Review for Xenon Racer. Game for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam and Xbox One, the video game was released on 26/03/2019
The racing sector is always in turmoil, full of alternatives which, however, often and willingly try to propose their vision of an area with many followers and enthusiasts. The title that we will analyze today, Xenon Racer, is the fruit of the hard work of the development studio 3D Clouds, already author of the hilarious kart game All Star: Fruit Racing released last summer on the main platforms.
How will the title behave in a tough market where simulation purity and arcade lightheartedness coexist in harmony? Let's find out together!
As already mentioned, Xenon Racer is a racing game in which old school and modern elements coexist, in a project that is certainly interesting and fun. 3D Clouds, as already expressed in its previous racing game, it managed to propose a rather original and in some ways strategic product, as it aims at a very particular sector of the racing field. We are talking about what, mechanically speaking, sees titles like Forza Horizon or Need For Speed dominate, that is a market of titles that aim at a certain realism both visual and at the level of general impact, but associated with a system and a gameplay basically arcade or not very simulation. And this is precisely the strong point of the game, that is a playful sector structured on rather simple and immediate mechanics, probably able to involve even players from outside the sector. But don't be fooled by the premises: Xenon Racer has a rather pronounced thickness, probably able to entertain even those who love absolute simulations.
Like any good self-respecting racing game, Xenon Racer it will gravitate around car racing in the strict sense, through three distinct game modes. A classic career mode, called Xenon Racing Champioship, in which we will be called to face canonical races in a "clandestine" competition, time trials and challenges of the most disparate and closely related to driving. The mode will often put us in front of a choice that will advance the game in a different way, but in the end we will still have the option of being able to play the "choices not chosen" previously. The second mode is called Edge and is somewhat reminiscent of the driving tests required to unlock licenses and various contents of the Gran Turismo series. The game mode will allow us to undergo a series of tests of various kinds, the overcoming of which will allow us to unlock a large number of components to add to our car, of a more purely technical or more exquisitely aesthetic mold. The third mode is a classic versus multiplayer, which will be both online for up to eight players and in local split screen. In general, although the playful offer is not particularly original and rather in line with the canons of the sector, Xenon Racer however it is enjoyable, fun and quite long-lived.
Numbers in hand, the title will count on a fleet of only eighteen cars, which, however, will all be diversified not only in terms of aesthetics, but also and above all in terms of "character". The cars will each have specific characteristics, such as better handling or a higher top speed, and can be modified with a significant number of add-ons that will be unlocked through specific races and competitions, which will have a direct impact on the aforementioned distinctive characteristics of each car by deeply personalizing it. Probably, the only real drawback of the entire production will concern the tracks, small in number, with a slightly fluctuating design and which will often be reinterpretations of the same track. In principle, as mentioned above, Xenon Racer even in this case it will not offer anything particularly stunning, even if the numerical question will actually have a relative impact on the general pleasantness of the title.
The title 3D Clouds it will not be at all simulative as said, but it will still count on a basic mechanical structure that is likely and sufficiently deep for a game with a conspicuously arcade soul. The entire driving system will be based on interpreting the tracks with the right car, since opting for a versatile solution between maneuverability and performance will not make life easier or allow us to excel easily. In addition, despite the admittedly non-simulative soul, racing will not exactly be a walk in the park and will base its playful movements on a learning curve that is not particularly slow but not so fast, which however is partly mitigated by an intelligence artificial opponents not particularly effective. The mechanical fulcrum of the gameplay will essentially be centered on drift control, which will be the only effective method for dealing with the curves of the various tracks, which can be measured with a careful game of accelerator and brake.
Leveling up our drifting skills will be essential, as hitting other cars or crashing off the track will damage our vehicle until it is “destroyed” and respawned on the track, which will result in wasted precious seconds. In general, the help system of Xenon Racer it will be impactful and fun, even if not free from some imperfections. First of all, despite the individual characteristics, all the cars will be more or less rigid in the controls in the same way and it will be extremely difficult to face the curves of the tracks steering in a "normal" way. On balance, this will result in a sort of "abuse" of the drift which, given the remarkable speed even of the not particularly fast vehicles, forces their use even for the simplest curves. Staying on the subject of drifting, the drift system itself will sometimes not be immediately responsive despite pressing the buttons on time, making some tracks more difficult than necessary. All in all contained problems that, however, could be easily solved with a series of updates.
At a more purely performance level, the 3D Clouds title will count on a rather clean and well-developed technical sector, created through a skilful use of the Unreal Engine. Despite a graphic impact that does not stand up to comparison with more noble productions (and with certainly higher budgets), Xenon Racer it will be pleasant to see especially on night tracks or those where we will compete on circuits with specific weather conditions. The car models will all be sufficiently detailed and aesthetically diversified, making the unlocking of the various vehicles sensible even from a mere aesthetic point of view. The title will guarantee a substantially stable frame rate and will support 4K at 60 frames on both Xbox One X and PlayStation 4, which is news that will surely delight owners of the premium versions of the Sony and Microsoft flagships. A praise also to the audio section, perhaps a little anonymous in terms of individual sound effects, but technically good and which can count on the electronic music production of the Monstercat label.
Xenon Racer is an arcade-style car title, with a strong character and a high-level construction, which will delight fans of "non-demanding" racing but which will probably tempt simulation lovers too thanks to its frenzy and fair amount of content. The only ones in the area are represented by a park of slopes that are not particularly extensive and illuminated, by an artificial intelligence that is not particularly developed and by a conceptually simple guide system but not free from small imperfections.
► Xenon Racer is a racing-Sport type game developed and published by SOEDESCO for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Steam and Xbox One, the video game was released on 26/03/2019
