There seems to be a growing number of games on the App Store paying homage to the classic futuristic racer Wipeout and this time round it’s the turn of Assyria Studio’s Future Racer. Focusing on the racing side of things rather than the weaponry demonstrated in Wipeout, Future Racer provides an enjoyable racing experience at a bargain price, even if it is lacking in a few areas.
With six tracks and six vehicles on offer, the content isn’t never ending but it is quite respectable considering the price tag. Starting out with one vehicle, a new one is unlocked after each race has been won ensuring there’s some extra motivation to persevere. The tracks are reasonably well rendered but admittedly are nothing overly special. It was nice to see no sign of noticeable lag also which certainly made controlling the game more enjoyable.
The control system is pretty simple and matches the style of the game perfectly. Steering is tilt based with a touch of the screen to accelerate and two fingers on the screen to use power boosts or to brake. It might make you look a bit of an idiot if you happen to be playing Future Racer in public but it does work the best compared to the virtual d-pad method which just isn’t well suited to the racing genre.
Each of the vehicles has their own advantages and disadvantages in terms of power and acceleration but it was disappointing to see that drifting around corners wasn’t really possible. Most of the time I found the fastest way of negotiating corners was to bounce off the walls which aren’t something that you want to see in a racing game, even a futuristic one.
Despite the dodgy driving physics, Future Racer does provide a well rounded package. AGON Online has been implemented including online leader boards, trophies and Twitter and Facebook integration which is always useful. The music is perfect for the game and I did enjoy my time with Future Racer.
It might look a little rusty around the edges but for the price Future Racer is well worth a look. It’s a shame that the racing physics aren’t quite up to par compared to the likes of Real Racing, and that there’s no multiplayer functionality. But despite these shortcomings, it’s still worth a look if you fancy something new.
VideogameUK verdict: 7/10
