Tag Archives: racing

video game reviews

Is Formula Legends Worth Your Time? Honest Review

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Formula Legends to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

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Table of Contents

What is Formula Legends?

Formula Legends is an arcade-style Formula one racing game out now on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC via Steam, Epic Games, and GoG.

Formula Legends plays playful homage to 60 years of Formula 1 by bringing the action to your fingertips. Experience 16 iconic cars through 14 evolving circuits in a series of unforgettable races. Master control of your car through any weather, across any track, and around every opponent. Do you have what it takes to be a racing legend?

Gameplay

Formula Legends has players race through a campaign races based on different periods of formula one history. Players will need to win races to unlock the games different cars and tracks.

Races

Each race is themed after a period in Formula One history, with historically accurate cars to race them. Each car has its unique quirks to overcome, and the game does a good job and making each period feel different. The game does have an adjustable difficulty for players who need need the adjustment. The track is also marked by the dark tire trails to help players see the ideal path to victory. What makes the game unique is the pitstop mechanic.

Pitstop and Resources

Despite the cartoonish feel of the game, Formula Legends has a very realistic resource and pitstop mechanic to add depth to the racing. As players make their way across the track, they will use up fuel and their tires will wear out. Players will eventually need make a pitstop where there is a quickaction mini-game to complete. Completing the game correctly the first time saves time on a players run. This means that not only do players need to maneuver quickly and efficiently around the course, they will also need to know when to make their pitstop if they want to win.

Review

Formula One is a cute little racing game with a lot of heart, but one that lacks the performance to earn my recommendation. Unless you are a hardcore racing fan who wants to see more games likes this get made, I would wait for a sale.

The Artstyle

The aststyle is what drew me to the game originally. I like the low-poly, whimsical take on the genre. The cars and the people are very cute. The world is a little simple, but there is enough detail to make each track feel different and full. After sitting with the game for a bit, that whimsy lost its appeal as I slowly realized that the game isn’t ready.

Performance

The game performs poorly on my Nvidia RTX 3060, running the default settings. The cars in this game have the worst control I’ve felt in any driving game. There was an update after I got the key that was meant to fix the performance issue, but I didn’t notice a difference. Some of the issue may be a skill issue, but a lot of the issue is with the game design. Not only do these cars feel like they are driving on ice, but hitting anything will stop the car in its tracks. To make matters worse, the AI seems to be coded to ram into you constantly. This made racing, even on the easiest difficulty, frustrating.

Difficulty

I am bad at racing games so take this with a grain of salt. This game is hard, but not because of the skillful AI that rips down the track with masterful precision. No, this game is hard because everything rams into you, or the car would randomly turn off the track. Playing on easy did not fix any of these issues. As someone who only plays racing games casually, this was incredibly hard to sit through. I like to start on easy and slowly make my way through the difficulties until I am at a comfortable medium, but the game doesn’t give me the option. This game might be fun for the veterans of the genre who understand the math behind every turn, but Formula Legends’ forced difficulty is going to lose its casual players. I am not asking for the game to be easy, I am just asking for it to be playable.

Conclusion

In its current state, I can’t recomend Formula Legends, even if you’re a fan of Formula One. I like a lot of the ideas that exist within the game like the adorable art and the pitstop/resource system, but the game clearly needs more work. With a few more performance updates, maybe it will be worth your time and hard earned money. It’s not the worst racing game, but there is no real reason to buy this over Rally Arcade Classics if you enjoy arcade racers, or my personal favorite Inertial Drift if you want something a little crazier.

You can pick up Formula Legends on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, and PC via Steam, Epic Games, and GoG for $19.99.

video game reviews

Rally Arcade Classics Review: Best Arcade Racer of 2025

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Rally Arcade Classics to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinions. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

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What is Rally Arcade Classics?

Rally Arcade Classics is an arcade racer out now on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation.

Hop into your favorite car and race across some beautiful trail in an authentic arcade rally car experience. This game puts its players behind the wheel of iconic cars from the era in a experience fit for veteran and newbies alike. Whether you are setting the course record, taking first place in a race, or driving through one of the other many challenges, you won’t be siting at idle. Can you master your control over the elements and be the best racer to hit the leader boards?

