If you can recognize game names like Wipeout or F-Zero, you will know that speed in futuristic races is one of the most interesting premises in racing games. But these games are classics, works of the past that today do not match the mechanical and technical possibilities of today’s games; That’s why Redout 2 teaches us the magnificence of speed with a complex and addictive style of simulation.
First of all, it is important that we remember what it was el primer Redout, because in this way we will know how to recognize the value that Redout 2 brings as a video game. And it is that the prequel had a system very similar to that of F-zero, where it was enough to accelerate and turn, without any complexity. Despite everything, this title has laid the foundations for an interesting mechanics where we combine simulation and arcade, always looking for maximum speed.
Redout 2, since its announcement, is perfectly qualified by its Italian creators as 34Big Thingsbecause they call it the “the fastest game in the universe“. Its homage to games of the past is very clear, leaving a great niche game for those who love the drive and the challenge.
Understanding that it is a futuristic racing game, it is clear that we cannot compare it to the technical power of Forza Horizon 5, but we must take into account that it is a game with a next-gen version, so there is several weak points important that may affect the gaming experience.
For starters, loading screens should be a thing of the past, just a transient thing with minimal gameplay impact. In Redout 2, the loading screens are long and constant, from the beginning of the race to restarts, it is an element that persists and goes so far as to annoy. For example, it’s a time trial, the attempts to be better are numerous, and each time the race resumes the load lasts between 30-40 seconds, comparing that some races last a minute, it’s quite long .
On another side, menus tend to collapse, in customization, some components are not loading on screen or just not appearing. This may be because it is a very recent version of the title, but it is still a poor state of optimization that affects those who acquire it from day one.
Beyond that, the visual section is amazing, the lighting and light pattern are excellent, and they present a sublime setting. Immersed in the game, we can identify various elements, such as the map, background scenarios and much more. The vehicles are not left out either, since all the ray tracing is projected on them.
Finally, it should be noted that there has never been a significant drop in frames, at least when playing on an Xbox Series X, the stability is total. Being such a fast-paced game, it would be understandable if motion blur was key, but no, that effect is only generated at specific times when using ultra-fast power.
This point is the strong point of Redout 2, as I mentioned, it is an impressive mechanical evolution compared to the first, and not only that, but also compared to many driving games. The game was built on three key pointsdriving, customization and missions.
The first point, and perhaps the best, leads. It is a difficult game, with a significant complexity in the memorization of the commands and the adaptability that one has to master them. We start with the normal, we accelerate and we brake, the basics. Things get complicated when we have to turn, since we will have two options to do so and each with its advantages and disadvantages; the first is to move, simple thing, since it is only a question of moving the ship from left to right with very little margin; the second is to rotate the wing of the ship, which will tilt us to one side with more projection, but deviate from the center, which implies that we lose direction.
You can turn with both mechanics at the same time to be more stable, but this is only recommended in tight turns when riding at full speed. We drive a ship on the road as if it were an airplane, in addition to the fact that we cannot lose speed, which makes the maneuver very complicated and forces us to perfect each technique.
In driving we also have speed boosts, which are also two. A simpler one that we can always activate, but taking into account an overheating bar that we have. The second, which also depends on this bar, charges over time and has a single use, but is also much more powerful.
The second point is the weakest, since the customization of our vehicle consists of aesthetic and power issues, which contribute to making it more manageable and faster. It doesn’t matter, because as we progress through the game, the elements we need are unlocked, and being such a fast game, we will hardly notice a difference; this narrows the section down to an aesthetic matter, which is quite broad and gives a good repertoire of ships to choose from.
The third section is the one that gives consistency to the game, since its campaign mode is so vast that it overwhelms. The number of races there are, in addition to their variety and challenge, is something to admire, and that only speaks for the campaign mode, as Redout 2 will have an online multiplayer mode that would flesh out this section. To get an idea, there are several modules that you have to unlock with stars, stars are earned by completing races, time trials and challenges; each of 4 stars, and to pass the second level, it is necessary to obtain more than 200 stars.
And these are not easy races, you can take more than 20 minutes to complete a single time trial, dominating curves and controls. In short, a triad of features that gives us a very complete game.
As I just said, the number of races there is so large that you don’t know when it may end. Added to this, the difficulty of the game and the challenge it imposes is a key factor when talking about duration. With all this, completing the game’s campaign will take us quite a few hours, more than we think. And we are not talking about artificial duration, so the pleasure is served to last for hours and hours until boredom.
Redout 2 which I realize as a tribute to arcade games at maximum speed, its presentation as the fastest game in the universe does not fail, and it must be said, it is very addictive. With all of this, words fail, it’s hard to describe such a polished, high-achieving gameplay system in something as simple as zipping around a track without crashing.
The initial three gameplay elements provide many hours of never-ending fun and challenge, whether you’re playing with friends or online. We do not forget a few technical errors and a lack of depth in customization, but these are details that can be tweaked little by little and that will make Redout 2 an incredible ship game and, perhaps, one of the best of its kind.
