Plot: What’s it about?
While there are a lot of excellent racing games on current consoles, fans of frantic, combat based kart racing have rather limited choices. But now you can add one more viable option, as SkyDrift is simply a blast. This racer takes place in the skies of course, but has the same power-up driven, arcade style associated with kart racers. The game is simple enough that a newcomer can jump in and fare well enough, but there are plenty of tricks of the trades you can learn as well. So you’ll be able to compete right from the start, but getting a handle on the shortcuts, power-up upgrades, and other such details will give you a nice edge over time. The racing feels great, with polished controls that always feel smooth and never frustrate. The feeling of speed is impressive, as you move at blinding speeds at times, but remain firmly in control. And you’ll need those responsive controls if you want to shave seconds off your nail-biting, full throttle runs through these courses.
I do wish SkyDrift offered more tracks, as only a handful are given here. You can race through each one in reverse to add some variance, but that is no substitute for additional courses. Even so, each one is well designed and you’ll have to spend a lot of time with them to uncover all the time saving secrets. The only other complaint I have is one that is universal to these kind of combat racers, which is the power-up system. Some of the weapons just don’t seem fair, but you’ll find that to be true in almost all these games, even the best ones. You’re able to store two different power-ups and in a nice option, switch between them at will. You also have an option in SkyDrift to hold on to your power-ups and collect a second one, which adds even more punch to the weapon. This adds some minor strategy to the races, as you ponder whether to loose a minor attack or save up for a more potent one instead. Overall, I found the combat side of SkyDrift to be rock solid, with the only quibbles being ones the entire genre suffers from.
The level of polish in SkyDrift is remarkable, as even the small touches have been fine tuned. This is most evident in the controls, visuals, and overall race mechanics. Doing a barrel roll at breakneck speed while scraping the sides of a canyon just feel awesome here, as even though this is an arcade style racer, there is still a sense of realism in atmosphere. This is what pulls you back to the tracks over and again, to discover what insane stunts will allow you to improve your performance. I also enjoyed being able to unlock various planes, as it is always fun to be able to look forward to new goodies. There are quite a few different designs to choose from, so you’re bound to find at least a couple that suit your tastes. While I did have issues with SkyDrift, they were minor at worst and had minimal impact on the entertainment the game provides. X-Box 360 doesn’t offer many options in terms of arcade style kart racers, but SkyDrift is one that fills that void quite well. So whether you want to be reckless or a perfectionist, SkyDrift is a great game and well worth the investment.
Video: How does it look?
This game has some impressive visuals, so don’t be surprised if you crash a few times while soaking in the detailed locales around the courses. When I spoke earlier about attention to detail and polish, this is never more true than when you look at SkyDrift’s visuals. The images are gorgeous, even when flying past you at a wild clip. The locations are beautiful, with more subtle visible touches than you can spot in several passes. This is especially cool because of how well integrated the locations are with your actual race paths, so these aren’t mere background details. This is simply a visually stunning game, it almost (almost!) makes you want to slow down to take it all in.
Audio: How does it sound?
The sound design here is rock solid, with enjoyable music and effective sound effects. The audio really adds to the feeling of speed as well, which is crucial here. While you might not notice some of the more subtle cues, they do register and help form the overall atmosphere for the experience. A great effort that adds a lot to the racing environment.
Supplements: What are the extras?
N/A
