RACING REINVENTED
FORGET ENDLESS LAPS AND FIGHTING FOR THE FINISH LINE... POINTS MEAN PRIZES IN THIS FAB FOUR-WHEEL OUTING
Onrush is like no other racer I’ve ever played, in that racing is the least important part of the game Cheryl Mullin
ONRUSH PS4, Xbox One HHHH H
T HE trouble I always have with traditional racing games is that I don’t actually enjoy the racing.
Monotonous laps, having to make sure you don’t hit the car you’re passing, the endless engine and body tinkering needed to improve your vehicle enough to win – it’s just not for me.
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Onrush is like no other racer I’ve ever played, in that racing is the least important part of the game.
It comes from an amazing pedigree, developed by Codemasters – the studio that created MotorStorm and Driveclub.
And, while there are elements of this that feel like MotorStorm, I can guarantee this is a very different beast.
There are no endless laps here, no finish line to race towards, no jostling for pole position – this is all about scoring more points than the other team. To score points you have to keep the clock ticking, and that means ‘boosting’ through the course to keep your speed up.
You fill your boost meter every time you take out a rival car, collecting dead drivers’ tombstones, and pulling off tricks like catching air – but you don’t want to drive so fast that you explode.
There’s also a secondary ‘rush’ meter that, when full, allows you to use a special move. To keep things interesting, every vehicle has its own unique way of earning energy resulting in its own special move.
Some vehicles act as support, dropping shields and energy, while others specialise in attacking – built for speed and delivering heavy damage to opponents.
For example, one of the bikes sends out a massive shockwave when it lands – like a superhero landing – and can steal the earned boost meter from rival cars.
Tactics play a big part and, to be successful, you have to put aside years of racing conditioning.
Leading the pack makes you a prime target, while stragglers have a perfect view of the action and the opportunity to strategically take out opponents.
Cars are herded into a ‘stampede’, aka a great mush of vehicles that tears around in chaotic brilliance – think the Wacky Races crossed with Overwatch.
There’s even a pretty solid single player mode, for when you’re not feeling very sociable.
As fun as it is, there were a few little frustrations. Respawning feels like it takes an eternity, and it’s not always easy to see what – if any – impact you’re having on your team’s performance.
That aside, this is the most fun I’ve had on four wheels in a long time – a raucous, unorthodox explosion of action that feels fresh and vibrant.
Buy it: £41.49 from 365games.co.uk