Screamer

Screamer is a pure shot of adrenaline. Learning the game's intricacies rewards players with an exhilarating, aggressive, and action-packed experience. With its engrossing storyline and anime aesthetic, Screamer is sure to captivate players.

84%Game Brain Score

story, gameplay

character development, grinding

84% User Score Based on 445 reviews

Critic Score 84%Based on 7 reviews

Platforms

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About

Screamer is a single player and multiplayer arcade racing game with a anime theme. It was developed by Milestone S.r.l. and was released on March 26, 2026. It received positive reviews from both critics and players.

A reason to race Longing, ambition, vengeance. Everyone has a reason to enter the Screamer tournament, and no one’s backing down. Join the competition and race side by side with fearless drivers, ready to push past every limit to chase what they believe in. The Screamers Five teams. Five reasons to risk it all – on and off the track. Soldiers, scientists, criminals, superstars, and ruthless magna…

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84%

Audience ScoreBased on 445 reviews

story94 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

Unique twin-stick drifting controls provide a fresh and satisfying arcade racing experience with a high skill ceiling once mastered.
Stylish cyberpunk anime art direction, detailed car designs, and a fantastic, energetic soundtrack that elevates the racing atmosphere.
A substantial single-player campaign with a character-driven story featuring native language voice acting, combined with rich customization options and various game modes including split-screen multiplayer.

The story mode has pacing issues due to frequent lengthy visual novel-style dialogue segments, which some players find tedious and disruptive to the racing flow.
AI difficulty and rubberbanding can be inconsistent and frustrating, with some races feeling unfairly challenging due to AI behavior and attack mechanics.
High price point for the content offered, making it difficult to justify full price for many players; also, online multiplayer suffers from low population and occasional technical issues.

