Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Fuel’s gameplay is built around a massive open-world structure that lets you tackle a variety of racing events across 19 distinct zones. From ATV and buggy career heats to high-octane motorbike showdowns, each race class delivers its own unique handling quirks and strategic considerations. You earn stars by placing well in these events, unlocking new regions and fueling your progress across Northern America’s desolate landscapes.

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In addition to traditional career races, Fuel peppers the world with adrenaline-pumping challenges—chase a helicopter through rocky canyons, tag rival vehicles within a ticking clock, or carve your own path by setting waypoints and blazing custom trails. These side activities reward you with fuel and cosmetic unlocks, giving you plenty of motivation to stray off the beaten track and experiment with different vehicles.

The game’s arcade-inspired physics encourage daring maneuvers: leaps over broken highways, skidding through mud pits, and drift-friendly hairpin turns. Collisions don’t penalize you with damage penalties—instead, you respawn quickly, keeping the pace relentless. This design choice emphasizes fun and freedom over punishing realism, allowing you to push any vehicle to its limits without fear of disabling your ride.

Online multiplayer rounds out the offering with up to 16 players battling it out across the wasteland. Whether you’re drafting behind a rival on a flooded highway or executing a perfect jump in a thunderstorm, these head-to-head contests bring an unpredictable thrill that extends Fuel’s lifespan well beyond the single-player campaign.

Graphics

Visually, Fuel impresses with sprawling vistas that stretch to the horizon, showcasing 14,000 km² of post-apocalyptic terrain. From abandoned cityscapes to cracked desert plains, the world feels vast and varied—each new zone introduces fresh color palettes, environmental hazards, and eye-catching landmarks.

Extreme weather effects are a highlight, with dynamic rainstorms that pool on uneven roads, blinding snow flurries that obscure your vision, and even hurricanes that buffet your vehicle off course. These conditions aren’t just cosmetic; they dramatically impact traction and visibility, adding tension to every race and exploration run.

Vehicle models themselves range from rugged ATVs to sleek sports buggies, each sporting detailed chassis work, suspension articulation, and customizable liveries. The paint-shop options let you slap on vivid color schemes or sponsor decals, making every unlocked truck feel truly your own as it roars across the wasteland.

While draw-in pop and occasional texture fades can occur at the extreme distances Fuel boasts, the overall sense of scale and environmental diversity more than makes up for minor technical hiccups. The game’s day-night cycles and shifting weather keep each zone feeling fresh, inviting repeated visits to admire a sunset glow over a crumbling bridge.

Story

Fuel doesn’t hinge on a deep narrative—its story is told through the world itself. Set in a near-future Northern America ravaged by climate catastrophe, the game thrusts you into an environment where civilization has collapsed and fuel has become the most precious commodity. This backdrop provides a gritty context for the endless races and challenges that drive the gameplay.

Exploration yields environmental storytelling: rusted vehicles half-buried in dunes, skeletal remains of once-bustling highways, and defunct highway patrol outposts. Finding vista points and doppler-truck signals lets you piece together the fall of modern society, turning every trip across the map into a small archaeological dig of humanity’s excesses.

Though there’s no voiced protagonist or scripted cutscenes, Fuel’s loose narrative framework empowers you to define your own quest for survival and glory. Each new victory race translates directly into fuel for your fleet, reinforcing the game’s cutthroat world where only the fastest and most daring drivers endure.

The absence of a heavy-handed plot keeps the pacing brisk and focused squarely on racing. If you’re looking for deep character arcs or dialogue-driven storytelling, Fuel may feel sparse—but fans of emergent narratives will appreciate the freedom to construct their own tales of triumph amid the ruins.

Overall Experience

Fuel stands out as one of the most ambitious open-world racers, thanks to its immense map and wealth of content. With 75 unlockable vehicles, dozens of race and challenge types, and an undercurrent of environmental storytelling, the game delivers hundreds of hours of engaging gameplay. Whether you’re grinding career events, hunting down liveries, or simply roaring across the dunes in free-roam, there’s always a new thrill awaiting.

The game’s arcade roots make it accessible to newcomers while still rewarding skillful driving through shortcuts, jumps, and optimal race lines. The ability to respawn instantly and experiment without fear of crippling damage keeps frustration levels low and fun levels high—perfect for casual pick-up-and-play sessions or marathon racing sprees.

Graphically, Fuel’s sweeping vistas and dynamic weather effects create an immersive playground that eclipses many contemporaries in scale. Sure, you might notice some distant pop-in, but when you’re hurtling through a wall of rain or soaring off a cliff into a sunlit valley, it’s hard not to be awed by the sheer scope of the world you’re exploring.

Ultimately, Fuel offers a uniquely liberating racing experience where exploration, customization, and arcade thrills intersect. If you’ve ever dreamed of burning rubber across a sun-scorched wasteland, chasing storms on motorbikes, or duking it out in multiplayer free-for-alls, this game delivers an adventure that’s as vast as it is exhilarating.

Retro Replay Score

6.5/10