Review Summary of Crazy Taxi: World Tour
After a hands-off presentation at Summer Game Fest, and a 30-minute hands-on demo at Gamescom, I found Crazy Taxi: World Tour disappointing on multiple levels. Although SEGA has denied any AI involvement in the game’s development, my concerns run deeper than its production tools.
Gameplay and Mechanics
The game introduces a partially open world, sending characters like Axel across diverse maps. While this is a solid idea, my experience felt lackluster. The traditional drop-offs are mixed with side-quests, including races and quirky tasks like pizza deliveries. However, the character models appeared stiff, and the voice acting fell flat.
Many missions seemed underdeveloped, with some ending too abruptly or feeling dragged out. The newly introduced mechanics, such as boosting abilities, didn’t translate into a satisfying speed, leading to a lack of urgency and excitement during gameplay.
Lack of Thrill
The essence of Crazy Taxi—the frantic energy and momentum—appears diluted. Instead of feeling propelled to complete missions rapidly, I found myself waiting too long between tasks, which dampened the overall thrill.
Final Thoughts
While I might be overly critical, the demo didn’t impress me, and I worry about SEGA’s ability to successfully bring back beloved franchises. Upcoming titles like Jet Set Radio and Virtual Fighter may face similar challenges in recapturing their original spirit.
Though a playtest is coming up soon, and the full game is slated for a 2027 release on major platforms, I’ll likely stick with the original on my Xbox for now. The only redeeming quality I found was the music, which still holds that nostalgic charm.
