Pacer

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 585 reviews
  • graphics
  • music
  • gameplay
Pacer Game Cover
Pacer is an adrenaline-fuelled racer with tons of replayability, and plenty of customisation options to make each win count.
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"Pacer" is a Science Fiction Sport game that offers a range of racing options, including local multi-player for up to 2 players, as well as single-player and PVP modes. The game features high-speed anti-gravity racing with four speed classes and various game modes such as Elimination, Endurance, and Flowmentum. With its skill-based racing and stunning visuals and soundtrack, "Pacer" provides a true test of player reflexes, strategy, and skill.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 585 reviews
graphics87 positive mentions
stability17 negative mentions
  • The game captures the essence of classic AG racing games like Wipeout, providing a nostalgic experience for fans.
  • Graphics and visuals are stunning, with detailed environments and smooth performance on high-end systems.
  • The handling of the ships is responsive and allows for a satisfying sense of speed, especially at higher speed classes.
  • The user interface is unclear and can be confusing, making navigation and understanding game mechanics difficult.
  • There are significant bugs and performance issues, including crashes and frame rate drops, which detract from the overall experience.
  • The game lacks content, with only a few tracks and ships available, leading to repetitive gameplay.
  • graphics215 mentions

    The graphics in Pacer are widely praised for their stunning visuals and detailed environments, showcasing a blend of futuristic and dystopian aesthetics that resonate with fans of the Wipeout series. Many reviewers highlight the use of Unreal Engine 4, which contributes to the game's smooth performance and high-quality textures, although some express concerns about occasional blurriness and inconsistent graphical settings. Overall, while the visuals are a strong point, they are sometimes overshadowed by gameplay issues and track design critiques.

    • “The graphics are really good and the soundtrack is good as well.”
    • “Unreal Engine 4 is used to great effect here; the graphics are amazing, solid, and detailed with high polygon models.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, and the tracks are wide, detailed, combined with the nice graphics; it's a pleasure to watch!”
    • “The graphics, while not 'bad', are simplistic to the point they wouldn't be out of place on a first generation Xbox.”
    • “The visuals are drab; everything seems to be a depressing dark brown or grey.”
    • “Frame rate drops make the game barely playable, with textures and overall visuals that my 6-year-old could rival with Crayolas.”
  • music210 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising the extensive soundtrack and the inclusion of tracks from notable artists like Cold Storage, while others find it bland and uninspired compared to classic titles like Wipeout. Many players appreciate the variety of electronic music styles, but some have noted issues with sound mixing, making the music difficult to hear during gameplay. Overall, while the soundtrack has its highlights, it often falls short of the high expectations set by its predecessors.

    • “There is a lot to like about Pacer - the art style, the customization, the emphasis on skill over randomness, and the soundtrack is pretty banging, too, even featuring some brand new tracks by Wipeout veteran Cold Storage.”
    • “The soundtrack is thumping from start to finish, with a wide range of electronic music styles, including drum and bass and techno.”
    • “The music is so good, you have no idea.”
    • “The lack of customization, extremely similar teams and craft performance, and poor music choices (along with the sound mixing) make the game feel flat.”
    • “The soundtrack and the whole sound are not good, boring and somehow missing something.”
    • “The music feels bland compared to the Wipeout games.”
  • gameplay129 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its smooth mechanics and track design, while others criticize it for lacking depth and memorable elements compared to classic titles like Wipeout. Players appreciate the balance in weapon upgrades and the overall visual appeal, but many express frustration with bugs, AI behavior, and the absence of engaging racing interactions. Overall, while the core racing experience is enjoyable for fans of the genre, it falls short in content and innovation, leading to a sense of repetitiveness.

    • “Mechanically, it's excellent, the game is silky smooth, and looks beautiful in Unreal.”
    • “The gameplay and speed feel great.”
    • “Gameplay is tight and rewarding, the vehicles and performance/weapon system is diverse yet surprisingly balanced, all tracks feel unique and challenging.”
    • “This bug has happened to me three times and I can't see myself playing it any further because of that risk of losing hours of gameplay and save data.”
    • “The downside is that, in order to maintain gameplay balance, basically all of the weapon mods are sidegrades which sacrifice one aspect of the weapon over boosting another, thus you never really feel like your ship is gaining any offensive power.”
    • “Everything about this game that should be simple is overly complicated and feels like a limp attempt to modernize gameplay that is begging to not be modernized.”
  • optimization108 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, including stuttering and frame rate drops, while others report smooth gameplay on mid-range hardware. Although developers have made strides in addressing early access concerns, many users still find the performance inconsistent and the customization options for ship upgrades vague and unhelpful. Overall, while there are positive aspects to the game's performance, it remains a point of contention among players.

    • “Considering this game came from the old Psygnosis team, there are some good parts to this game: good variation between the different ships, customization of cosmetics, ship performance, and weaponry, and really aesthetically pleasing environments.”
    • “With performance mods, you at least have bars in the ships' stats for speed, acceleration, braking, etc., that will show you the impact applying performance mods will have on your craft's overall performance.”
    • “Performance upgrades are there, but still - I recommend being at minimum or better for this game to be playable reliably.”
    • “The garage menu, where weapon and performance upgrades are purchased and equipped, can't even be navigated with a controller because as soon as you purchase an item, all controller inputs are rendered inoperable aside from the right analog stick, meaning you need to click on the item you just purchased with the mouse in order to back out of the menu.”
    • “Performance issues are a major, serious problem with this game.”
    • “The performance is poor on my computer (RX460 OC, i7 Haswell, 8GB RAM).”
  • story23 mentions

    The game's story is criticized for its lack of depth and world-building, with many missions feeling like a series of challenges rather than a cohesive narrative. While some players appreciate the entertaining introduction to mechanics, they express a desire for more memorable characters and background stories to enhance immersion. Overall, the story is seen as a work in progress that could benefit from further development and context.