Review

Rally Arcade Classics is the best arcade racer you can pick up on PC. It has a fun ratro aesthetic that takes me back to the days I spent at arcades with a fun sound track to get me into the racing mood. The game runs very well. While it does feel like an arcade racer, I didn’t notice any game changing dips in performance. This is a game that fills its niche well. If you like rally cars and enjoy arcade racers, this needs to be in your library.

Personally, I felt the game was too repetitive. There is a grind as you work your way to faster cars. On one hand, this does a good job at easing players into the more complex mechanics of the more advanced races. On the other, it can get stale if you don’t love the car you’re driving or just want to go fast. I wish it let me experience other game modes without having to unlock so much, but there is also a good amount of content to work through.

This is a good arcade racer that is worth $20. If you like the aesthetic and don’t mind the grind, this should be in your library. I am pretty indifferent when it comes to racing games, but I enjoyed my time with Rally Arcade Classics.

You can pick up Rally Arcade Classics on Steam, Xbox, and PlayStation for $19.99.

video game reviews

Inertial Drift Review: Unique Racing Experience

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Disclaimer

I was sent a free copy of Inertial Drift to review for my blog. While I am very grateful for the opportunity, I won’t let it sway my opinion. This will be my honest review.

Shameless Self-Promotion

If you’re looking for a way to upgrade your aesthetic, check out my latest reviews for the Epomaker TH85, Epomaker HE68 Mag, Cypher81 or the KiiBoom Moonshadow V2. Check out my latest review of the Fifine M9 Microphone System and the Kiwi Ears Aventus Wireless Headset. If you’re buying anything from Amazon, feel free to use my affiliate link. It really helps me out if you do. If you’re looking for a VPN for some added protection, check out NordVPN through my affiliate link. You can also always buy me coffee!

What is Inertial Drift?

Inertial Drift is a twin stick arcade racer out now on Steam.

Hop into a nostolgic future where racing is life. Get behind the wheel of your favorite car and master the drift. Take on foes, beat set course records, and become the best racer in town. When your rubber hits the concrete, will it only be headlights in the rear view mirror?

Gameplay

Inertial Drift has a story that takes you through different courses, mastering different techiniques that will make you the ultimate racer. Each course has three modes: time attack, ghost mode, and a 1v1 race to the finish. Each course has players master a new mechanic, keeping things fresh as players progress through the story. What makes Inertial Drift unique are its twin stick mechanics for drifting. It is something you need to try to understand, but it makes it a fun arcade racer.

Review

I don’t like racing games too much. I will play them and enjoy the easier levels before I lose interest and forget I have them in my library. I haven’t hit that point with Inertial Drift yet. While the game is a little hard for skill level, I am a terrible driver, I find it hard to set down.

Booting up the game, I fell in love with the vibrant neon colors and the retro aesthetic. I love the car designs, and the game has a killer sound track. The story itself isn’t anything too special, but it does give the game its flavor. The main reason I stuck around however is the gameplay.

Inertial Drift is one of the most unique arcade racers I’ve played. The controls may take some time to get used to, but once you figure out the mechanics, it has one of the most satisfying driving experiences. Everything feels fast, quick and epic. I got the feeling that I was a cool street racer even though I never got close to being good. Most importantly, it runs great on the Steam Deck. I loved being able to play this game on the go because it wasn’t a huge commitment and it was a ton of fun.

I do want to say that this game made me want to rewatch Initial D, and I’m loving every minute of it. If you are looking for a fun arcade racer with a unique twist and cool looking cars, go pick up Inertial Drift.

You can pick up Inertial Drift on Steam for $19.99.

video game reviews

JDM: Rise of the Scorpion Might Be Your Next Racing Game

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I was sent the JDM: Rise of the Scorpion demo to cover on my blog. I understand this is a demo and will not be as critical. Regardless, these will be my honest initial impressions.

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What is JDM: Rise of the Scorpion?

JDM: Rise of the Scorpion is an arcade racing game coming PC via Steam and Epic Games store.

Scorpion wants to be the best racer in Japan and won’t let school or his parent’s expectations of him get in his way. Tune your car, master drifting, and race through the beautiful Guntama countryside to come out on top. Do you have what it takes?

Gameplay

The JDM demo offers players a prologue of the game, a small map to drive in, and a few missions to pick up. Players can drive around and enjoy the scenery as much as they want, or pick up a few races to progress through the prologue. The prologue is presented in a neat manga style, with reading tips for those not used to the format. Players will drive around, pick up races, and eventually tune up their car to be the perfect drifting machine.

