|
|
|
HORIZON CHASE TURBO (PS4)
|
Publisher: Aquiris.
Developer: Aquiris. Released: May 2018. Genre: Racing. Other versions: XONE; SWI; PC. Posted 15th March 2019. By Tom Clare © 2019 |
|
Horizon Chase Turbo is one of the finest racing games of the 21st Century so far. A bold statement, perhaps, to attribute to a racer whose heart and soul are firmly rooted in the early nineties. Anyone who visited an arcade during the period will remember the prominence enjoyed by checkpoint-chasers, identifiable as they were by an inviting mix of luxuriant locations, glamorous cars and a colossal sense of speed. Those with fond memories will also be keenly aware of a legacy cut short. Just as Lotus Turbo Challenge III and lesser-known Mega-CD cracker Jaguar XJ220 had seen the genre evolving to accommodate elements of real substance, the 3D revolution arrived, and such games died off, more or less overnight. Horizon Chase Turbo was worth the wait however: this isn’t just the rekindling of a once-popular sub-genre, it is arguably its ultimate realisation.
Originally an Android title, Horizon Chase Turbo is, in effect, a love letter to Kemco’s 1992 SNES classic Top Gear, from which it borrows portions of the soundtrack, albeit in remixed form. The two titles share the spirit of frantic, crowded races which demand a knack for dodging in and out of traffic. But the key here is that HCT doesn’t merely aim to recreate the past, it builds on it in all the ways that modern technology allows, without losing sight of what made these games so enjoyable in the first place.
You'll have every kind of weather thrown at you over the course of Horizon Chase Turbo's mammoth World Tour
The PlayStation 4 version is sublime. Supreme, responsive analogue controls are accompanied by some blisteringly fast gameplay that doesn’t suffer from even the merest hint of lag, or any visual blemishes. Whilst this may be expected of a racer that doesn’t push the PS4’s numbers too hard, the flawless two, three and four player split-screen setups are hugely impressive. It’s what we dreamed of years ago: full fields of competitors and undiminished gameplay. Each event tasks the player with battling to the front of a 20-strong field of racers, grabbing tokens for extra points and fuel in order to keep your motor chugging. Races typically last between one and three minutes each, and are a huge amount of fun.
It makes for some of the most manic, enjoyable local multiplayer of the last decade. The significance of this aspect has clearly not been lost on Aquiris, as split-screen was always the engine room of such racers. The World Tour mode, a devilishly simple, yet cavernously lengthy, 100+ race campaign, perfectly illustrates this. You can play it, in its entirety, with up to four players. What’s especially cool is that, whilst one player might focus on the winning a race, another can collect tokens or fuel to aid the completionism aspect, the best individual totals at the end of the race are merged, which is a masterstroke.
It makes for some of the most manic, enjoyable local multiplayer of the last decade. The significance of this aspect has clearly not been lost on Aquiris, as split-screen was always the engine room of such racers. The World Tour mode, a devilishly simple, yet cavernously lengthy, 100+ race campaign, perfectly illustrates this. You can play it, in its entirety, with up to four players. What’s especially cool is that, whilst one player might focus on the winning a race, another can collect tokens or fuel to aid the completionism aspect, the best individual totals at the end of the race are merged, which is a masterstroke.
|
|
In addition to this, there’s also a raft of four-race tournaments with a focus purely on racing, as well as some mammoth endurance events that stretch to as many as 109 races. They both make for great, absorbing challenges, though the Tournament mode can cause frustration, given its propensity to weld the same opponent to the front of every race. You always start from the back, which is understandable, but the chief A.I. competitor has not one but two additional nitro boosts, which they duly deploy if and when you catch them. This, along with their propensity to weave in defence of the position, can lead to some exasperating second-places. With the A.I. difficulty greater than in the World Tour, the racing can become a little disrupted at times. Several drivers make use of nitro boosts near the beginning of races, tending to result in bumper-cars as you get bashed from all sides, something that, thankfully, doesn’t tend to occur in other game modes.
FOCAL POINT: CARSPOTTING
|
|
The cars are the stars here, and it’s worth trying them all out, as you’ll find each one is best-suited to particular types of circuit. One of the great joys of Horizon Chase Turbo lies in the unlocking of its 30 or so models. Uncovered as rewards for conquering the various modes, several of the motors make unmistakable, loving reference to popular culture. At the wackier end of the spectrum, you’ve versions of Mr. Bean’s Mini Cooper, Herbie the Lovebug, a flower-power Camper van and the Batmobile. Elsewhere, there’s a mix of muscle cars, saloons and performance models, bearing a recognisable resemblance to the various Dodges, Audis and Lamborghinis of the world. Incidentally, the red ‘Cruiser’ the player starts out with carries the tag-line “For a nice ride at the beach”, and will likely leave fans of Out Run misty-eyed in appreciation.
Horizon Chase Turbo does minimalism right. It looks stunning. Aquiris has taken full advantage of a wide variety of jet-setting locations, devising some truly sumptuous visages. Races in the UAE feature bright deserts and sandstorms, Iceland has some mad snow ‘n’ volcano moments, whereas Japan is dominated by neons and busy cityscapes, whilst Australia is characterised by its inviting beaches and sky-blue seas. Each of the twelve countries represented proves an absolute work of art, and it all looks dazzling at speed. As is customary of the genre, you’ll be treated to a variety of iconic landmarks, whilst Aquiris has made smart use of modern hardware to create dynamic weather and road surface effects, as well as some furious day/night cycles, which pass by in the space of minutes.
There's more than one hundred circuits, and likely six months or more of play, which is extraordinary for a racer that's so accessible
It offers a strong, persistent challenge that develops to accommodate faster cars and more complicated circuit layouts. As with the best arcade titles of old, defeat typically acts as a motivation to return, as you endeavour to learn from your mistakes. Leaderboards help in this regard, as does the recently-added ‘Playground’, a neat setup that, each week, grants players five new time challenges on existing tracks, with variables that include restricted car choices, mirrored layouts, removal of the head-up display, fewer laps and so on.
Beating everything the game has to offer will take months. It’s worth it though. You’ll come back to it, time and again. It’s one of those rare titles that is simply brilliant as both a single-player experience, and with friends. In a time when big-budget racers are throwing good money after bad in the name of flashy cut-scenes, shiny cars and realistic physics, Horizon Chase Turbo serves as an emphatic reminder that gameplay is king. Built perfectly to accommodate both quick-fire accessibility and long-term appeal, it's an utterly glorious racer. Oh, and the best part? It’s only £15.
Beating everything the game has to offer will take months. It’s worth it though. You’ll come back to it, time and again. It’s one of those rare titles that is simply brilliant as both a single-player experience, and with friends. In a time when big-budget racers are throwing good money after bad in the name of flashy cut-scenes, shiny cars and realistic physics, Horizon Chase Turbo serves as an emphatic reminder that gameplay is king. Built perfectly to accommodate both quick-fire accessibility and long-term appeal, it's an utterly glorious racer. Oh, and the best part? It’s only £15.
|
VERDICT
"One of those rare titles that is simply brilliant as a single-player experience, and with friends. Horizon Chase Turbo serves as an emphatic reminder that gameplay is king. An utterly glorious racer" OVERALL: 9/10 |
MORE GAMES THAT INSPIRED HORIZON CHASE TURBO REVIEWED
Top Gear (1992, Super Nintendo)
|
Lotus III: The Ultimate Challenge (1993, Amiga)
|