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FAST RACING NEO (WIIU)
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Publisher: Shin'en Multimedia.
Developer: Shin'en Multimedia. Released: December 2015. Genre: Racing. Posted 20th November 2016. By Tom Clare © 2016 |
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FAST Racing NEO reminds me of when I was younger. No, don’t worry, not in a curmudgeonly “I liked it better when Coke cans cost less than fifty pence!” kind of way, nor as a means of launching an impassioned rant about gaming losing its identity amidst modern pyrotechnics and cinematics (one for another day, perhaps). FRN comprehensively recaptures the glory days of the futuristic racer, a particular niche that enjoyed a brief but superlative period in the spotlight just prior to the turn of the millennium. It's a refreshingly gimmick-free experience that puts challenging gameplay at the forefront; there are no opportunistic licences to date the game, no arbitrary 'unique selling point' to cheapen the deal, no irrelevant narrative ties to distract from the racing. It’s the lack of these traits that allows the play experience to take centre stage, in a game that is simply outstanding.
F-Zero may have lain dormant for two generations, but there’s no question that its spirit, and indeed that of the futuristic racer, is alive and well with FAST Racing NEO. FRN is faithful to the genre at the height of its prowess, when the likes of WipEout, Rollcage and Extreme G were offering inviting, dizzying glimpses of neon-drenched futures. With the benefits of 21st Century hardware, Shin’en were able, in much the way the magnificent WipEout HD managed a few years prior, to fully realise the eye-popping pace and nuance of control the sub-genre hinted at for so long. There are no weapon power-ups, and the layouts of the courses is slightly less technical than Psygnosis' former flagship, instead relying a helter-skelter of obstacles and the need to learn the best racing lines in order to mop up those all-important speed boost power-ups.
The back of the craft is grinning. You can't unsee it
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How did that beachball get into the shot?!
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There's a plethora of nods to sci-fi culture and futuristic racers that FAST Racing NEO delights in making. The arid dustbowl that is Sunahara Desert channels Pod Racer, with jagged rocks menacing the outer edges of the course, ready to gobble up competitors who misjudge its swift sweeps. Sendai Outpost is straight out of the WipEout universe, as you hurtle among the clouds in a hold-your-breath race of pure guts, rewarding those who keep peddle to the metal, risking the stomach-churning consequences of failing to stay on track. Perhaps the highlight, at least from an aesthetic perspective, is the Star Wars-inspired Daitoshi Station, which takes place aboard a magnificent-looking, white-wash space station and even sees the action hurtle through a couple of miniature asteroid belts.
More broadly, the game is a visual tour de force. The tracks are a true spectacle, but it’s the variety, and the myriad of little details, that really makes it stand out. There’s a little bit of everything, location-wise: skyscraping cityscapes mix it with crumbling mines, dusty canyons and lush jungles, through blizzard-ravaged tundras, subterranean tunnels and even outer space. Environments and effects test the player in a number of ways; sometimes from the point of view of distraction, as giant ships track your progress from above, and sometimes as an active hazard, as when meteorite showers or avalanches start peppering the routes, or you're faced with slaloming between shipping containers in a dockland. Some circuits are breathtakingly atmospheric, too; Storm Coast, as the names eludes to, is a remarkable experience for the sheer ferocity of its weather conditions and macabre surroundings. An overwhelming majority of the time, these really compliment the racing, though there are instances, most notably during what is perhaps the least enjoyable course, Kamagori City, where your main task is to pre-empt where a gigantic rampaging mech is going to plant its legs, inevitably leading to some rather cheap crashes.
More broadly, the game is a visual tour de force. The tracks are a true spectacle, but it’s the variety, and the myriad of little details, that really makes it stand out. There’s a little bit of everything, location-wise: skyscraping cityscapes mix it with crumbling mines, dusty canyons and lush jungles, through blizzard-ravaged tundras, subterranean tunnels and even outer space. Environments and effects test the player in a number of ways; sometimes from the point of view of distraction, as giant ships track your progress from above, and sometimes as an active hazard, as when meteorite showers or avalanches start peppering the routes, or you're faced with slaloming between shipping containers in a dockland. Some circuits are breathtakingly atmospheric, too; Storm Coast, as the names eludes to, is a remarkable experience for the sheer ferocity of its weather conditions and macabre surroundings. An overwhelming majority of the time, these really compliment the racing, though there are instances, most notably during what is perhaps the least enjoyable course, Kamagori City, where your main task is to pre-empt where a gigantic rampaging mech is going to plant its legs, inevitably leading to some rather cheap crashes.