story
469 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
74%
6%
The game features a surprisingly deep and lengthy story mode for a racing game, presented mainly through anime-style visual novel segments with some animated cutscenes and full voice acting. While the story is praised for its ambition, character depth, and world-building, many find its pacing uneven, dialogue excessive, and presentation somewhat off-putting or slow, making it a divisive element that some players enjoy and others find tedious or disruptive to the racing experience. Overall, it stands out in the racing genre for integrating an involved narrative but may not appeal to those seeking straightforward racing gameplay.
- “The story mode is about a tournament of which the game takes its title from, and will take you for episodic drives filled with drama between the participants, all with their own reasons for joining. The game does a pretty nice job at presenting it to you through visual novel-style dialogues and cel-shaded anime-style cutscenes, all fully voiced with many different languages in one go.”
- “While the surprisingly beefy story mode (taking about 20ish hours to complete) isn't particularly groundbreaking (other than it being a rare racing game that actually puts effort into a plot), the way it weaves between the swapping perspectives of 15 player characters makes them all genuinely interesting and sympathetic—a genuine feat.”
- “It's a story-driven arcade racing game that blends high-speed action with anime-inspired storytelling and a unique combat-driven gameplay system. It mixes arcade racing, anime storytelling, and combat mechanics into something that genuinely feels different.”
- “The story and characters are a huge part of this game, and frankly, other than Kagawa-Kai and the mechanic, the story is absolute butt cheeks so far.”
- “The story is utter nonsense with annoying characters that talk endlessly just for the sake of talking.”
- “[✖] Story: So much filler. The story is your usual anime themed campaign where you have two main groups/characters talk to each other, but the lip sync on them is just puppet-style animation with no motion; for a $60 game, you couldn't even have proper lip sync like older games.”
- “The story was downright boring and confusing due to constantly switching characters with little to no warning, and the visual novel scenes were mid at best.”
- “Constantly interrupting races for story kills any flow to the race and becomes increasingly frustrating.”
- “I keep having to skip the story to get to the racing itself since the story scenes are brutal.”
gameplay
271 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
71%
3%
The gameplay features a distinctive twin-stick drifting system combined with combat mechanics like boosting, striking, and defending, creating fast-paced, chaotic, and highly rewarding races once mastered. While the mechanics have a steep learning curve and may feel unintuitive or overwhelming at first, the game gradually introduces them through the story mode, offering depth, challenge, and a high skill ceiling that appeals to fans of arcade racing looking for a unique and satisfying experience. Some players find the controls and pacing off-putting, but overall the gameplay is praised for its originality, intensity, and blend of racing and combat elements.
- “The core driving mechanic - a twin-stick drifting system - is unusual at first but quickly becomes the backbone of the entire experience.”
- “Combined with the game’s combat mechanics, where boosting, attacking, and defending all play a role, races become fast, chaotic, and consistently engaging.”
- “It easily stands as one of the most mechanically satisfying arcade racers in the genre, especially once you reach the latter half of the game when all of its systems, tracks, and cars are revealed and work together.”
- “The gameplay, however, is confusing, unforgiving and unfun.”
- “All the micromanagement does get cumbersome though and does impact the flow of gameplay; some tracks just do not flow well with the boost/strike mechanic at all and it just ends up as a wallriding simulator which is annoying especially with online matches, it very much feels like Mario Kart that requires braking.”
- “The core racing mechanic having one stick for turning and one stick for drifting is a cool concept but doesn't work at all here.”
music
139 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
52%
2%
The game's music is widely praised for its energetic, high-octane soundtrack that perfectly complements the racing action and distinct team personalities, often described as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. The diverse genres range from electronic and drum and bass to Japanese pop and rock, with each faction having unique, memorable themes that keep players engaged. While generally lauded as powerful, stylish, and immersive, a few users find the soundtrack repetitive or somewhat bland, but the overwhelming consensus highlights the music as a major strength and a key reason to enjoy the game.
- “The soundtrack is nothing short of superb, and something that should be listened to even if you don't buy the game.”
- “The music, I can't even describe how good the OST is; every team and member has their own theme and genres, and the menus just bop—high octane and energetic. It just screams to me: jump in another race (pun intended).”
- “The soundtrack is peak; I am currently listening to it as I'm writing this. Each team in the game has their own theme that is reflected in the soundtrack, but there are also some more generic tracks in the OST that reflect what is happening in the game or story.”
- “The biggest downside for now is the OST - it's just bland EDM music with some guitar riffs here and there.”
- “The music could be better, though.”
- “Soundtrack 6/10”
graphics
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
50%
3%
The game's graphics receive widespread praise for their stunning, distinctive cyberpunk-inspired art style, vibrant visuals, and well-designed cars and environments that evoke a nostalgic arcade racing vibe. While the graphics are visually impressive and artistically cohesive, some users note demanding performance requirements at high settings and occasional minor bugs, though optimization on various hardware is generally good. Overall, the art direction is a key highlight, deeply enhancing the game's unique atmosphere and appeal.
- “The art style and graphics are incredibly stunning, though very demanding; the game features absolutely sick fictionalized cyberpunk car designs that ooze personality and polish.”
- “Every design decision pulls you in: the art style, the visual flair, and the music come together perfectly for a genuinely thrilling experience.”
- “The visuals are awesome with unique, vibrant tracks and perfectly fitting cyberpunk aesthetics, running smoothly at 60 fps with options to optimize graphics settings.”
- “The background does not match the art style of the character art style at all and looks very out of place, as for the actual game, I'd say it's visually pleasing and very vibrant for the most part.”
- “Random graphics bugs and so on.”
- “It may require bumping down to medium graphics or jumping down to 1080p to get a stable 60fps.”
optimization
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
79%
8%
Optimization for the game is mixed, with some users experiencing smooth performance at high settings and others facing significant issues, especially on less powerful systems or in intense scenarios. DLSS and FSR solutions help improve frame rates, but stability problems and performance drops remain a concern for certain setups. Overall, the game is reasonably well-optimized but could benefit from further improvements to ensure consistent performance across all hardware.
