It's no Burnout, but Split/Second is a very well-made racer.
-The explosive racing gameplay
-The very detailed graphics
-The wide range of events
The bad:
-You can't boost
-The ending is way off
Overview:
I just recently downloaded Split/Second, and I've gotta say, it is one of the better racers I've played. It's very stylish and the power play mechanic is unique.
Story:
The setting is simple: You're a pro stunt driver on a TV show called Split/Second. You race through 12 episodes to become crowned the season champ. The simple setting provides a great way to integrate the explosive detonations that can change the race entirely. My only gripe, however, is about the ending, where *SPOILERS AHEAD!!!* the set is wrecked and taken over by a rival TV crew and the Split/Second crew are driven off. A wrecking ball swings toward a fixed camera and the screen goes black, displaying only the words "TO BE CONTINUED". I actually suggested the way to begin the next game to Blackrock Studios, in which (in my idea) you would first drive through the rival TV set where the Split/Second crew had placed powerplays and totally wreck their cameras, announcer's booths, and set. *END SPOILERS*
Gameplay:
The gameplay is also gratifyingly simple. There are only six controls you actually need to use: gas, brake, turn left, turn right, power play, and super power play. A power play occurs when you fill up the meter behind your car and cause something to explode, cause a shortcut to open, or even change the route. This simple gimmick is what pushes Split/Second along, and it actually works really well. I enjoyed the variety of ways to smash up your rivals, from dropping a dump truck to derailing a train to causing an airplane to crash into the track. Another interesting part about the game was the variety of game modes, from a standard race to a standard elimination to a twist on standard time attack where all the powerplays on the track go off as you drive. There's even a mode where a helicopter fires missiles at you. It's all livened up with the game's amazing graphics, and the slowed-down 30fps frame rate makes it feel like a real TV show. If there's any thing wrong with it, it's that the game is too short, and the PC version has no downloadable content available...yet.
Conclusion:
If you don't care about funky story twists (which I really don't) and like to blow @#$# up, you'll love Split/Second. If you own the PS3 or 360 versions, I hate you because you can get the DLC. On the PC, I can't, and there's a whole bunch of great stuff coming out in October 2010. Anyway, it's a great game. Go get it now.