I have never been a big fan of racing games however when IAH Games mentioned that they were bringing Top Speed to the english speaking community, I was interested in it, especially since Mario Kart Wii was out around the same time and I was enjoying that. The beta began last Saturday (5th July) at 00:00 as it will do for the next few weekends. Here is my review of it.
Graphics: The graphics are definately above average. Not the best that a game can have however, it is very high quality for a racing game. There are some very good character costumes available ingame however the male costumes are quite lacking at the moment while there are a good amount of female costumes previewed that look rather good. Hopefully in the full version there will be much more available in terms of character customisation. The level designs on the other hand are split up into different categories, each with a different theme of track which are decorated very well according to its respective category.
Sound: There was a relatively small soundtrack in the game due to two reasons:
- It is a closed beta and they would not expect people to download a huge file for something that would not last many weeks.
- Just like what some Audition games are having, they have to obtain licenses for certain songs to be played.
However, the small soundtrack available in the game suited the levels well and it makes me look forward to what is to come with the in-game soundtrack.
Gameplay: There are currently 4 gameplay modes in the game. Solo/Team Item and Speed Races. In the Solo races, it is each individual player to themselves while in the team races, the racers are split up into equal groups of four. Speed races are similar to the time trial races in Mario Kart where you race around a track without using any items. What makes it different is that you can drift and if you time it right without mistakes, you can get a slight speed boost and once the N2O gague is full, you get a speed item. The Item Races on the other hand are set out similar to the speed race (Minus the N2O gague) but allow some very weird items including the giant pink poo which blocks the path to the tornado item which covers the course with a moving tornado. These can be upgraded for higher quality versions of items.
Also, you are completely in control with how you want your kart to look and drive using many different Bodies, Engines, tails etc which each increase one or more of the states on the kart. There is simply too much in the game to explain it here.
Overall Score:
Graphics: 4 (B)
Sound: 3 (C)
Gameplay: 4.5 (A)
Overall: 3.8 (B)
Overall Review
I would recommend this game to anyone who likes racing games or is a casual gamer however people who don’t enjoy them, then you might want to look for another game as it is a mix of Mario Kart and General Racing Games. Take a look at the main site and join in the fun to be in the running for weekly point and real life prizes which can help give you the edge once the game reaches OBT phase after the CBT ends.
