Does The Crew Have Single-Player? Unveiling the Solo Experience
The answer is a resounding yes, the The Crew series, including The Crew (2014), The Crew 2 (2018), and The Crew Motorfest (2023), offers a single-player experience. However, there’s a crucial caveat. While you can play these games solo, a constant internet connection is required even for single-player modes. Let’s dive deeper into the solo aspects of The Crew franchise, dissecting what you can expect as a lone wolf behind the wheel.
Understanding the Single-Player Campaign
Both The Crew and The Crew 2 feature extensive single-player campaigns that form the backbone of the game. The Crew‘s campaign throws you into the role of Alex Taylor, an undercover driver tasked with infiltrating the infamous 510s criminal group. This narrative-driven experience takes approximately 20 hours to complete and unfolds across a vast, scaled-down representation of the United States. You’ll engage in races, complete missions, and take down rival drivers as you climb the ranks of the criminal underworld.
The Crew 2 adopts a slightly different approach to its story. Instead of a linear narrative, it presents a nonlinear story where you, the unnamed player character, strive to become a racing icon. The goal is to conquer all four main racing disciplines: Street Racing, Off Road, Freestyle, and Pro Racing. Winning events in each discipline unlocks new opportunities and ultimately leads to the final event in the “Live Extreme Series.”
While these campaigns are designed to be enjoyed solo, they are intrinsically linked to the game’s online infrastructure. Progress is saved to the cloud, and certain events may incorporate online elements, even when playing alone. The always-online requirement is a key consideration, even if you primarily intend to play single-player.
Solo Gameplay Beyond the Main Story
Beyond the main campaign, The Crew and its sequels offer a wealth of activities for solo players. These include:
- Free Roam: Explore the massive open world at your own pace, discovering hidden locations, completing side challenges, and simply enjoying the freedom of the road. This allows you to learn the map and tune your driving skills.
- Skill Challenges: Test your driving prowess in various skill challenges scattered throughout the map. These challenges range from precision driving tests to high-speed chases and provide rewards for successful completion.
- Custom Races: Create your own custom races with specific parameters, such as the type of vehicle, the track, and the difficulty level. This is a great way to practice your skills and experiment with different car setups.
- Summit Events (The Crew 2): Participate in weekly Summit Events, which feature a series of challenges and races that test your abilities across all disciplines. These events offer exclusive rewards for top performers.
Even in these solo activities, the online component remains present. Leaderboards track your performance against other players, and your progress is synchronized with the game’s servers.
The Always-Online Dilemma
The requirement for a constant internet connection has been a point of contention for many players. Even if you only intend to play the single-player campaign or free roam solo, you cannot access the game without an active internet connection. This decision by Ubisoft has drawn criticism, particularly in situations where players experience internet outages or server issues.
The rationale behind this decision likely stems from Ubisoft’s desire to combat piracy, maintain a consistent player experience, and facilitate seamless integration with the game’s online features, such as leaderboards and challenges. However, it also means that the game’s longevity is tied to the availability of Ubisoft’s servers. Once the servers are taken offline, the game will become unplayable, even in single-player mode.
The Crew Motorfest: A Similar Approach?
The Crew Motorfest, the latest installment in the series, continues the trend of requiring a constant internet connection, even for single-player activities. While the game introduces new features and improvements, the core online infrastructure remains largely unchanged. Players can explore the beautiful island of O’ahu, Hawaii, participate in themed playlists, and collect a wide variety of vehicles, but all of this requires an active internet connection.
FAQs: Single-Player in The Crew Series
1. Can I play The Crew offline?
No, The Crew, The Crew 2, and The Crew Motorfest all require a constant internet connection to play, even in single-player mode.
2. Does The Crew have a single-player campaign?
Yes, both The Crew and The Crew 2 have extensive single-player campaigns. The Crew‘s campaign is a narrative-driven experience focused on infiltrating a criminal organization, while The Crew 2 features a nonlinear story where you become a racing icon.
3. Is The Crew 2 single-player only?
No, while The Crew 2 has a robust single-player mode, it also features multiplayer modes where you can compete against other players in races and challenges.
4. Do I need PlayStation Plus to play The Crew 2 single-player?
No, you do not need PlayStation Plus to play The Crew 2‘s single-player mode. However, you still need an internet connection.
5. Can I free roam in The Crew 2 single-player?
Yes, you can freely explore the open world in single-player mode. This allows you to discover hidden locations, complete side challenges, and practice your driving skills.
6. How long is The Crew 1 campaign?
The Crew‘s single-player campaign is approximately 20 hours long.
7. Does The Crew 2 have an ending?
Yes, The Crew 2 has an ending. After completing the final event of each of the four families, you unlock the overall final event of the game with episode 6 of the Live Extreme Series.
8. What are the four disciplines in The Crew 2?
The four disciplines in The Crew 2 are Street Racing, Off Road, Freestyle, and Pro Racing.
9. Can I play The Crew 2 with friends in single-player?
While you can’t directly play the single-player campaign in co-op, you can invite friends to join you in free roam or participate in multiplayer events together.
10. Is The Crew Motorfest single-player?
The Crew Motorfest, like its predecessors, offers a single-player experience, but it still requires a constant internet connection.
11. What kind of vehicles can I drive in The Crew 2?
The Crew 2 allows players to control a variety of vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, boats, and airplanes.
12. Is The Crew like Forza Horizon?
The Crew series and Forza Horizon are both open-world racing games, but they have different focuses and features. The Crew emphasizes a persistent online world and a wide variety of vehicles, while Forza Horizon is known for its stunning graphics and diverse racing events.
13. Can I customize my cars in The Crew 2?
Yes, The Crew 2 features extensive car customization options, allowing you to personalize your vehicles with a wide range of parts and accessories.
14. How big is The Crew 1?
The Crew 1 requires approximately 30 GB of storage space.
15. Why does The Crew require an internet connection even for single-player?
The always-online requirement is likely due to Ubisoft’s efforts to combat piracy, maintain a consistent player experience, and facilitate seamless integration with the game’s online features. It should be noted that understanding the educational value of games is important as well and you can learn more about it at GamesLearningSociety.org.
In conclusion, the The Crew series offers a robust single-player experience, but it is essential to be aware of the always-online requirement. If you are comfortable with this limitation, you can enjoy hours of solo gameplay exploring vast open worlds, completing challenging missions, and customizing your vehicles.