Future Racer 2000
- May 22, 2023
- Tim Oxton
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Future Racer 2000" is a retro-themed racing game with a synthwave soundtrack and 80's bedroom setting. Compete against 7 computer players and interact with a variety of nostalgic objects, including a state-of-the-art synthesizer and vintage console. The game offers a unique first-person view and takes approximately 30-40 minutes to complete. Note: the "F" key is labeled as "IT DOESN'T WORK" in the racing controls.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and surreal horror experience, blending creative storytelling with atmospheric visuals and sound design.
- Players appreciate the game's brevity, noting that it doesn't overstay its welcome and effectively builds tension throughout its short runtime.
- The voice acting and 80s-inspired aesthetics contribute to an immersive experience, making it a standout title in the indie horror genre.
- Some players experienced bugs and glitches that hindered gameplay, such as issues with interaction mechanics and progress checkpoints.
- The game is quite short, which left some players wanting more content and a more fleshed-out story.
- While the horror elements are praised, a few players found the game not as scary as they had hoped, with some aspects feeling familiar or predictable.
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive and eerie qualities, enhanced by impressive graphics and sound design. Reviewers highlight the effective use of music to build tension and a sense of mystery, creating a captivating experience that draws players in without relying on cheap scares. Overall, the combination of aesthetic elements and a compelling narrative contributes to a memorable and atmospheric gameplay experience.
“The aesthetics are king here, with the art and atmosphere being great, especially for such a small area to cover while playing.”
“Great mysterious atmosphere with good music.”
“The music does an excellent job of creating the atmosphere and letting you know that something is not quite right -- and that it is time to start panicking!!”
“The atmosphere is lacking depth and feels overly generic, failing to immerse me in the game world.”
“While the graphics are decent, the atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The game tries to create a tense atmosphere, but it often falls short, leaving me feeling disconnected from the experience.”
- story12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its well-crafted narrative, immersive setting, and strong voice acting, creating a haunting atmosphere that resonates with themes of dread and surrealism. While some players desire a more fleshed-out plot, the concise storytelling effectively builds tension and unease, making it a compelling experience for fans of horror without excessive jump scares. Overall, the story is seen as interesting and mysterious, with relatable elements that echo real-world experiences.
“The story is well-crafted, and the setting, dialogues, descriptions, and voice acting make the game truly immersive.”
“If you're a fan of horror but not a fan of jumpscares, if you like surrealism and subtle insidious dread, and if you like games where the heart and passion for the art, the story, and the whole project is palpable, you'll love this game.”
“This game did a great job of taking a simple story with resonant themes and creating a small, vivid world crammed full of interesting details and haunting art.”
“I do wish there were far more and also wish the story were fleshed out (I'm a fan of these world-ending parasite stories).”
“Casually it has a really relatable story to the COVID experiences and has some really good jump scares.”
“A feeling of uneasiness starts to simmer and tension slowly begins building as the story progresses.”
- music11 mentions
- 82 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many reviewers praising its catchy and immersive qualities, particularly in relation to the 80s theme. The soundtrack is described as impressive and unsettling, effectively contributing to the game's mysterious and tense moments. Overall, the music is considered a standout element that elevates the gaming experience.
“Very nice concept (the 80s theme works so well) and the music is amazing as well.”
“The music does an excellent job of creating the atmosphere and letting you know that something is not quite right -- and that it is time to start panicking!!”
“Tim did an amazing job with the music and graphics with an unsettling undertone all around it... it's refreshing to see this kind of game in the pool of indie games.”
- graphics9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 11 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are highly praised for their impressive aesthetics and atmospheric design, effectively capturing an 80s vibe with low-polygon and high-contrast visuals. Reviewers highlight the unique art style, detailed rendering, and the successful integration of music and sound effects, contributing to a tense and immersive experience. Overall, the game stands out in the indie scene for its high-quality graphics and engaging atmosphere.
“The aesthetics are king here, with the art and atmosphere being great, especially for such a small area to cover in gameplay.”
“Love the graphical detail that just makes it feel like you're back in the 80's!”
“The aesthetics are king here, with the art and atmosphere being great, especially for such a small area to cover while playing.”
“I played the demo and fell in love with the atmosphere and the graphic rendering; saying that I'm eagerly awaiting it is an understatement.”
“80's atmosphere, low-polygon and high-contrast graphics, modern scare effects, walking simulator in a mysterious space... in short, high-end indie horror!”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is engaging and effectively utilizes a unique touch navigation mechanic that enhances the experience, though some players noted issues with interaction mechanics, confusing level layouts, and occasional bugs. While these distractions are not game-breaking, they can hinder progression, particularly with new mechanics introduced later in the game. Overall, the gameplay is reminiscent of classic NES and Atari titles, offering a nostalgic yet fresh experience.
“Absolutely adore the engaging gameplay of an old classic NES/Atari 7200 game!”
“The mechanic around navigating by touch is extremely effective, and I love the visual representation of it and how nerve-wracking it is.”
“It's not perfect -- a few details like the interaction mechanics, confusing level layout, and a couple of bugs were a bit distracting, but certainly not game-breaking for me.”
“Edit: replayed it and could not progress past the second time I had to go to the breaker box with the new camera mechanic (I could get past this when the game had that purple night vision mode).”
“I don't want to spoil too much of the plot because it's narrated excellently and clearly, even though there isn't an answer to every single thing we'll see during the gameplay.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is praised for its seamless blend of 80's style wit and spooky elements, creating a unique atmosphere that balances both comedy and horror. Players appreciate the disturbing yet funny environmental details and clever writing that enhance the overall experience.
“The quality and humor are wonderful, 80's style with synth mixed in.”
“It hops from humor to spooky to synthy coolness really seamlessly; looks great and plays really well.”
“Everywhere I turned, I found disturbing environmental vignettes, bits of genuinely funny writing, and thoughtful character details.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Users have reported encountering several bugs and glitches, indicating that the game's stability may be an issue.
“However, I did run into a few bugs and glitches.”
