Today I'm Gonna Play: Redout 2
I came across this really cool video that felt like a total trip in all kinds of ways. Being a fan of high octane and momentum games like Mirror's Edge and the Boost formulas in Sonic, I really wanted to check this out. Not to mention the obvious inspiration of games like Wipeout, which is a series I haven't played in years!
The game has a beginner-friendly element to it, as it shows you the controls directly from the intro, and introduces you to race segments in its career mode to get used to each mechanic. This is also done with its tracks, that go from simple lanes and turns to eventually introducing loops, jumps, and hazards. There is an arcade mode that unlocks all tracks and vehicles, with different modes such as time trials, reverse tracks, bosses, etc. Multiplayer also exists, and although I heard it was dead, I did manage to play with someone relatively quickly.
The music is decent, although hard for me to really judge in the game when there's a lot going on and the game demands my attention for its controls and precise timing.
The best part it has to offer are its bright visuals and the sense of speed it provides; the dynamic soundtrack coupled with other sound and visual effects while you're physically moving fast demands you to really lock in to get the full effect. I've never been good at AG (anti-gravity) racing games so I always start bumping into walls, which ruins the flow. But when you get it right, it feels great.
Overall, this is really enjoyable to play. Although my hand tends to cramp up pretty quickly with how I'm holding the controller to utilize all L and R sections so I can't play it for long lol. Upon doing a bit of digging with similar games, I see that the sub-genre is supposedly dead. I do hope to see a casual revival considering how its under a set of aesthetics that do have an online following.
