- City is Your Weapon – Alter the dynamics of the race within a made-for-TV city rigged to blow
- Every Lap is Different – Devastating events that change the track, create new routes and new obstacles
- Action Arcade Racing – Fast paced, intense racing action
Product Description
Split/Second is an intense action racing game set within a reality television show. Competitors will vie to be the first to the finish line in a made-for-TV city set rigged to blow with the ultimate goal of becoming the season champion. Players in Split/Second don’t just collide with other vehicles to knock them from the track, but can also trigger devastating events that drastically alter the dynamics of the race. Players must use pinpoint timing to obliterate huge structures and towering TV set pieces to tactically alter the track or create entirely new routes…. More >>
Being a huge fan of the Burnout series (except Paradise), Midnight Club LA , as well as a serious Mario Kart maven since 1992, I felt compelled to buy the full version of Split Second after downloading the small demo on XBox Live. And while I am definitely not disappointed, I feel this game comes up short in comparison to these great racers.
The big premise here is you trigger explosions and enviromental disasters to wreck your opponents, by building up your “power play” gauge (done by drafting behind your opponents and around corners). The AI system then automatically targets the cars you can wreck. But you’ve got to be careful who, when and where, because this can backfire on you in a big way.
By not squandering your power play, you can fill the gauge entirely to trigger massive events. You are treated to eye candy such as a passenger plane on fire descending onto the track, exploding in a fiery mess of smoke, flame and debris which you must avoid, a building eerily similar to the Space Needle in Seattle collapsing in your way, and sides of mountains exploding sending plume and rock your way. Presentation-wise, you really are made to feel this is a real TV show (of course, the good folks at Disney had a hand in this). It is exhiliarating to take out your opponents in grand fashion, watch the event unfold, and zing past their smoldering wrecks to take the checkered flag. So here is where the game gets my 4 stars.
Like most other racers, you start out with slower, poor-handling vehicles and work your way towards the elite vehicles. Like Burnout, you get ficticious but awesome looking cars. A word to the wise, spend plenty of time with the game in story mode and get the best possible vehicles before going online to race. I took my best car ranked as a “4″ against cars ranked “10″. Needless to say, I didn’t fare well.
So, why did I not give the game 5 stars? Not to compare, but in my humble opinion, Burnout Revenge is the holy grail of racers, to which all other racing games aspire. While this game makes no bones to compare to such a game, it would have been nice if when you hit your opponents car, they budge and take damage, instead of cruising along without losing MPH. The AI seems to play the game for you, in the way that events unfold at the same time, every time, with your only level of control being to gain and use power play as you attempt to place 1st. It compares a bit to the Midway re-issue of Spy Hunter for the PS2, where you basically steer around a pre-determined course and avoid taking damage.
In this day and age of 1080p HD gaming, the actual gameplay can be lost amidst the graphics (Nintendo has been a massive success doing the exact opposite since 1980). I think the selling point of Split Second would be the massive and incredible explosions which take place around you, with the racing aspect a distant 2nd place.
First let me say that I love this game. I play Need for Speed games all the time and I am the best at racing games among my buddies but since this game came out I haven’t even looked at my Need for Speed games. Even though I love this game I can not say that it is a 5 star game. There are a few problems with the game. The worst part of this game is vehicle handling. The best and fastest cars feel like the worst stock cars on Need for Speed. It is especially problematic that all the cars seem like they are drifters. If you try to speed up to fast even if you are going straight there is a good chance that you will start drifting or maybe even spin out. I can not tell you how many times I have almost lost the race when I was 10 feet from the finish line simply because my car started drifting. Here is a list of other Pros and Cons:
Pros:
Control the environment to destroy your enemies cars
Great graphics
Cons:
Vehicle handling sucks
Sometimes you can have the fastest cars available but the other cars (and trucks) will still pass you
No speedometer
No NOS
You crash too easily. If a car hits you too hard or you hit the wall (it doesn’t even have to be that hard) you will crash. I hope this gets fixed in the future.