- “Performance is smooth on my system, upscaled 4k 120-165fps depending on quality settings.”
- “Absolutely stellar visuals with little to no performance problems on my machine.”
- “Performance wise it runs fine and I'm able to run this at 60 fps on all high settings at native resolution, so that's nice.”
- “It's not a limitation of my PC, it's a poorly optimized game.”
- “Also if you restart a race the performance drops worse each time.”
- “I have a gaming laptop and performance is where I kinda have to draw the line... I know my limitations but UE5 games have got to be more optimized than this.”
stability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The game demonstrates excellent stability, running smoothly across various platforms including PC and Steam Deck with minimal bugs or crashes. It is well-optimized, delivering a consistent and reliable experience even during extended play sessions. Minor issues like screen switching when alt-tabbing are noted but do not significantly impact overall stability.
- “It runs great on my PC, it looks great, and it can run just fine on a Steam Deck, so it's well optimized.”
- “The game runs great on my hardware, and I only had one isolated crash throughout the entire main story and other modes during my review.”
- “Also runs great on Steam Deck and it's a perfect handheld game along with looking fantastic on PC.”
emotional
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
88%
13%
The game delivers a fresh and engaging emotional experience through its layered characters and story depth, despite some criticism of filler content and limited character animations. Its intense gameplay, likened to a "fighting game with wheels," adds tension and excitement that enhances emotional investment. While not perfect in narrative presentation, the campaign offers a meaningful and immersive arcade racing experience.
- “The story is super engaging with its layered characters and the emotional depths it dares to venture.”
- “But they are great, they are high quality, they are emotional and calm when needed.”
- “I say all that to say yes this is an "arcade" racing game... but no this is not an "easy" racing game, there are two sentiments I have heard in multiple early access reviews that instantly helped me understand this game much better, the 1st is that "this is a fighting game with wheels" and it's a pretty solid metaphor, the more you play the more that makes sense & 2nd is a comparison, I have seen a lot of people comparing this game to Need for Speed, Burnout and even Mario Kart etc but in reality "whilst you do have wheels that are touching the floor, it is almost purely aesthetic" this game is way closer to an anti-gravity racer than anything else, your mind might go to Wipeout or F-Zero when hearing that but for me if we're talking pure handling, I think Redout 2 is the closest comparison in my eyes.”
character development
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The game features well-crafted and visually engaging character designs, enhanced by collaborations with notable artists, contributing to a focused and appealing aesthetic. The narrative includes complex interpersonal conflicts, drama, and layered storylines that add depth to character development. However, opinions on voice acting and emotional engagement are mixed, with some finding certain characters irritating or the delivery lacking.
- “There's conflict among characters, interpersonal drama, an interweaving narrative, swearing, murder, revenge plots, conspiracies, great character designs with interesting concepts and ideas that are actually thought out and not at all phoned in.”
- “The game is beautiful, and the character designs are engaging.”
- “Character designs are focused and well put together.”
- “Character design and voice acting 5/10”
- “Aisha has a feeling of hatred, Hina is annoying, but the rest of the characters are fitting.”
- “Besides collaborating with Polygon and Plumehead, Milestone hired freelance artists like Koyorin to work on the game's character designs.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Grinding is a significant part of the game, primarily due to varied car handling and the need to unlock characters and parts, which can feel tedious in story and career modes. However, some players enjoy challenge mode for its repetitive play, while customization is somewhat limited by randomized part rewards, making progression slower and more grind-heavy.
- “With each driver's car handling being completely different, I'm stuck grinding through the story mode to unlock all the characters just to find the one I want to use as my main car (I am aware of the alternative route with the challenges).”
- “The story itself is fine, but the way it's told and how the career mode pans out is kind of tedious.”
- “The parts you need are locked by playing the game (that's perfect) but are all randomized. After beating the game, it's just tedious to get the parts you need.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The atmosphere is consistently praised for its captivating blend of story, music, and art style, creating an immersive and passionate experience. Reviewers highlight the authentic, nostalgic tone and intense tension that elevate the overall mood beyond typical games.
- “Story, music, atmosphere all 10/10.”
- “Really great gameplay and interesting art style; the atmosphere is peak with even the menus having that old school arcade racer tone.”
- “The tension is real, and the atmosphere is thicker than the dust under Richard's favorite chair.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally praised for its genuinely funny dialogue, especially in the early parts, adding charm and entertainment to the experience. However, some players feel the humor can sometimes become overwhelming or lose its effect. Overall, the humor complements the story well, balancing intensity with lighthearted moments.
- “The dialogue, especially in the earlier parts, is genuinely funny and keeps you engaged until the plot becomes interesting.”
- “The story mode ranges from intense to funny to charming, creating a real and earned feeling throughout.”
- “The humor adds a charming touch to the immersive story mode, making the overall experience satisfying.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
100%
Users criticize the game's monetization for expensive cosmetic microtransactions and lament the industry trend away from classic arcade racing towards open-world, live-service models laden with FOMO and aggressive monetization. However, they suggest that fair cosmetic offerings could be accepted if reasonably priced and supportive of the game.
- “If they want monetization to support the game, players will happily spend for in-game cosmetics.”
- “I'm disappointed by the pricey cosmetic microtransactions.”
- “Obviously people are mentioning comparisons with Blur and Burnout because we miss those games and big AAA studios aren't taking the risk by developing arcade racing experiences anymore. Nowadays everything needs to be open world, full of microtransactions, FOMO, games-as-a-service oriented game design and other kinds of BS.”
- “If they want monetization to support the game, players will happily spend for in-game cosmetics given that...”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Replayability is generally regarded as good due to a solid amount of content and well-executed gameplay, though some find the content light for the price and lacking depth, which may limit long-term engagement.
- “The game modes are not too abundant, but enough for very good replayability.”
- “Nothing very buggy, a solid amount of content to experience, a competent, replayable arcade racer in 2026 that is just done right.”
- “The content feels pretty light for full price, the drifting mechanics can get frustrating, and there's not enough depth or replayability to justify the cost.”