EGX 09: Split Second Hands-On
Black Rock are on to a winner here, as Split Second doesn’t just blow you away, it blows everything around you away too.
With a lot of racing titles, some very high quality titles at that, on their way or already out, it seems that Black Rock either are ignoring this or feel that they have something that can topple the competition with Split Second. The likes of Forza 3, Need For Speed Shift and DiRT 2 among others have raised the bar in racing games in both realism and entertainment value, and with Gran Turismo 5 on the way, many people will already have chosen sides. However, it’s a little too early, as Split Second intends to redefine the way we play racing games, and it does it in style.
A fictional television company sets up a show that pits racers against each other around a city, but what makes the game very interesting is that the city is both the track and a manipulatable environment, where you can use controlled explosions and environmental hazards to your advantage while racing. By overtaking, drifting, drafting and partaking in a little argy-bargy, you fill up a bar, which allows you to trigger explosions and the like to take out your opponents, or shortcuts, to help you jump the field. These explosions look fantastic, and they happen all around the track, so pretty much anything around you that would look good being blown up can be, if you have filled up your bar enough.
The HUD system is brilliantly reduced to just a stylish looking ring around the back of your car, allowing you to experience the game as best as possible.
The game as a whole though looks fantastic, the wide variety of cars in game as well as the environments around you looking brilliantly realistic, and the explosions don’t look pixelated or tacky, they blend perfectly in the game. All of this helps build up the rush of excitement you feel as you drive on the wild side.
The game’s one big exhibition, where you play to the imaginary televisual crowd, but the game is incredibly fun because of this, because based on the bar filling to give you perks while racing, you feel its necessary to show off, to act crazy, and this makes the game very exciting.
Split Second is a brilliant racer, and it differs from others on the market. It has an element of both Stuntman and Ridge Racer in the triggered explosions and arcade style gameplay respectively, but it really comes into its own when every aspect of the game is showcased. Both myself and Balaam played the same demo race three times in a row, because of the enjoyment factor.
Split Second isn’t like other racing games: it doesn’t try to be hyper realistic, but it doesn’t try to be over-the-top. What it is is a slightly satirical, but purely adrenaline-filled burst of racing gold, that will, if what I played of it is the final version, definitely worth your time and money. And as the game comes with both 8 player multiplayer as well as 2 player split-screen, the chaos and enjoyment level will go up, as you can compete against others in your own virtual racing playground.
Split Second is amazing, and its enjoyment and entertainment value outweighs pretty much every other racer I’ve played. Yes, I only experienced about 10-15 minutes of actual gameplay, and a 30 minute developer session, but I have to say, that was enough for me to gauge just how good this game will be when its released Spring next year.
The graphics in driving games is always spectacular. I’m also glad this game isn’t trying to be serious, because that’s a major draw-back from racing games for me.