I want to start out by saying that Split/Second is one of the most addicting racers I have played since Burnout. It feels like Burnout if it were to pull a Barry Bonds and use performance enhancers. Its an adrenaline fueled, edge of your seat, action packed racer that has enough explosions to make Michael Bay cry in a corner. Over the 8 different times I played the demo, no two races were the same. The reason for that is the games unique destruction methods which can be triggered by both you AND the A.I. I was skeptical at first seeing a racing game made by Disney. After playing, I felt like an idiot for doubting them for one second (although I am still scared for the Prince of Persia movie).
What makes this game so enthralling is the Power Play system. This is what makes your destructive creativity tick. There are two different types of Power Plays, level one and level two. Level one power plays cause chaos for other drivers on the course. The catch is that they require timing if you want to stop another racer. When you see the icon appear over you opponent, press the designated button to cause cars to explode, a gas station to blow up, and a helicopter to drop an explosive barrel on the poor sap ahead of you. Level two Power Plays are what destructive dreams are made of. These cause large scale devastation that will alter the paths of the course while also taking out the unsuspecting driver or drivers ahead of you. But beware, other drivers can trigger these same events on you.
The course included in the demo took place on in an airport where there were plenty of things that go boom. My first playthrough had me hooked from the start. You are given hints that pop up in windows on how to build up your Power Play meter as you go through the course. You can build up your meter in four different ways. They are: drifting around corners, drafting behind another car, catching air off of jumps, and getting close calls by escaping from an enemy induced explosion. The very first explosion I triggered blew up a gas station and caught two of my opponents in in while I raced past through the fire and flying debris. On my second lap, I had a chance to trigger a course altering event which cut off an off-ramp and forced everyone to drive on to the runway. My third and final lap consisted of a close call with a plane that was crashing down on the runway. A swerve to avoid the shrapnel and a drift later, I was blown out of my seat by an enemy who triggered an event that dropped a car on me. All of this was in playthrough number one. The next seven were completely different. This will work in the games favor. If all the tracks offer something different, The replay ability will keep players hooked for days.
In all this excitement, I forgot to mention a couple other important details. First off, the graphics look crisp and colorful. From the popping scenery, to the exotic cars, to the beautiful explosions, this games vibrant colors will catch you just as much as the addicting gameplay. Second is the controls. I found the controls very easy to pick up and run with from the get-go. I never got confused as to what buttons did what. This game shows huge potential for greatness. And if the rest of the game is as predictable and adrenaline fueled as the demo, then count me in.
Split/Second is releasing May 18Th for both the PlayStation 3 and the XBOX 360. If you haven’t tried out the demo yet, I highly recommend you give it a shot. I doubt you will be disappointed. Check back here for our review in the coming weeks.
