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SUPER NIGHT RIDERS (PS4)
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Publisher: neko.works.
Developer: neko.works. Released: August 2018. Genre: Racing. Other versions: XONE; PC. Posted 1st April 2021. By Tom Clare © 2021 |
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Super Night Riders looks as though it was made on a shoe-string budget, so straightforward are its visuals and features. That said, in its own no-frills way, it delivers a fast and fun homage to the likes of Outrun and the Super Hang-On. It won’t live long in the memory, but there’s a fun weekend’s driving in store for fans of the open road.
A refreshingly uncomplicated throwback to the traffic-dodgers of the 8-bit and 16-bit eras, in SNR, race positions don’t matter. Playing as the distinctive “red rider” Alice, it’s just you against the clock. Areas flash by at a furious pace, lasting somewhere in the region of 25 seconds apiece before morphing seamlessly into the next location. Points are awarded based on how effectively you’re able to remain at (or near) top speed, with additional bonuses for those brave enough to risk near-miss bonuses as you flash past other bikes. Snaking around traffic and avoiding ruinous collisions is the order of the day here.
Super Night Riders runs at a nippy rate, though it should: there's next to nothing in the way of rider or track-side detail
There’s no question that visually, it’s crude beyond belief. Super Night Riders isn’t ugly, it just looks incredibly basic. Alice’s in-game avatar looks like a group of polygons were thrown together and the developers forgot to add textures, detailing or much in the way of basic shaping. The other riders aren’t any better and the majority of the courses offer remarkably little in the way of track-side detail.
As a consequence, it can make for a weirdly sparse-feeling ride, with the biggest changes coming from the backdrops and passing through different times of the day. The City course in its night-time setting looks vibrant and the cherry blossom and trees help the Hanami stages ping a little, but for the most part, it would appear bare for a PlayStation 2 title, let alone PS4. Strangely, given the complete lack of graphical ambition, there is the option to choose between ‘Super’ and ‘Retro’ visual styles. There’s little difference in terms of the overall experience, though the latter at least looks a bit less naff.
As a consequence, it can make for a weirdly sparse-feeling ride, with the biggest changes coming from the backdrops and passing through different times of the day. The City course in its night-time setting looks vibrant and the cherry blossom and trees help the Hanami stages ping a little, but for the most part, it would appear bare for a PlayStation 2 title, let alone PS4. Strangely, given the complete lack of graphical ambition, there is the option to choose between ‘Super’ and ‘Retro’ visual styles. There’s little difference in terms of the overall experience, though the latter at least looks a bit less naff.
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For all this, Super Night Riders does get a lot of the fundamentals right. Scrolling is fast and never lets up, whilst both handling and throttle sensitivity are pleasingly nippy. The game is laid out in a straightforward, no-nonsense manner, challenging you to beat six courses of six stages each, whilst there’s a further six that are location-specific (all of the Valley stages, all of the Forest stages and so on). Each is good for around two and a half minutes play. Though this may further cement the impression that Super Night Riders is a fleeting endeavour, it isn’t a given that you’ll finish them all at the first attempt. Time limits are often quite stringent, so the player is encouraged to learn traffic patterns, even if the tracks themselves aren’t terribly demanding.
It may not have had much invested in its graphics, but one area the game does excel in is its music. It consists of a small but notable selection of six songs. Front and centre are a trio of strong metal tracks, but if they’re not your thing, synth stormer “Until Sunrise” is a perfect fit for the game’s shtick. The icing on the cake is “Road to Retro”, a rather gorgeous tribute to Barry Leitch’s work on Top Gear.
It may not have had much invested in its graphics, but one area the game does excel in is its music. It consists of a small but notable selection of six songs. Front and centre are a trio of strong metal tracks, but if they’re not your thing, synth stormer “Until Sunrise” is a perfect fit for the game’s shtick. The icing on the cake is “Road to Retro”, a rather gorgeous tribute to Barry Leitch’s work on Top Gear.
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It may not look a million dollars, but SNR delivers fast, accessible checkpoint-racing that's surprisingly addictive
You’ll likely speed through most of what the game has to offer in a couple of sittings. Its most enduring challenge comes in the form of a 36 stage, all courses back-to-back effort. This is pretty brutal thanks to some super-demanding time limits, allowing for no more than 3 or 4 mistakes. It can be cruel, but it’s also Super Night Riders’ finest challenge, with the last few stages in particular proving nervy and exciting. Beyond this, the pithy nature of the courses makes aiming for personal bests and climbing online leaderboards a surprisingly moreish prospect, at least for a short while.
Mind you, if you’re expecting a fanfare for your efforts, you may be disappointed. The reward for completing the game is a two-to-three second bit of anime video footage of Alice, looking to the camera. That’s your lot. Super Night Riders cuts corners on its presentation and content, to such a degree that it’s likely to put off a lot of gamers. But as an exercise in simple fun, it’s a surprisingly diverting budget title that speed freaks might want to sample.
Mind you, if you’re expecting a fanfare for your efforts, you may be disappointed. The reward for completing the game is a two-to-three second bit of anime video footage of Alice, looking to the camera. That’s your lot. Super Night Riders cuts corners on its presentation and content, to such a degree that it’s likely to put off a lot of gamers. But as an exercise in simple fun, it’s a surprisingly diverting budget title that speed freaks might want to sample.
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VERDICT
"Super Night Riders cuts corners on its presentation and content, to such a degree that it’s likely to put off a lot of gamers. But as an exercise in simple fun, it’s a diverting budget title that speed freaks might want to sample." OVERALL: 5/10 |