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The Clutch game brings together fast-paced driving and a character-focused story, drawing on lessons from the Forza Horizon series while taking a more cinematic approach. Players follow Theo Martial, an elite driver adopted into a racing family alongside his sister, Cass. A preview of the game showed a mix of sanctioned competition, underground racing and action-movie set pieces.
How the Clutch game builds its story
The story opens in 2010, with Theo and Cass as children. While their adoptive mother briefly steps away from the car, Theo climbs into the driver’s seat as Robbie Williams’ “Let Me Entertain You” plays. The sequence introduces the driving tutorial while establishing the game’s cinematic tone.
Written by Skins co-creator Jamie Brittain, the story shifts between different moments in Theo’s life. After the opening, he is shown fleeing police in southern France, then competing in an unsanctioned Midnight Collective street race. Another sequence puts players in Cass’s place during an off-road race in France.
The prologue eventually reaches the present day, as the siblings prepare to race in the R1K, a major competition. Their adoptive father is described as a racing legend, but a less capable parent. After a serious crash kills a peripheral character, Theo begins to question his path. The R1K commissioner announces new safety measures, including brake assist and traction control—changes that frustrate racing purists.
Driving, exploration and racing in Monaco
Unreal Engine 5 supports detailed facial animation and expressive character scenes. The game is set primarily in Monaco, where the streets and surrounding environment provide a backdrop for both story moments and driving activities. Familiar quick challenges include speed traps, which reward players for passing through a designated stretch of road at high speed.
Players can also explore certain locations on foot in third person. At Theo’s villa, a tense exchange with his father leads Theo and Cass to leave for a Midnight Collective gathering. These meetups are designed to give players more direct opportunities to interact with cars rather than viewing them only through a camera. Players can also purchase vehicles there.
Two racing styles, different goals
R1K events focus on finishing first. Midnight Collective races add a popularity element: races are livestreamed, and performance is measured partly by the audience a driver attracts. Placement and stylish driving can bring in viewers, while checkpoints add followers. Taking a shortcut can mean missing a checkpoint, creating a risk-and-reward choice. For practical play, weigh the time saved against the audience and ranking points you might give up.
A later story sequence sends Theo searching for an Aston Martin Valhalla in a Monaco apartment complex. After locating it in a penthouse garage, he has to escape when an alarm sounds. The car’s harpoon gadget attaches to a nearby helicopter, allowing Theo to get out in a deliberately exaggerated action-movie sequence.
The harpoon is one of several vehicle gadgets planned for the game. In the preview, it could be used to pull around corners or spin out pursuing police vehicles. The full set of gadgets has not yet been detailed.
How the Clutch game handles driving
In a hands-on R1K race, the driving felt similar to Forza Horizon, though somewhat stiffer. The preview vehicle was a heavily upgraded race car, so it was unclear whether that handling would apply across the game. Familiar assists included a driving line to indicate when to brake or accelerate, along with a rewind feature. Rewinding was manual, letting players choose how far back to go.
The preview offered only a short time behind the wheel, so it cannot establish how every vehicle or race type will handle. Still, it demonstrated the game’s blend of accessible driving aids and a more story-led structure.
What to expect from the Clutch game
Clutch is scheduled to arrive in 2027. Its preview suggests a racing game that pairs Forza Horizon-inspired driving with a dramatic story about Theo and Cass, contrasting professional competition with the Midnight Collective’s livestreamed street races. For players interested in the Clutch game, the key features to watch are its handling across different cars, how its racing gadgets work, and how meaningfully the story choices connect with the driving.