Impressions

I may not be any good at JDM, but I enjoyed the game. The graphics are good, the physics are solid, and the racing feels good. I am not the biggest fan of racing games, but this title is slowly changing that opinion. I tried very hard to get better because I needed to unlock more of the story. The prologue did enough to hook me. I appreciate the novelty of the manga-style storytelling. It was an effective narrative tool, and it was a refreshing gimmick I hope to see in other games.

JDM: Rise of the Scorpion is a decent racing game with a cool setting that I need to see more. If you’re looking for a new racing game, definitely pick up the demo on Steam and Epic Games. Don’t forget to add it to your wishlist!

video game reviews

A Brazil Games Preview for GDC 2023

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I just received my press pass to attend GDC! If you like what I do and want to help me out, consider buying me the coffee I’ll need to get me through the week.

The Game Developer Conference is less than a week away, and I have been busy setting up interviews and other activities that I am not able to reveal to you at the moment.

What I can reveal is that I have the exciting opportunity to meet with the Brazil Game Delegation and try some of the games they have planned for release. Full disclosure, I was asked to write this post, but I wasn’t paid to do so. This post will be my honest impressions based on the materials I was shown. 

The Brazil Games delegation is a collection of 43 companies that are working to build the growing and vibrant gaming industry in Brazil and Latin America. I will be trying out Drakantos, a Pixel Art MMORPG by Wingeaon Game Studios, but I am hoping I can sneak in a few others. I am very excited to see what people from my side of the world bring to the table. Until then, let me tell you a bit about what they have planned for GDC.

Drakantos

I will be trying Drakantos at GDC. I was drawn to the title because I am always looking for a new MMO to get into. The art is cute, the voice acting is amazing, and the story seems interesting. I can see this game being successful for those who want an MMO that doesn’t feel like a second job. As long as there is a fun leveling experience, enough content to keep me busy, and an end game, I can see myself sinking hours into this game. It is too early to say for sure with how little I know about it now, but stay tuned for a recap.

BlackThorne Keep – Chronicles

The next game I am hoping to try out is Limiar Studio’s BlackThorne Keep – Chronicles. The game is an open-world RPG for the PC and PlayStation that promises skill-based combat. The game looks a bit clunky in the trailer, but with enough love, I can see this being a lot of fun. The biggest hurdle I can see this game having is that the world might be too open, the physics might not be good enough for the jumping puzzles, and the combat might just be button-mashing. So far, it is very reminiscent of Elder Scrolls, and if they can make that combat more fun, I am here for it. It is too early to have a real opinion based on the trailer alone, but I will be back once I get some first-hand experience. You can check it out on steam if you are curious.

Kriophobia

Fira Soft’s Kriophobia is a hand-drawn survival game that looks beautiful. I am not sure if I will be trying this game because I don’t do well with horror games, but it is one to keep on your watch list if you are 

a fan of horror. Based on the trailer, it seems to have some pretty terrifying exploration through a very eerie-looking setting. Based on the music and trailer alone, I am pretty terrified. I will try to make time for this game, but I don’t want to make any promises. Maybe I can find someone to play it for me. You can check it out on Steam if you are curious.

Galaxy Kart VR

If you like cartoon kart racers and have a VR headset, you need to keep an eye out for VR Monkey’s Galaxy Kart VR. I won’t be trying it because I don’t want to risk motion sickness with how busy my schedule is, but I’ll try to check it out. The characters are hilarious, the tracks look fun, and the racing combat is exactly what I want from a kart racer. If you like Mario Kart or any games like it, you should be looking into this game.

Lux Ex Cyber Initiation

Ilex Games is coming out with its sequel to Lux Ex. Lux Ex Cyber Initiation is a cyberhero shooter that promises better graphics and more levels. The amount of weapon choices and the procedural generation of levels promises a new experience each time you play through a level. I haven’t been a huge fan of these games because I am not smart enough, but if you are in the market for this kind of shooter, the music seems cool, and the gameplay seems solid. You can wishlist it on Steam.

Tower of Samsara – Hidden Treasures

Tower of Samsara – Hidden Treasures, also by Ilex Games, is a pixel art platformer coming to the PC and Xbox. I am not a huge fan of platformers so I might not try this one. That said, the art looks neat, and the combat and puzzles look interesting. Nothing against the game’s design, I just know that I lack the abilities to be successful in a game like this. That said, if you like platformers like Shovel Knight, Tower of Samsara might be worth getting into.

