REVIEW : Hotshot Racing (PC)
Play for a couple of hours, and after four championships, a few single matches in the Arcade mode and its few modifications, and finally a couple of online sessions, you will have felt all Hotshot Racing had to give. This could simply be the main criticism here. It isn’t though. No matter the genre, a game doesn’t need to have tons of content. What it needs is content that can make players keep returning to what’s on offer, and Hotshot Racing just doesn’t get it, with the first reason being the place where everything takes place into the courses.
Levels are simple, and as a result, not that interesting. More significantly, apart from the different aesthetic of each map, courses feel the same, as they don’t stand out in one way or another. Speaking of aesthetic, this uses a fitting low-poly art style that, while relatively pleasant to the eye, lacks the necessary contrast that could make things pop out. The OST by Waterflame is much better a charming combination of rock, funk, and EDM. Kind of Ridge Racer-y, but maybe not Ridge Racer-y enough.
A second issue with Hotshot Racing is how it appears to play. No, the controls aren’t bad they work as intended, despite the small room for advancement. Drifting, however, which is the most crucial ability here, is not that fun to execute, as it is a bit too touchy, particularly when trying to wield some of the vehicles on offer. Add to that how cars don’t appear as if they are kissing the ground, and it hurts the immersion quite a lot. At least the action is pretty fast, which is one of this title’s few retaining graces.
In the end, the most vital problem with Hotshot Racing is how the AI works. To keep players on the verge of their seats, the developer has decided to implement one of the worst kinds of rubber-banding ever. With enemies always scraping the back of your car no matter how well you manage to perform on the asphalt, but don’t follow a similar tactic when you stay back.
Effectively, due to how AI functions, you are prohibited from doing any mistakes. The only way to ensure victory? Besides driving as best as possible, one can “cheat” by holding all four boosts, and then using them in the last stretch, right before crossing the finishing line but where’s the fun in that exactly?
PREVIEW : Realpolitiks II (PC)