    • “Entertaining story that introduces the mechanics to you.”
    • “In the end, I'm at least thankful this project materialized into something, unlike most games that start out with the same kind of story beats.”
    • “This title deserves its own recognition since it has a distinct personality and an original story that’s pretty much still a work in progress.”
    • “Some of the other reviews also point to lack of story and how the campaign is a series of challenges instead of races.”
    • “If I could single out one main area that needs improvement, it's the story and world-building, or lack thereof.”
    • “Career mode needs something to make the teams be more memorable, like an introductory video that plays when you sign up for a team introducing it, or a background story or something.”
  • stability21 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant bugs, glitches, and performance issues, particularly with menus, audio, and UI navigation. While some players experience smooth gameplay without crashes, others encounter frequent minor freezes and odd design choices that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game shows potential but requires substantial optimization and bug fixes to enhance stability.

    • “Runs great even on low-end PCs.”
    • “I encountered no glitches, crashes, or bugs that would interfere with the smoothness of the gameplay in Formula Fusion.”
    • “Game runs great on AMD Crossfire or NVIDIA GPU.”
    • “Pretty fun, but poor weapons balancing and really buggy.”
    • “So buggy and glitchy, especially when the race ended.”
    • “Audio glitches are regular, player ship falls through the track, the HUD needs work, and optimization needs a lot of work (consistent low FPS across all setting levels).”
  • atmosphere7 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by bright, luminous lighting and a well-designed dystopian environment that enhances the racing experience. Players appreciate the variety in track design and the immersive feeling of zero gravity, reminiscent of classic titles like Wipeout, though some feel it lacks the intense atmosphere that defined those earlier games. Overall, the combination of engaging visuals, music, and environment contributes significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “Lighting is bright and luminous, popping from the screen, all adding to the atmosphere in this dystopian future setting.”
    • “The OST added hugely to the experience, and when combined with everything else, you have an incredible, atmospheric, futuristic, intense racing game.”
    • “If there's one thing anti-grav racing shines on, it's the feeling of zero gravity while tunneling through the atmosphere.”
    • “I like the vehicle designs, some more than others, but they are all fantastic. I also like the track design, the environment, atmosphere, and even with only 8 tracks, there is still a feeling of variety because they are inverted and mirrored, and every once in a while, some new track pops out to prevent monotony.”
    • “What initially drew me towards this game was the interesting layout of tracks, environment design, and atmosphere, along with high-speed racing.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    Players express a sense of frustration and heartbreak with the game's mechanics, particularly in a race where the odds feel stacked against them due to strict health and performance requirements. The narrow track design and punishing controls contribute to a feeling of helplessness, making the experience emotionally taxing as players struggle to meet challenging objectives.

    • “Heartbreaking, really.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding mechanics in the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the challenge it presents, many feel that the frequent wall collisions and narrow tracks detract from the overall enjoyment, making races feel tedious and frustrating. The need to return to the main menu for new races adds to the sense of monotony, and the lack of clear information complicates the learning curve.

    • “Most tracks just don't feel fun; oftentimes there are narrow turns or snaking paths that have you grinding on the rails frequently.”
    • “Requiring players to go back to the main menu to set up another race is tedious.”
    • “Despite ships handling quite snappily, at those speeds it's impossible to run a clean lap without hitting and grinding against walls.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Users generally find the replayability of the game lacking, with some suggesting that it does not offer enough engaging content to encourage repeated playthroughs. The mention of "score attack" indicates a desire for more competitive or varied gameplay elements to enhance replay value. Overall, the consensus leans towards disappointment in this aspect.

    • “The replay value is also lacking.”
    • “Please, do yourself a favor and try something more playable like Ballistic.”
    • “Score attack for replay value.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is noted to be somewhat unintentional, with players finding amusement in the game's shortcomings, such as its interface and performance issues. Despite these flaws, some users still find enjoyment in the gameplay, particularly on the limited number of racing tracks available.

    • “The funny thing is, lowering the settings seemed to make it worse.”
    • “The interface is still rather light, hinting that the previous wipeout game itself would be laughing at it.”
    • “In its current state, it's now funny to play, especially with three good racing tracks.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The game features a commendable monetization strategy, avoiding microtransactions for essential content and instead offering free DLC and addons. Future plans include a "Rocket League model," where gameplay-related content remains free, while aesthetic items will be available for purchase as microtransactions.

    • “Good job, guys! Work hard on finishing the game and no microtransactions—yay for free DLC and add-ons! That's a smart move, and I will be supporting you in the future!”
    • “Plans for a 'Rocket League model' DLC will be implemented to always provide ship, track, and card mods for free, while aesthetic DLC will be microtransactions.”
    • “Plans for a 'Rocket League model' DLC will be implemented to always provide ship/track and card mods for free, while aesthetic DLC will be microtransactions.”
    • “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as essential content is locked behind paywalls, making it frustrating for players who don't want to spend extra money.”
    • “It's disappointing to see that the game relies heavily on microtransactions, which detracts from the overall experience and makes it feel like a cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

69% average critic score

Buy Pacer

Play time

6hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
2-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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