Another good thing about the game is that it doesn’t cheat like other racing games including Need for Speed. How many times have you been starting a race and two cars try to box you in or pin you to the wall or otherwise slow you down while the other cars race on in other racing games? Well, you don’t have to worry about that in Split Second. Though, sometimes in the game it doesn’t matter how fast you are going and what car you have because you can get passed. Even if you’re going full speed in one of the fastest cars and they have the slowest truck!
I know the Pros list is a lot smaller than the Cons list but the blowing up the environment is so much fun that its worth buying the game new. It is a blast with friends. I just hope on the next one they at least make the vehicle handling better!
I have been looking for a good racing game for some time now, and the next few weeks will definitely end that drought. Kicking things off this week is Split/Second, from of all places, Disney Interactive. Split/Second is set up as a racing reality show, were the track is rigged with obstacles, shortcuts, and death traps. In case that didn’t make it clear, this is an arcade style racer- no shock or engine tuning here, just grab a car and drive like a maniac. Like the Burnout series, reckless driving earns what in this case are called “Power Plays” which are used to trigger the obstacles and traps. What these are varies greatly, from helicopters dropping explosive barrels, all the way to massive track changing events like sending a flaming 747 crashing through the track or even bringing down a nuclear power plant. Timing is everything, and icons appear over opponents that will be caught in these events. But the player must beware, as they can get caught in these traps as well. AI is a little bit frustrating, as they seem to have savant type driving abilities and will rubber band quite frequently. This places a premium on player skill, as even minor screw ups can send the player from first to last in, well, a Split/Second.
The name is well chosen, as it is in these Split/Seconds that the game shines. Driving is a blast, and the visuals are spectacular. In these moments can be truly epic.
You are blasting through an airport- it’s two laps to go and you are side by side for second place. As you continue to battle you drift through the turn that goes from the parking lot onto the tarmac, gaining ground on your adversary. You straighten out and risk a look at the track ahead, and your heart stops as all of a sudden a massive 747 comes blasting down the track- flames shooting everywhere. With only a heartbeat to make a decision, you chose a line- you slide directly between the right wing engines as the car beside you gets wiped out as does everything behind you. Even as you continue your pursuit of the first place car (who just tried his best to run you down with an airplane), you allow yourself to think “Holy*#%&! I just did that.” This definitely makes this a title worth checking out for any fan of arcade style racers.
As of this writing, there are two major racing games that have just been released for Xbox 360: Blur, and Split/Second. Neither is very realistic, and Blur’s multiplayer focus will make it the better choice for those who primarily intend to play their chosen game online. Otherwise, choose Split/Second — its brilliant presentation will amaze you, and each track is designed well enough that you’ll enjoy racing on them through several different gameplay modes.
After playing the demo numerous times and because I enjoyed Black Rock’s previous game Pure, I decided to take the plunge and purchase Split/Second. I am so glad that I did! The game is incredibly fun. Whether racing AI opponents in giant Hollywood set pieces, dodging missiles from a helicoptor in air attack mode, or escaping the frenzy of exploding barrels falling off big rigs, the gameplay is simply awesome. The action is intense and there are constant explosions and things happening on the screen that put a smile on my face. A game has done something very special if I am smiling while playing.
I have also noticed that the cars handle very well. I find this especially to be the case when you change the cam so that you are not staring at the back of your car. At least that is what works best for me. You can switch between the two camera options by pressing “Y” on the controller.
If the decision is between Blur and Split/Second I would recommend purchasing Split/Second. I played the Blur beta extensively and although I had some fun times, Blur does not compare to the explosive action and adrenaline rush that is Split/Second. For me I have splitting my gaming sessions between Split/Second and Red Dead Redemption. I plan to continue this trend right through the Summer. Whether playing the single player, or the very competitive online multiplayer Split/Second offers a very fun and satisfying experience. Even if you hate racing games, chances are that you will love Split/Second.