Wëiph: Reins of Fate

I will be trying to play Game Plan’s Wëiph: Reins of Fate. The art looks super cute, the music is fun, and you get to play as a cat. You play as an abandoned cat named Weiph through an adventure puzzle platformer that is sure to frustrate me, but I will probably cry at the end. It sort of feels like Ori:The Will of the Wisps with visual novel elements. The game is coming for the PC, Switch, Xbox, and PS5. I don’t think I am allowed to post video so here is some official art I pulled off the internet.

I don’t own this art

What the Duck

What The Duck is an action-adventure game by Seize Studios coming out for the PC and Nintendo Switch. It looks like it is going to be a goofy Zelda game. The game does look a bit clunky in the trailer, but I am willing to overlook this if the mechanics are fun. This looks to be one of those games that won’t take itself seriously. If it is as funny as I think it is, I am here for it.

Wizavior

Wizavior is a single-player 3D platformer coming to the PC, Switch, PS5, and Xbox in 2024. I wasn’t ready for how good the music is in the trailer. The art is also cute enough that I am willing to put my biases against platformers aside. I know this game is going to frustrate me, but I need to listen to the rest of this soundtrack. I am going to try to sneak a turn or at least have someone more competent play this for me. If you aren’t easily frustrated by 3D jumping puzzles, keep an eye out for Wizavior.

Mega Battle

Last but not least we have Cavylabs’ rogue-like deck builder, Mega Battle. I have a soft spot for card games and will be trying this game. What makes this deck builder unique is its mech-building mechanic. It looks like you will get the mech you to take into battle, and I gather that your deck is influenced by the type of parts you use. This is sure to open up the game to a diverse collection of strategies. It does look like a flash game which might turn some people off, but if the card game is fun, why should it matter? It is too early to tell from just the gameplay video, but hopefully, I can come back with a more concrete opinion.You can check it out on Steam.

In Closing

The games are listed in no particular order. I understand that it is unfair to judge the games without trying, so I will reserve my criticism for when I get to play the games. It is all getting more real with each day and I can’t help but to be overcome with excitement. With that, I am off to prep for some interviews.

*Feature Image by Rafael Javier from Pixabay

video game reviews

Video Game Review: Flashout 3

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I need to mention that this game was sent to me as a review code. While I am extremely grateful for the opportunity, this will be an honest review of the game.

Flashout 3 is a combat racing game similar to the F Zero games. This game is available for PC and VR. This review will be based on the PC version.

All images are from screenshots I took in game

I had a blast Flashout 3. The colors, the mechanics, and the music make for a fantastic experience. If you like arcade racing games, you should consider buying this game

The game has a story mode, but it only involves you completing the different circuits. There aren’t any cutscenes except the ones introducing the tracks. You choose from two racers and start with one car and a basic weapon loadout. You unlock more vehicles as you play the game and collect points. You collect points by damaging or destroying the other racers. There are four different types of races: elimination, time trial, destruction, and elimination. Each cup consists of a combination of the four types. The difficulty can be adjusted in the settings. I played on normal and believe it offered enough of a challenge for my skill set. Your mileage will vary.

The game is beautiful and very colorful. The tracks will wind and loop over a breathtaking futuristic landscape. Each track provides its own challenge, making some cars betters suited than others. I did encounter some visual bugs, but none of them were game-breaking. My favorite aspect of this game, however, is the soundtrack. Flashout 3’s collection of electronic is the perfect accompaniment for your race to the top. I am very tempted to buy the soundtrack.

The game offers keyboard, controller, and wheel support. I was partial to the controller because it fit my playstyle. Your mileage will vary. The concept is simple, but the load-outs, tracks, and AI are what make this game unique. It is your job to survive the chaos, but it is also your job to make sure you finish on top. The trick is to find the perfect balance of speed, weapons, and durability for each cup. There was enough variation in load-outs and maps to keep the gameplay from growing stale.

My only complaint is that there is no online multiplayer. It does offer local split-screen races, but I didn’t have anyone to play with, so I can’t speak on how well it runs. This game is worth the $20 bucks, especially if you enjoy battle racers. Check this game out on Steam!

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