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Such occurrences are potentially ruinous, because FAST Racing NEO demands perfection, and rarely offers crumbs to those who crash. Respawns are a particular irritant, as resumption points are often planted several seconds behind the impact spot. It isn’t uncommon to be running 2nd or 3rd, and find that a crash spawns you in 9th. It demands consistent speed with no mistakes, something some gamers will find easier to deliver than others, especially with four-race tournaments and no restart options. But this is a large part of the appeal; there's so much quality to the experience that the prospect of replaying events, trying to eke out faster, cleaner and more precise performances in order to beat the formidable competition ultimately proves more inviting than off-putting.
FAST Racing NEO makes you work hard for your successes, but is highly rewarding as a result. Even the time trials feel compulsive thanks to a slew of tricky developer times, which are capable of stealing hours of your time. Completing the various championship classes unlocks new vehicles, and the crafts all offer something a little different. As each will individually suit certain circuits better than others, it’s important to plan for the four races that lie ahead. FRN is so satisfying to play; the handling and airbrakes are weighted perfectly with just the right level of sensitivity, whilst the courses are a joy to race, both from the point of view of practicing, and through exploring the various opportunistic shortcuts.
FAST Racing NEO makes you work hard for your successes, but is highly rewarding as a result. Even the time trials feel compulsive thanks to a slew of tricky developer times, which are capable of stealing hours of your time. Completing the various championship classes unlocks new vehicles, and the crafts all offer something a little different. As each will individually suit certain circuits better than others, it’s important to plan for the four races that lie ahead. FRN is so satisfying to play; the handling and airbrakes are weighted perfectly with just the right level of sensitivity, whilst the courses are a joy to race, both from the point of view of practicing, and through exploring the various opportunistic shortcuts.
You don't get much time to admire the scenery at this speed
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Don't get distracted by what's happening on your opponent's screen!
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The multiplayer is awesome; another superbly strong reminder of the power of social gaming. The online element is catered for of course, but its the split-screen options that prove the real draw. Two-player offers a busy field of competitors and runs smooth, fast and true. Three-player is also impressive, suffering a bit of slow-down but retaining a healthy bunch of opponents, it's a lively experience. It's just a shame that, whilst all of the tournaments and all of the speed classes can be raced with friends, unlocking them is possible only in the single-player Championship mode (a curious design choice that similarly blighted Mario Kart Wii). It's a tiny disappointment, as its such good fun to play and improve alongside a friend.
It goes about its brilliant business without fanfare, it's name is more descriptive than exciting, there's been little by way of advertising and yet, there's something rather fitting in all this: it's that once-in-a-blue-moon work of genius that comes out of absolutely nowhere. Priced at a little over £10 on the eShop, it also offers absurdly good value for money. Chiselling away at lap times alone should grant you weeks of pleasure, as well as three progressively more-bonkers speed classes for once you've eventually started to master some of the sixteen superlative courses. Hardcore gamers will appreciate the formidable Hero mode where the boost metre doubles rather precariously as a shield. Run out of power, game over. For those with friends with a taste for the fast lane, this will prove a genuine mainstay for the Wii U, it's one you'll return to ad nauseum. It may look to the nineties for inspiration, but in the here and now, FAST Racing NEO is one of the finest racers money can buy.
It goes about its brilliant business without fanfare, it's name is more descriptive than exciting, there's been little by way of advertising and yet, there's something rather fitting in all this: it's that once-in-a-blue-moon work of genius that comes out of absolutely nowhere. Priced at a little over £10 on the eShop, it also offers absurdly good value for money. Chiselling away at lap times alone should grant you weeks of pleasure, as well as three progressively more-bonkers speed classes for once you've eventually started to master some of the sixteen superlative courses. Hardcore gamers will appreciate the formidable Hero mode where the boost metre doubles rather precariously as a shield. Run out of power, game over. For those with friends with a taste for the fast lane, this will prove a genuine mainstay for the Wii U, it's one you'll return to ad nauseum. It may look to the nineties for inspiration, but in the here and now, FAST Racing NEO is one of the finest racers money can buy.
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VERDICT
Visual: 10/10
Audio: 7/10 Gameplay: 9/10 Longevity: 9/10 OVERALL: 9/10 |