Xenon Racer
- March 26, 2019
- 3DClouds.it
Get on Steam
Get on Xbox Games Store"Xenon Racer" is a futuristic arcade-style racing game set in the year 2030. Players can choose from a variety of electric vehicles and race on circuits around the world while avoiding traffic and using power-ups. The game features both single-player and multiplayer modes, with a focus on fast-paced, action-packed gameplay.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- The game features solid drift-based racing gameplay that is reminiscent of classic arcade racers like Ridge Racer.
- The graphics are appealing, with sleek car designs and vibrant environments that enhance the overall experience.
- The soundtrack is enjoyable, featuring upbeat electronic music that fits well with the racing atmosphere.
- The handling mechanics can be frustrating, as drifting feels clunky and inconsistent, making it difficult to navigate tight corners.
- The AI opponents can feel unfair, often exhibiting rubberbanding behavior that makes races feel unbalanced.
- The game lacks variety in its core gameplay, with limited race types and a simplistic structure that may lead to repetitiveness.
- graphics144 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their modern aesthetics and vibrant visuals, with many players noting the impressive vehicle models and overall art style. However, some reviews mention that while the graphics are good, they do not fully meet contemporary standards, with certain environments feeling generic or empty. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, contributing to an enjoyable racing experience, despite some technical limitations and the need for better optimization.
“Excellent graphics and overall world setting.”
“The graphics team did an amazing job, this game is gorgeous.”
“Bright, lively graphics, crazy powersliding, difficult but not too hard if you take a minute to learn the tracks and cars.”
“Decent graphics, although it doesn’t meet modern requirements.”
“The only way I could get a semi-consistent 60fps was to turn almost everything down to low in the graphics department, which was a real shame as one of the main selling points for this game, in my opinion, was the visuals.”
“The visuals are okay, but they look a little too cheap and glossy.”
- music122 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its electronic and techno tracks, particularly those sourced from Monstercat, which enhance the racing experience. However, some players find the soundtrack repetitive and not particularly memorable, with a few tracks described as annoying or generic. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's vibe for some, others feel it detracts from the overall experience due to its lack of variety and engaging quality.
“I think the game looks amazing on PC, the soundtrack is perfect and the game has an addictive pick-up-and-play quality to it.”
“But if you want to become the wind, and blast through cool vistas while listening to heart-pumping music, this is where it's at.”
“So damn fun, great music, great racing, addicting drifting mechanics, just such a great racing game.”
“Most of the music tracks faded into the background, and the ones that didn't were not particularly endearing thanks to the use of chiptunes.”
“The rest of the soundtrack is just repetitive, generic EDM and drum and bass songs that get annoying very fast, and the game can't even load a different track during a race when the one playing is done; it just plays the same song again.”
“The soundtrack also manages to ruin the vibe most of the time.”
- gameplay120 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay centers around a drifting mechanic that, while enjoyable for those familiar with similar games like Ridge Racer, can be unintuitive and inconsistent, leading to frustration for new players. The boost system adds a layer of strategy, but the overall experience can feel repetitive and lacks variety, with some mechanics feeling poorly implemented. Despite these issues, players who invest time in mastering the controls may find the racing experience rewarding and fun.
“The gameplay is really fun once you learn what you're doing, and all the issues the game may have had during the beta are since fixed.”
“Xenon Racer is a racing game that feels tight and responsive once you understand the mechanics behind the wheel.”
“The most important thing for me is gameplay and track diversity, and this game nailed it.”
“The drifting mechanics feel broken and don't work as you'd expect.”
“The clunky mechanics of refueling and clumsy default handling make this a polished-looking but confused racing game.”
“The whole gameplay is based on a drift mechanic that only works part of the time.”
- optimization40 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players noting good performance even on lower-end systems. However, some users report general performance issues and freezing, alongside a lack of variety in car models, which can detract from the experience. Customization options are available but can feel cumbersome, and the damage mechanic appears to be poorly integrated, not affecting vehicle performance as expected.
“The performance is pretty good; I could max out everything on my setup that's considered lower-end at this point in time.”
