SPRINT VECTOR

A near-perfect racing line

When you click Play on Survios’ PS VR racer you really won’t be prepared for what’s in store. I’ve yet to play a game that’s so physically demanding on Sony’s headset. Bashing my living room ceiling, flailing into a wall; I dropped a sweat bomb within minutes of entering a ‘race’. And that’s a good thing, by the way. Set inside a futuristic game show in which ‘runners’ sprint down a linear course and win by any means necessary, kart racing comparisons are easy. Between you and victory are power-ups, shortcuts, jumps, pistons to crush you and toxic spills to slow you down. But that only scratches the surface.

Sprint Vector sheds its karting comparisons the moment you grapple with its superb VR controls. Sprinting is performed by swinging your arms in arcs and holding and releasing the button in time to the rhythm. Think cross-country skiing more than sprinting. Add in quick turns and corner slides using a combination of qe and and arm gestures – you can glide by thrusting your arms out in front Superman-style; and jump by forcing your arms downwards and releasing

– and the game begins to reveal an incredibly nuanced set of play mechanics. Better still, you can scamper up walls using well-timed squeezes of

to grab handholds, and even perform leaping wall jumps with timed pulls. This is no kart racer, Sprint Vector reveals itself to be a madcap blend of Ninja Warrior UK and SSX.

SLOW LANE

With so much to learn and master this isn’t an easy game. You’ll spend your first hours flailing maniacally as the game’s cartoon commentators poke fun at your performance. It’s likely the reason why the AI racers are so poor – they don’t just slow down to give you a chance to catch up they’ll actually skate backwards.

Away from single-player races Challenge mode offers a perfect offline way to enjoy Sprint Vector’s polished VR mechanics. Playing either Time Trials or Collection (race a level gathering shiny coins) is the ideal way to get to grips with the mechanics of running, jumping, and climbing in VR.

Online Sprint Vector really shines. The lively community offers the perfect showcase for the game’s fantastic, aerobic controls. Let’s get physical.

VERDICT

Even the offline AI can’t dampen the sheer sweaty joy of Sprint Vector’s handling. Speed, frantic movement and not a moment of motion sickness, Sprint Vector is a landmark release. Ian Dean