At the heart of any good expansion is a new-ish way to play. A revised set or parameters that establishes the tone for what needs to be accomplished. But because Horizon 2 is a racing game, the proverbial wheel can only be reinvented so much. In an effort to change the complexion of the action without going too far off in left field, Storm Island’s draw is the harsh weather conditions that pervade an overwhelming majority of the races and events. Sheets of rain, clacks of thunder, hazardously dense fog, swirling winds, and the veil of enveloping darkness. Any or all could apply at the start of a given event, which sets a jarringly awesome visual tone to the gameplay. To this, though, I will offer two caveats. For one, the “dynamic” weather effects don’t change mid race. Whatever the environmental hazards are when you start a race, expect that to stay stagnant throughout its entirety. Second, and more importantly, I didn’t feel like the adverse conditions had any effect whatsoever on the gameplay. A wet road from the original game handles the same as one in Storm Island despite the fact the graphical representation of the rain is much more intimidating. What does make the car handle differently are the varied terrains on which you’ll travel regularly. A race consisting of miles and miles of gravel roads with numerous natural jumps makes getting though an event without rewinding quite the test of patience and fortitude.
Storm Island revises familiar race types while introducing a couple of new ones. Extreme Cross Country acts like a usual point-to-point event for the most part, but adds the aforementioned weather and terrain elements into the mix. The toughness of these events depends on the variables thrown your way. A twisty/windy path among open fields during a torrential downpour isn’t easy, and makes you susceptible to passes if your strafe too far from the preferred line. Rampage and Brawl races add obstacles along the route. Expect narrow barricade tunnels and really tight chicanes to be randomly thrown in here and there. You can smash through them if you so chose, but plowing into the heart of these constructions can slow your momentum down quite a bit, so be prepared. Cross Country Circuit borrows the innovations of the other events and combines them with lapped affairs, which can be a blessing or a curse depending on the layout of the checkpoints and the car/truck/SUV you’ve chosen to drive. The most ambitious and unique race type of this expansion is Gauntlet. These selections are unlocked after completing a certain amount of Championships within a given tier. Gauntlets always occur at night and use tall flood lights as checkpoint markers instead of the traditional smoke flares. Expect the nastiest weather, most grueling terrain, and sickest off-road vehicles when lining up in the starting grid. This group highlights Storm Island at its best and uses all the new elements to create memorable contests.
Speaking of Championships, that system of completion is adopted into this download. Expect the same wide array of different vehicle types as the main release earlier this year. Super Hot Hatch, for instance, features races with 3-door/5-door whips like the Vauxhall Astra and Volkswagen Golf R. Of course, the routine “street” setups won’t mesh well with the high handling demands on the Island, so swing over to the garage and tune up with a few expansion specific upgrades. The three offered are: rally springs and dampers, rally transmission, and rally tire compound. In practice, you can take this list as order of importance. With the undulations of Storm Island’s event paths, gaining ground clearance with higher ride height is crucial for clipping the apex of turns with a sharp incline or decline and managing all those pesky, but fun, jumps as best as possible. The transmission is important if the vehicle your tuning only has the stock tranny installed. A sport or race version with adjusted advanced settings can be just as effective as the new option. Rally tire compound is the one that I think is rather benign, if I’m honest. It does add a ton of breaking and grip, but it’s not a do or die option. Not by a long shot. To this point, I’ve added it to one item in my garage, and I don’t feel like it gives me an insane handling boost. Conversely, I don’t feel completely outpaced without the upgrade when going against competitors with the option. And because it makes the car rating sky rocket, you’ll often times be “racing up” in a class higher than was initially intended for a given selection. I just don’t think the reward is worth the trade off, particularly when Horizon 2‘s gameplay tilts to the arcade side just a bit anyway.
The best ‘ships are those that grant entry for the new whips included in this expansion. The Extreme Off-Road category gets a notable boost from a couple of “must-haves.” A new sub-set for pickups are introduced called stadium trucks. These purpose built machines are stock with feather soft suspensions, towering ground clearance, and ideal center of gravity so they can go anywhere and be able to gain and maintain high speeds across any track type. The Ford T6 Rally Raid is so much fun to race with that you might be enticed to replay apropos Championships again and again, completion progress be damned. While size often times does matter, a new MINI is poised to reverse that trend. Dubbed the ALL 4 X-Raid, this pocket rocket is fashioned with the same rally advantages as the stadiums, but in the frame of a car less than half the size. What it lacks in speed due to a shorter wheel base it makes up for in acrobatic handling. Weaving through the big boy trucks from turn to turn in a deliberate march towards the front in an econobox was an unexpected, but nevertheless awesome joy. The best SUV available on the Island isn’t new, but is still right at home. The Bowler EXR S is the perfect embodiment of what this expansion is all about. It’s hulking, it’s fast, it’s agile, and it holds its ground during contact laden position battles against any other vehicle. If you haven’t added the Bowler to your garage yet, Storm Island is the perfect reason to make room.
Once you complete enough Championships and Gauntlets, you’ll qualify for the new Finale. Expect the best, err.. worst, the Island can throw at you: poor weather conditions, solid competition, and tight “switch-back” trails with a plethora of strategically placed trees to keep your shortcut taking honest. Despite these challenges, don’t expect the same test of stamina as the one “on the mainland.” This is no where near as long, intense, or varied as the standard Horizon 2 Finale, and is honestly a bit of a let down in comparison. Other items offered in the add-on include a handful of new Bucket List challenges set to the tone of the all terrain mindset. Going 1.4mi while racking up at least 15,000 points in less than 2:00 behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo .8 MR and finding shortcuts to make a time check in a Ferarri F40 is just a sample of what awaits. Barn Finds also make a comeback, but the key area to search isn’t highlighted anymore. You’ll have to scout out the entire area on your own to find the hidden gem. And new crash-able boards offer discounts on upgrades, which is a good thing considering the tunes you’ll need to invest in to remain competitive. Last, but not least, the Xbox LIVE choices of Online Freeroam and Online Championship also make an appearance to setup epic rally competitions between friends and total strangers.
