Fast & Furious Crossroads is a massive car crash of a game according to critics

Two decades ago, Vin Diesel talked about the importance of family, but like to the max. The Fast and the Furious film franchise was born on a deserted stretch of road in downtown Los Angeles that day, although the version that most audiences are familiar with are the more recent shifts into ludicrous gears that have transformed Dom and pals into globe-trotting spies who can drive over the laws of gravity itself and not be pulled off by the Newton cops.

The current incarnation of Fast ‘n Furious is basically one long video game minus the quick-time event sequences, ballsy spectacles of burnt rubber and gearboxes being demolished. BECAUSE FAMILY. That setup right there, should make for a great game…right? Not exactly. Even with the pedigree of Project CARS developer Slightly Mad Studios behind the steering wheel, Fast & Furious Crossroads is currently being ripped apart in reviews.

Here’s what several people who really really wish that they’d chosen a different game to give a critical opinion of, have to say:

Game Informer – 5/10

Many of us lived through the era of video games that was overflowing with bad movie-to-game adaptations, and Crossroads is a pointed reminder of those days, showing just how far games have come since then. It’s a mess of a game that hones in on why the Fast movies are great, but will make you want to put the controller down to watch one of those movies instead.

Polygon – No score

Mediocre games happen, often despite everyone’s best efforts, but it’s this seeming attempt to launch the game under the radar, offering big-name recognition but nothing else besides that, that moves Fast & Furious Crossroads from the “these things happen” pile to the “transparent cash-in” bucket. The good news is that, based on the 27 reviews on Steam so far (mostly negative) and the long wait to find anyone to play with online, almost no one was fooled.

Metro Game Central – 2/10

It’s difficult to know whether the fact the story campaign only lasts around five hours is a disgrace or a mercy, but it means the only chance the game has of offering value for money is the online mode. This has the potential to be interesting, with 3v3 races and objective-based matches, but we’ve struggled to find anyone to play the game with since it launched, not just because the game seems to have slipped out without any fanfare but because the online is riven by frame rate problems and seems almost unplayable.

Eurogamer – No score

Perhaps the biggest frustration, coming to Crossroads as a Fast & Furious fan, is those glimpses of what could have been, and seeing an enjoyable enough slice of series lore being under-served so severely by the game behind it. In a saner, less cruel world Crossroads might have been put to rest when it became clear it just wasn’t going to work – as it is, it’s just been left to limp out in this sorry, sorry state. What a disappointment.

Push Square 30/100

How Fast & Furious Crossroads wound up as a full-price release will forever remain a mystery. It is lacking in every department possible, from shallow and repetitive gameplay through to abysmal visuals that belong on the previous generation of consoles. Not even the most committed Fast & Furious fans should subject themselves to this monstrosity. That is unless you want to have a good laugh alongside Vin Diesel.

Big yikes. If you’d like to ignore the critics who were obviously paid off by EA’s Need for Speedy bribes department, you can grab the game right now on PC, PS4 and Xbox One. Don’t say that you weren’t warned though.

Last Updated: August 11, 2020