Maverick Games Unveils Clutch: An Open-World Driving Game from Forza Horizon Designer Mike Brown

Maverick Games has announced "Clutch," an upcoming open-world driving game developed by a team including Mike Brown, formerly a designer and creative director for the Forza Horizon series at Playground Games.

"Clutch" is primarily a single-player experience with multiplayer components. The game is set in the scenic south of France, encompassing locations like Monaco and the French Riviera. It will feature a selection of real-world vehicles from manufacturers such as Porsche, Aston Martin, BMW, Land Rover, and Renault.

The game's narrative centers on two characters, Theo Martial and his sister Cass, who operate as vigilantes undertaking delivery missions. The story is intended to be a significant draw, offering dramatic plot points and a tone that has been compared to the recent Brad Pitt F1 movie.

Core gameplay mechanics involve racing, driving, and drifting, presented with a cinematic flair. "Clutch" also incorporates a rewind button, a feature familiar in racing games. Unique additions include six unlockable tools for gameplay, with one example being a harpoon that can be fired at in-game objects for traversal, such as aiding in high-speed cornering.

The driving experience in "Clutch" is described as grounded in reality but not a pure simulation, offering a handling feel similar to that found in Forza Horizon. Rival AI is designed to be aggressive, requiring strategic driving to succeed in races.

According to IGN, a preview of "Clutch" included missions such as extracting a rare Aston Martin Valhalla from a penthouse using the harpoon, and a three-lap race demonstrating the game's driving mechanics.