[section_title title=Gameplay]
Gameplay
Computer setup:
CPU:Â Intel, i5-4430 @ 3.0ghz
Motherboard:Â ASUS H81-Plus
RAM:Â 16GB DDR3 1600MHz
GPU:Â Sapphire 290x Tri-X 4gb
PSU:Â Corsair CX750m
VR Headset: Oculus Rift DK1
The races themselves are all set on a cord that you race along. Sometimes the cord is broken exposing an electrical arc that kills you on contact. Occasionally the cord explodes into a few separate tracks, some easier to navigate than others. These exploded cord sections play like a “but in VR” version of Night Driver, limited vision and trying to stay between two markers to avoid death. It was fun in the 70’s but here it serves as a minor nausea inducer.
Other parts of the tracks themselves are well designed for VR use, with different sections of the track visible wherever you look. In one particular race the track wrapped around itself multiple times and I could see racers wherever I looked. Opponents ahead of you are easy to see thanks to a ring around the race cord, it’s a neat method to stop those “Why did I get first?” moments.
The downsides are that every trick and idea is introduced in the very first two races, there is nothing else in the bag. Boostpads are green, slowdown walls are red, boost refills are a light blue mist. If the AI escalated then there’d be a challenge, but sadly if you’ve played one race and won you’ll win everything but the boss races without any need to memorise boostpad locations.
Added to the small number of tracks is the limited variety in vehicles in Radial-G; just three at the start with a fourth available when you complete career mode. There is a multiplayer mode to add more life to the game, and AI racers will fill in as needed. Racing the AI in multiplayer does not reward you with XP, for that you need real players. During my time playing there was never anyone else to play with so my XP meter stubbornly stayed at 0.
