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ROAD SPIRITS (PCE)
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Publisher: Pack-In-Video.
Developer: Arc. Released: March 1991 (JP). Genre: Racing. Posted 9th March 2025. By Tom Clare © 2025 |
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Out Run’s epic road trip whet the appetite for jet-setting racing games heading into the 1990s. By 1991, the racing genre had already begun a gentle evolution to incorporate real-life cars, sleeker presentation and the framework of racing competition. It’s no surprise then, that with Victory Run missing the mark and the impressive Out Run port left to do the heavy-lifting for the PC Engine, the system needed something new to prove it could keep pace with competing systems. Armed with CD-ROM2 tech, Arc developed Road Spirits, a game combining sophisticated presentation with classic, checkpoint racing fare.
Released only in Japan, import fans will be pleased to note that Road Spirit’s menus and options display entirely in English, and as such, there are no barriers from a language point of view. The game features races from all over the world, encompassing Alaska, the Nile, Ayres Rock, China and the obligatory East and West Coasts of the USA. The player can attempt the 17-leg tour in one of four cars: motors excessively similar to (but for legal clarification, probably aren’t) a Honda NSX, Porsche 911, Lamborghini Diablo and Ferrari F40. Ostensibly, the former pairing offers superior cornering traction at the expense of top speed, whilst the latter two are faster but more of a handful in the turns. In truth though, there isn’t a significant deal of difference.
Out Run’s epic road trip whet the appetite for jet-setting racing games heading into the 1990s. By 1991, the racing genre had already begun a gentle evolution to incorporate real-life cars, sleeker presentation and the framework of racing competition. It’s no surprise then, that with Victory Run missing the mark and the impressive Out Run port left to do the heavy-lifting for the PC Engine, the system needed something new to prove it could keep pace with competing systems. Armed with CD-ROM2 tech, Arc developed Road Spirits, a game combining sophisticated presentation with classic, checkpoint racing fare.
Released only in Japan, import fans will be pleased to note that Road Spirit’s menus and options display entirely in English, and as such, there are no barriers from a language point of view. The game features races from all over the world, encompassing Alaska, the Nile, Ayres Rock, China and the obligatory East and West Coasts of the USA. The player can attempt the 17-leg tour in one of four cars: motors excessively similar to (but for legal clarification, probably aren’t) a Honda NSX, Porsche 911, Lamborghini Diablo and Ferrari F40. Ostensibly, the former pairing offers superior cornering traction at the expense of top speed, whilst the latter two are faster but more of a handful in the turns. In truth though, there isn’t a significant deal of difference.
Whilst its cars a little small and its courses a little sparse, Road Spirits is incredibly smooth and ferociously fast
Road Spirits marks a heartening show of technical aptitude, showing that with the help of the CD-ROM add-on, the PC Engine was more than capable of handling the demands of 16-bit racing. Its speed and smoothness are exceptional: it handles eye-watering velocities with ease, whilst mastering track undulations and convincing cornering. In comparison to the PCE version of Out Run, cars are admittedly slightly smaller, but there’s significantly less sprite flicker and fewer scenic aberrations. Sprite scaling is okay, and though the game could have done with more trackside scenery, it looks decent and runs nicely. The CD-ROM is put to good use with a full-blooded 10-song soundtrack, a marvellous snapshot of the time. Encompassing strident synths, lounge jazz, driving rock ‘n’ roll, and a liberal helping of sax, there’s truly something for all tastes. In truth, its odd hotchpotch of sounds is more scattergun than inspired, though the earnest efforts and marvellously expressive song titles (‘I’m Fine Thank You’ and ‘Oh! Brazil’) will doubtless raise a smile.
The handling is super-nippy, with convincing scrolling allowing players to fade to the outside of corners to pass traffic, without worrying the track is going to lurch the car into the hoardings. Its presentation is top-notch, with an arresting title screen (a picture of Earth from space) and cool touches such as a CD-system BGM changer and, before each race, a map showing a plane’s flight to your next destination. The cities-at-night courses evoke plenty of nostalgia, but its the twinkling seas of Key West, the game’s second stage, that proves the prettiest setting.
The handling is super-nippy, with convincing scrolling allowing players to fade to the outside of corners to pass traffic, without worrying the track is going to lurch the car into the hoardings. Its presentation is top-notch, with an arresting title screen (a picture of Earth from space) and cool touches such as a CD-system BGM changer and, before each race, a map showing a plane’s flight to your next destination. The cities-at-night courses evoke plenty of nostalgia, but its the twinkling seas of Key West, the game’s second stage, that proves the prettiest setting.
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With so many impressive facets, you’re no doubt left pondering how such a convincing display of the PC Engine’s CD tech wasn’t released outside of Japan. Whilst Road Spirits has the technical foundations of a tremendous racer, its gameplay design is ultimately tame, failing to deliver any standout moments. For starters, the game is an absolute breeze to finish. Safe, unexciting course design means the player is rarely challenged to negotiate difficult cornering sequences, or even slow down. Every race is beatable at the first attempt, normally with thirty seconds or more left on the timer. Designing all 17 stages to run the same distance and against the same time limit, was also a mistake. It lumbers the game with a one-pace repetition far earlier than is ideal, whilst a lack of ongoing checkpoints (you’re given four minutes at the beginning of every stage) robs the action of any jeopardy.
On paper, 17 stages of three-plus minutes sounds like decent value. However, the sequence of unchallenging routes, which occasionally task the player with snaking through traffic, never really spark into life. You can extract more from Road Spirits by adopting a five-speed manual gearbox, as this at least gives the player a little more to do, even if it doesn’t add significantly to the workload. Sadly, there’s no option to retry individual stages, and once you’ve started the journey, you can neither change the car or its transmission settings.
On paper, 17 stages of three-plus minutes sounds like decent value. However, the sequence of unchallenging routes, which occasionally task the player with snaking through traffic, never really spark into life. You can extract more from Road Spirits by adopting a five-speed manual gearbox, as this at least gives the player a little more to do, even if it doesn’t add significantly to the workload. Sadly, there’s no option to retry individual stages, and once you’ve started the journey, you can neither change the car or its transmission settings.
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Surprisingly for a 1991 racer, Road Spirits is a breeze to beat
It’s a shame there’s no two-player mode, as battling a friend might have granted the game some much-needed competitive spirit. Without any additional options beyond perhaps racing through the game with another vehicle, there’s very little to motivate players to return. Road Spirits looks good and runs fantastically. It’s proof the PC Engine CD, with the right approach, could deliver strong racing experiences. However, with anonymous course design, a lack of variety and an absence of options encouraging additional playthroughs, it remains a what-might-have-been.
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VERDICT"Road Spirits has the foundations of a tremendous racer, but its gameplay is ultimately tame, failing to deliver any standout moments. Despite strong presentation and performance, an absence of variety and challenge count against it." OVERALL: 6/10 |
OTHER EARLY-NINETIES RACING GAMES REVIEWED
Burnin' Rubber (1990, GX4000)
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Lotus III: The Ultimate Challenge (1992, Amiga)
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