Day Late and a Dollar Short Game Review: Split/Second



Racing games are not my bag. I can count on one finger how many racing games I've beat (it was Al

Unser Jr racing for the NES). I always lose focus, I walk away, and always tell myself I'll get to it

later. FYI: I never get around to them. But now I can count on two fingers how many racing games I've

beaten. That in itself is good enough for me to recommend Split/Second. That's not going to be enough

for you though.

This is more than just a racing game. It's more than your average Burnout Paradise. You absolutely

can't win if you don't set off traps to take out the other drivers. Wait what? Traps for other drivers? Yep.

It's DEATHRACE 2000.



Your first race gently takes you through the basics of the game. Get around the track, drift around

corners, and fill your power bar. The more power you have, the bigger the explosions, and a full power

bar timed just right can alter the course for the rest of the race. Sure, it's the “gimmick” of the game, but

they do it so damn well.

By my count, without any of the DLC, there are 72 different races spread out over the 12 episodes and

6 different game types. Episode 3, 4th race, is where it starts to get hard (and I mean extremely hard).

I'm not a Jedi - I don't have those super honed senses that some first-person shooters have. I tried for

days and just can't place first in that race. Over the course of the season, I had built up a substantial

amount of points by consistently finishing first with a few second place finishes here and there. By the

time I unlocked the last episode, I just needed to place 1st in one race to outright win the season. I took

the opportunity.

Now, I might still have some rose colored goggles for this game, but other than some races being

incredibly difficult (and some mixed-up AI now and again), by far my biggest complaint is there aren’t

enough places to race. The developers did their best, and I'm sure a couple of locations where held back

for DLC (three new places to be exact). So while they set up the locations different, seeing essentially

the same track with variations in different episodes gets old fast.



Each car, much like every racing game, handles differently. Some can take more damage before you're

crashed, some take off the line in an instant, while others need time to build up their top speeds. If

you've been driving one car for a few episodes, a sudden change to another can lead to disaster.

Just one word for the graphics: AMAZING - even by today's standards.

Overall, this game punches above its weight, and while it has a cult following, you can forget

multiplayer racing in any form. Maybe the split screen?

I strongly recommend this game, although $20 is pushing it for Xbox, PS3, and Steam's digital store. If

racing games are your thing, $20 is worth it. I do know that you can pick up Steam Key's from EBay

for super cheap, and an Xbox, PS3, and PC disc will set you back $10. Well worth the price if you ask

me.

Recommend Buy: If $10

Available on: XBox Live, PS3, PC, Steam



*** Update: I finally got first place in Episode 3, Race 4, although only by .04 seconds. I'll take it!