Wreckfest 2 for Xbox Series X|S

I’ve been waiting for a decent demolition derby game that doesn’t feel like a joke, and this one actually lands. I mean, who hasn’t wanted to drive a car into a wall just to see how much metal gets bent? Wreckfest 2 for Xbox Series X|S on Windows turns that impulse into full-blown, satisfying carnage. It’s not just about crashing - the way cars fold, twist, and fly apart feels real. Like, when my truck took a hit from the back and the hood popped up like a startled turtle, I actually paused to watch it happen.

The good stuff

The physics engine is where this game really shines. When you slam into another vehicle, you can feel the impact through the controller - not just vibration, but actual weight shift and momentum loss. And the damage isn’t cosmetic; doors fly off, hoods dent, wheels wobble. One race had me going full drift into a guardrail, and my car ended up sideways with the front axle dangling. It was ugly. It was glorious. The customization tools let you build your ride from scratch - not just paint jobs, but actual structural tweaks. I spent an hour making a tank-like beast with oversized tires and a welded-on roof. It barely moved, but it looked like it could survive a war zone. There’s also a career mode that keeps you coming back, plus multiplayer with a skill-based matchmaker. I played a few ranked matches and didn’t get instantly destroyed by pros - which says something. Local split-screen works well too, though I only tried it once because my friend kept yelling “I’m not losing to a plastic junk heap!” after I ran him over twice in a row.

The not-so-good

It’s still in early access, so expect bugs. I had one crash where the game froze mid-race and lost all my progress - not fun, especially since there’s no auto-save between sessions. Also, some maps are pretty bare-bones compared to others. One track felt like a parking lot with cones. And while the car destruction is solid, the AI drivers don’t always act like they’re trying to win. They’ll just idle in the middle of the road or go full clown mode, which can be frustrating in competitive play. And yeah, it’s free - but that also means no official support team. If something breaks, you’re mostly on your own. The Steam Workshop has mods, sure, but they’re hit-or-miss. Not every mod fixes what’s broken.

Bottom line

If you’re into chaotic, physics-heavy racing with real car destruction, Wreckfest 2 for Xbox Series X|S on Windows is worth the download. It’s not perfect, but it nails the core experience better than anything else in the genre. Just don’t expect polish - it’s rough around the edges, but in a fun way. For fans of demolition derbies, this is the closest thing to driving a wrecking ball without getting arrested. Go ahead - smash something. You know you want to.