“Fortunately, it seems like vehicles, visual customizations, and performance parts all come from different item pools, so it's at least hard to get screwed over by that sort of thing.”
“There are a plethora of unlocks including all kinds of skins for different parts and performance upgrades (which you will need as you progress in the career).”
“The problem is that it feels like the damage mechanic wasn't even originally intended for the game; it was implemented at the last second. The only damage your car will ever show is just scratches, and damaging your car doesn't have any impact on its performance. The AI opponents don't seem to have to deal with the damage system at all.”
“Ultimately, the game falls down a bit in its presentation and performance.”
“There is a lack of car variety; normal and performance cars are just the same thing with a few mods to differentiate them.”
- story30 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and largely overshadowed by its racing mechanics, with players noting that it lacks a substantial narrative beyond an introductory video. While some appreciate the moral themes and unique elements, many find the storyline nonsensical and repetitive, with the campaign mode feeling short and not particularly engaging. Overall, the focus remains on racing rather than storytelling, which may disappoint those seeking a deeper narrative experience.
“The game is unique, and the little story that the game has is really nice.”
“You'll likely finish the story mode in about 3 hours or less depending on how good you are, and that feels about right. It's kind of a shame that the newly released levels aren't included and have to be played in the other game modes, but that doesn't take away from the game in my opinion.”
“I felt that there were certainly moments in which the difficulty ramped up (specific to upgrades in vehicles and rank/class) and that achieving gold in the time trials is barely possible without the full range of upgrades obtained by completing the story for upgrades and vehicles.”
“This game has no actual storyline apart from the introduction video where you get the idea of what you will and are doing.”
“The storyline makes no sense; an AI bot starts talking about futuristic magnetic cars, but the actual cars in the game have wheels.”
“Casual play is definitely possible; however, the story/campaign mode will easily be seen as repetitive.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the grinding mechanic in the game, particularly when cars collide with walls, leading to significant health loss and time penalties. The grinding feels tedious and is exacerbated by the cars' poor handling, making it a frequent and frustrating occurrence on certain tracks. However, some players argue that the game does not involve grinding in the traditional sense, suggesting a divide in player experiences.
“When you miss a drift, your car will grind a wall, resulting in a loss of time and health - cars should 'bump' into walls and into other cars rather than grinding them.”
“Then, because the cars are essentially incapable of turning normally, you're left grinding the outside wall of whatever turn it is and losing 20-30% of your health in one corner.”
“While neat, it is tedious, especially since it's only certain tracks.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in Ridge Racer is characterized by vibrant colors and engaging tracks that enhance the drifting experience, making it familiar and enjoyable for fans of the series. Overall, the game's lively ambiance contributes significantly to the fun and immersive gameplay.
“The tracks are good, filled with vibrant colors and atmosphere.”
“Any who are familiar with Ridge Racer's drifting mechanics and atmosphere will feel right at home and have fun.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is primarily delivered through a funny announcer, though many users feel it lacks the level of silliness and comedic charm found in titles like Ridge Racer or Sega racing games.
“Funny announcer.”
“The announcer brings a delightful level of silliness and humor that enhances the overall experience.”
“The humor in the announcer's commentary adds a unique charm to the game.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game lacks significant replayability, as players find the score and time attack modes insufficient to encourage repeated playthroughs.
“The game lacks meaningful replayability, as the score/time attack modes feel more like a chore than a challenge.”
“Replayability is severely limited; once you've completed the main objectives, there's little incentive to return.”
“The absence of diverse gameplay options makes replaying the game feel redundant and uninspired.”
- stability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews; while some players report good optimization and smooth performance even on lower-end systems, others experience frequent freezes and hard crashes, even on PCs that meet or exceed the recommended specifications.
“Pretty good optimization; runs great even on my potato.”
“I played through this on a PC above the recommended specs and still had multiple freezes and hard crashes during my time with it.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by players' feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction, particularly when achieving personal milestones, such as completing races flawlessly. This sense of achievement contributes to a deeper emotional connection with the gameplay experience.
