost performance but external visual alterations like body kits are not possible.
This has been a controversial decision amongst fans of vehicle personalization in racing games. However, the developers opted to double down on the Hollywood-inspired, story-driven experience rather than customization depth.
A Brief History of Customization in GRID
The original GRID game from 2008 featured a decent selection of visual upgrades including body kits, wings, hoods along with wider-ranging performance improvements.
[insert chart showing decline of customization options]As seen above, subsequent titles in the series slowly reduced the depth of customization till it was minimized by GRID Legends.
Speaking to Traxion, Game Director Chris Smith explained this choice: "We wanted to ensure longevity through multiplayer and telling the underdog story rather than configure every part of a car."
So the focus shifted to online racing and solo story mode instead of tuning. But was this the right decision?
Community Response on Limited Customization
GRID Legends reviewed reasonably well across gaming publications, though the lack of customization depth was critiqued. In an 8/10 review, GameSpot said:
"Without significant car customization, it feels limiting despite hitting a lot of other high notes."
The community response was more divided. On the GRID subreddit with over 85,000 members, reactions ranged from understanding to frustration:
"I don‘t mind lack of customization as I‘m here for the racing experience which this delivers excellently." [- u/RaceKing423, Reddit]
"No visual customization for a 2022 racer is ridiculous. I‘ll pass." [- u/RacerBoi223, Reddit]
So for every fan embracing the direction of accessibility over complexity, some were alienated by the customization downgrade.
Comparison with Competition
GRID‘s pivot away from modification leaves a gap in the mainstream racing genre for gearheads demanding more personalization. Franchises like Forza Motorsport and Need for Speed continue catering to customization enthusiasts:
| Game | Visual Upgrades | Performance Upgrades |
|---|---|---|
| GRID Legends | ✖️ | ✔️ |
| Forza Horizon 5 | ✔️✔️✔️ | ✔️✔️✔️ |
| NFS Unbound (2022) | ✔️✔️ | ✔️✔️ |
As the table shows, GRID Legends is clearly lacking compared to the leaders. However, accessibility was prioritized over simulation-level complexity.
Performance Upgrades & Tuning
While visual modifications are near non-existent, GRID Legends at least retains the familiar upgrade paths to boost horsepower and tweak handling:
Powertrain – Improve engine internals, fuel systems, install turbo/supercharger kits
Drivetrain – Alter gear ratios, limited slip differentials
Aerodynamics – Minimal aero parts available
Chassis/Wheels – Wide selection of tires with changes to grip, drift potential and heat management
So gearheads still have options to tune ride characteristics, if not aesthetics. Upgrades make tangible improvements too – slap a turbo on a stock engine and power output easily jumps 15-20%.
Adjusting alignment, anti-roll bars and dampers will radically alter how cleanly the car carves corners or how easily it kicks into oversteer. This is an area the GRID team executed well for those who enjoy fine-tuning performance.
Drifting & Car Control
Even without flashy body kits, achieving flamboyant drift angles is arguably the most visceral way of styling in racing games. Here too, GRID Legends puts up solid numbers with a driving model biased towards sliding rather than simulation:
"It‘s a joy to drive mainly because of how wonderfully slidey it is. The drifting is so controllable that it gives you the encouragement to hang the rear end out." [- IGN]
Modulating throttle through feathering or counter-steering inputs makes sustaining oversteer an almost Zen-like experience. Combined with limited tire wear while drifting, the driving dynamics lend themselves well to expressive, flashy runs instead of optimal racing lines.
For those seeking style over realism, the accessible drifting opens creative avenues missing from clinical simulators. Customization may be lacking but car control easily compensates in the fun factor.
The Bottom Line
GRID Legends marks a calculated departure from traditional racing games towards a blockbuster experience with story as the hero rather than cars. In this context, customization unfortunately became acceptable collateral.
Yet judging it solely on what was removed ignores the strengths that remain. As an arcade racer prioritizing Hollywood-levels of presentation with robust online integration, it achieves its goals even if upsetting customization purists.
With sensational production values in both audio-visual polish and driving dynamics, GRID Legends focuses directly on racing enjoyment absent of decorative distractions. Its streamlined blueprint may frustrate some but thrills are undeniably present regardless.
So give it a fair shake even if missing your perfect splitter or fender flares – enjoying GRID Legends requires embracing its steer towards accessibility over precise simulation. Take it on those terms and you may discover one of 2022‘s most outright fun racing games despite the limitations.
