Antigraviator

August 22, 2012, was a terrible day for gaming. That was the day when Sony decided to shut down Studio Liverpool, the company formerly known as Psygnosis that had spent most of the 2000s fine-tuning their WipEout franchise. I took this news especially hard, and I worried that we had seen the last of one of my favorite racing games. While I still haven't fully recovered, I'm happy to report that Antigraviator does an excellent job of filling the void left in my heart. It's a fast-paced game that manages to combine the best elements from WipEout and Split/Second to create the most exciting racers of the year.

Created by a first-time developer known as Cybernetic Walrus, Antigraviator makes a great first impression. The year is 2210 and racing has evolved beyond watching people drive around in a giant oval. The new fans are expecting something bigger; something faster; something that is not bound to gravity. The result is a racing game where we pilot a hovercraft through dozens of insane tracks that have you driving up buildings, in a loop and even upside down.

There are a couple of things this game absolutely nails. One of them is the sense of speed, which is almost overpowering at first. This game is quick, and the action is just as intense. It's the kind of racing game where the computer-controlled opponents are aggressive and relentless, constantly fighting to get ahead of you. They are good about using boost pads and finding ways around you, which forces players to not only master the game's handling, but also memorize the loopy stages.

One of the reasons you'll want to pay attention is because there are a number of traps you can trigger around the course. For example, you'll be able to drop a bunch of boxes and rocks on the track or engulf half of the road in flames. These antics remind me a lot of the game Split/Second, which also used destruction as a weapon. I like that there's a good variety of these traps depending on the stage, and there are usually a few different types attached to each course. I prefer being able to pick up weapons like in WipEout, but this is a fun take on the formula.

On top of the sense of speed and environmental obstacles, Antigraviator also has great locations. The stages in this game are incredible, rivaling what we've seen in other futuristic racers. They are not only bursting with detail and personality, but are also diverse in more than one way. The developers do a great job of letting us see different parts of the world in 2210, complete with stages set in the cities, through the mountains, past the bay and in space. There are more than thirty tracks to race, though that number is inflated a bit by a few reverse courses. Either way, there's more than enough content here to warrant the asking price.

The various game modes aren't nearly as interesting, but they get the job done. There's a straight-forward campaign that has you racing a bunch of tournaments in order to earn money and unlock new stages. Some of these races will include slight variations on the theme, including knock out, countdown and deathrace events. Aside from the campaign, you can also try your luck at the Quick Play mode and an online multiplayer mode. Unfortunately, that's about it.

Click For the Full Picture Archive

For what it's worth, my issue with this game has little to do with the simplistic campaign and lack of interesting modes. My biggest complaint is that Antigraviator is a little too easy. I struggled in the first few stages, but once I got used to controlling the hovercraft, I had no problem winning almost every tournament on my first try. It never felt like the tournaments were getting harder or faster, but rather that they were simply giving me different tracks to race. I also don't like how you have to pay money to enter these tournaments, though that's a minor nitpick.

Because this game looks and feels so much like WipEout, I can't help but want to compare it to Sony's long-running franchise. The truth is, this game gets a lot right, but there are a few things that are unfortunately missing. One of those is the ability to use the two trigger buttons as left and right airbrakes. Antigraviator does have something similar, but it's not as good. By flicking the right analog stick, we can barrel roll to either side at any time. This is especially good when you get caught up on the walls, but can also be used to swat other racers out of the way. That said, it's not a good alternative to the airbrakes.

While Antigraviator is certainly derivative of other futuristic racing games, it still manages to stand out from the pack. Part of the reason for this is because it nails the fundamentals, including tight controls, a great sense of speed and some of the best stages you'll find in a racing game this year. I'm a little disappointed in the difficulty and simplistic single-player campaign, but if this is the developer's first stab at making a racer, then I can't wait to see what Cybernetic Walrus comes up with next.