Each real-life stadium’s design is limited and doesn’t lend itself to the game’s arcade approach. Not only are they way too easy, but they’re repetitive. Between its head-to-head races, demolition events, two-wheel trick shows, and straight-up stunt shows, they’re usually over before they’ve really hit their stride. Then there are the stadium events, which really do hammer home how boring the game can get. Pac-Man’s ghosts had more personality 41 years ago.
There’s no aggression tactics don’t seem to exist vehicles act like you’re not there you never feel like you’re up against opponents as colorful as their famous trucks. Not only is it incredibly unbalanced when it comes to difficulty–and, occasionally, really stupid–it’s just soulless. However, moments of joy are regularly undone by the game’s odd AI. Planning is key, and the minimap is critical to success. There’s a lot of risk land the wrong way off a jump and it’s game over.
The real highs of the Monster Jam Steel Titans 2–and something you’ll wish there was more of–come from its two-point races from one side of a map to another, where you’re forced to navigate terrain from entirely new angles, getting the most out of its relatively uninspired maps. Sadly, vehicle damage is only cosmetic, which is a massive shame, as it’s crying out for that extra level of in-race strategy. Races can be tight and competitive, once you find your level–so long as it isn’t easy mode, which is an absolute cakewalk. Monster Jam Steel Titans 2’s true strengths lie in its open-world races, whether it’s a waypoint scramble or a fixed circuit, especially the ones that see you driving in the opposite direction to half the field, or where you navigate figure-of-eight crossovers. In terms of licensing, 'MJST2' gives fans what they want.