A.I.M. Racing
- January 21, 2010
- NeoRetroGames
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"A.I.M Racing is a thrilling drone racing game set in a universe where AI wage war through championships. With over 30 unique vehicles and diverse tracks featuring day-night cycles and varying weather conditions, this game offers a wide range of racing experiences. Priced at $2.99 on Steam and GOG, it's a steal for any racing enthusiast."
PC
Windows
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic racing games, particularly for fans of the genre.
- Unique ship designs and decent map layouts contribute to an enjoyable racing experience, especially with friends.
- Despite its flaws, the game can be fun and intense, especially when played with a controller.
- The game suffers from outdated graphics and lacks support for modern display resolutions, making it feel unpolished.
- Controls are often unresponsive and poorly designed, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- The AI is unbalanced and can feel unfair, making it difficult to compete and enjoy the racing experience.
- graphics8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered decent, especially for its 2007 release, with pleasing colors and visuals that hold up reasonably well. However, some users note that the graphics feel outdated and are not optimized, leading to a mixed reception overall. While they are satisfactory for casual play, the control scheme detracts from the overall experience.
“For a 2007 game, the graphics and colors are pleasing to the eye.”
“Nice graphics, especially considering the year the game was released, but, unfortunately, not very optimized.”
“The graphics are pretty good, should get good results even with a low-end graphics card.”
“While this is on PC, it has all the hallmarks and deficiencies of a console game, from the clunkier than needed control scheme to the less than cutting edge graphics.”
“Graphics are old.”
“Graphics were alright, and I would probably leave this installed for a time killer game, but the controls ruined it for me.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Gameplay is generally praised for its enjoyable mechanics and well-designed map layouts, reminiscent of classic racing games. However, some players criticize the unstable physics engine and certain map designs, which can detract from the overall experience. Power-ups add an engaging element to matches, though evading opponents can feel frustratingly predetermined.
“Really good gameplay, and great map layouts.”
“The mechanics of the game are fun.”
“The mechanics of the game itself will remind you of Star Wars pod racing mixed with the unfair elements of maybe Mario Kart SNES.”
“Unstable physics engine and poorly designed maps aren't exactly the best combination.”
“The mechanics of the game feel like a mix of Star Wars Pod Racing and the unfair elements of Mario Kart on SNES.”
“Evading their pursuit feels fruitless and more like an inevitable mechanic of the programming.”
- music4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game features unique original soundtracks for each location, enhancing the imaginative universe, though some users noted flaws such as unbalanced ships and OST errors. Additionally, a music volume slider is available, but opinions on the quality of the music itself are mixed, with some players describing it as bad.
“Each location was also made unique by having its own specific original soundtrack to accompany it, adding to an imaginative universe.”
“Yes, it has some flaws such as unbalanced ships or some OST errors.”
“There is a music volume slider available.”
“Bad music.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is inconsistent; while it can run on low-end systems, it lacks support for modern display resolutions and has not been updated for smoother performance on contemporary gaming PCs. Despite its appealing graphics for its release year, players note that overall optimization is lacking.
“It's a great game, well optimized (can run on the worst rotten potatoes).”
“Nice graphics, especially considering the year the game was released.”
“Nice graphics, especially considering the year the game was released, but unfortunately, it is not very optimized.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story revolves around humanity's experimentation with artificial intelligence, leading to the creation of mobile war machines known as 'gliders,' which are operated by artificial brains called 'mechminds.' This premise sets the stage for a narrative that explores the consequences of technological advancements and their impact on society.
“What actually happened is a completely different story.”
“Basically, the story set up in these versions is that mankind was playing around with artificial intelligence and creating mobile war machines called 'gliders', which were in turn controlled by artificial brains in a capsule called 'mechminds'.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has notable stability issues, with frequent bugs causing players' gliders to freeze in confined areas, often requiring a complete restart to continue.
“But remember, this game can be buggy at times.”
“The game just freezes your glider in a trapped small area, and you never respawn back on the map. Instead, many times you will need to restart.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling it exploits nostalgia rather than offering genuine value, suggesting it capitalizes on abandoned titles for profit.
“This seems to have been put on Steam as a nostalgia gouge, or just a cash grab to try to profit from abandonware.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it prioritizes profit over player experience.”
“I can't believe how many microtransactions are crammed into this game; it feels like they are more focused on making money than delivering a quality experience.”
