Antigraviator

Oh, look, another racing game! There's almost a stigma attached to the racing genre in this day and age - most seem to be indie offerings that are by-products of university development projects. In hopes of making a few extra bucks or getting some feedback - these games tend to make it to the marketplace. Antigraviator definitely comes off as one of those games that have crept into console stores.

Racing genres are always a safe bet, given their mechanics are simple to integrate. All that's left to worry about is 'how polished can we make this game?' or whether a developer might try and introduce something revolutionary. Usually, racers are like the ham sandwich of the gaming world - safe but bland. If it's not Big Rigs, it will likely stand up OK.

Ready, Set, Future!

When was the last time you played a racing game that had a story or an immersive dialogue? Well, don't get excited - there isn't anything particularly fascinating about Antigraviator's narrative. All it provides is a near-future setting where terraforming and anti-gravity have made racing an insanely popular sport. People from all over the world fixate on these high-speed tournaments. Vehicles wind through cyber-plated cities and reborn forests - the globe is a race track, seemingly.

These people are nowhere to be seen anywhere in the game - it throws into question whether this racing style is really popular or not. Playing the game dictates that these fans might be stuck in one of the thousand futuristic racing games before this one. In all seriousness, there actually isn't a whole lot wrong with Antigraviator - it is a very polished racing game. It just doesn't offer a whole lot outside established racing mechanics.

The frame rate is pleasing, the vehicles handle very well, and the visuals are beautiful. All the boxes are ticked for traditional racing games. The speed of the game does present a bit of a challenge. It's nice, but not innovative. Races are satisfying with a little bit of combat involved in trap laying. As a casual racer, Antigraviator is just fine - but doesn't differ a lot from other racers and questions whether it's worth investing in.

We've Seen This Somewhere Before

Antigraviator does its job as a racer - and that job is being Big Rigs. You are tasked with making sure you don't screw anything up in a colossal way and make the game look and feel nice. There's a reason aspiring developers choose to make these types of games for their portfolio. It's because they can focus on a finished product rather than bring something to the market that's really going to intrigue players.

You'd be absolutely right in thinking - 'I've seen this before.' Antigraviator is a carbon copy of WipeOut and F-Zero, just with their own visuals and speed adjustments. Again, nothing wrong with the game - but a few hours in, and you'd be ready to pack it in.

Pros

• Very polished and handles well
• The speed does make the game intense and a bit challenging
• Visuals are beautiful

Cons

• Absolutely nothing engaging outside the races
• Nothing unique offered in racing mechanics
• Feels like a portfolio piece rather than one for entertainment