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Platform: Xbox Genre: Racing Publisher: Microsoft Developer: Curly Monsters, Inc. ESRB: T (Teen) Released: Q3 2002 Support AE! Buy Games Here:
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Quantum Redshift
Score: 8.0 / 10 |
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Pros: -
Just like Wipeout -
Great graphics, particularly particle effects and super-realistic
splashed water and rain on windshield - Well-mapped control scheme
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Cons: -
Just like Wipeout -
Mediocre soundtrack - Story mode behind drivers not well developed
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"...the story mode... is severely underdeveloped, almost as if it was an afterthought..."
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The
very second the new Xbox title Quantum Redshift begins, you will
instantly be reminded of the futuristic racer Wipeout series that
appeared most prominently on the PlayStation consoles. There’s a
mighty good reason too. Many of the team members on Quantum Redshift’s
development staff helped create games in the Wipeout series. With that
developmental lineage, you would think that their newest project would
be just as good as what has appeared in the Wipeout series. But while it
certainly is an overall solid finished project, Quantum Redshift just
doesn’t quite seem to reach the “A” list title echelon it may have
attained if some aspects of the game had been more polished.
Right
off, the single most impressive feature of Quantum Redshift is its
absolutely gorgeous graphics. This is one of the Xbox’s best looking
games to date, and that’s saying a lot. The weather effects really
stand out, especially water from either rain or that has been splashed
or sprayed on your SPARC’s (Single Person Armed Racing Craft)
windshield are ultra-realistic. It sets the standard from here on out
for games that need to incorporate water effects.
Quantum
Redshift’s levels, SPARCs, and character models are also beautifully
crafted, with vibrancy galore gracing your television set. The character
models are almost on par with the heavenly creatures appearing in Dead
of Alive 3. Also really top-notched are the particle effects from the
SPARC’s weapons fire and engines.
When
it comes to the game’s controls, Quantum Redshift gives the gamer a
nice and responsive scheme to roar through races. Although each SPARC
controls differently because of their individual construction, they are
all relatively easy to control. Not only does your craft have driving
controls, but also weaponry, a shield and turbo at your disposal. These
are all mapped out effectively on your Xbox controller, making Quantum
Redshift easy to learn to play.
There
are various power-ups throughout the tracks that upgrade your weapons,
shield and give you points that build your score, which gives you more
money to upgrade your SPARC. You must finish in first place in each race
to advance, but there isn’t much challenge in accomplishing that feat
once you get a few races under your belt.
The
game’s challenge increases as you advance into harder settings, but
Quantum Redshift is better suited for multiplayer gaming, where up to
four players can race each other throughout the game’s tracks. There
are 16 tracks and 16 individual racers who race one of 16 unique SPARCs.
Each SPARC has different weapons, but most are either rocket or laser
types. As you
progress through the game, more characters and tracks become available
to race in either quick race or multiplayer mode.
But
Quantum Redshift does have its blemishes. The game is set 100 years in
the future, where you battle it out against other racers and their
SPARCs through courses all over the earth in the quest for the world
championship. Unfortunately, the story mode of the game is severely
underdeveloped, almost as if it was an afterthought to include it in the
game.
All
of the cut-scenes have two racers facing each other in the middle of a
racetrack throwing comments and barbs at each other. After the first
racer you select works their way through each of the levels (novice,
amateur, expert, master, and Redshift), for any other racer you select
you will skip through the worthless cut-scenes. Thankfully, the
single-player story-less mode is overshadowed by Quantum Redshift’s
excellent multiplayer mode and pushing challenge on the upper difficulty
levels of the game.
Another
suffering facet of Quantum Redshift is its terribly insufficient
Snoozeville soundtrack. Where the Wipeout series is known for the great
music that elevated the gameplay to a new level, Quantum Redshift has a
so-five-years-ago techno-beat sound provided by Junkie XL, supposedly a
big European techno group. The music rarely ever matches the frantic
action happening on the course, which is a big disappointment. But
Quantum Redshift fortunately allows you to take advantage of the
Xbox’s soundtrack feature, so you can rip a much better soundtrack to
use while playing than what’s given to you.
It
never really feels like you're going exceptionally fast as you race from
track to track (you're capable of up to 900 mph speeds), but there are
vertigo moments where the combination of speed and flying up or down
large distances does give the gamer a sensation of velocity. On the plus
side, the frame-rate seems to be flying at a smooth 60 fps as there
isn’t any noticeable stuttering, clipping or pop-up of visual
elements. Considering the game has a good frame-rate, its load times are
a little longer than would be expected. But the loading screen has a
hint system to peruse, so as you brush up on ways to race a better
Quantum Redshift race, the load time doesn’t drag by quite as much.
While
Quantum Redshift plays it safe by copying the basics laid out by the
Wipeout series, the coma-inducing soundtrack and ill-advised (or at
least weakly developed) story mode hold it back from being a great game.
Still, it has enough redeeming qualities, particularly if you will be
getting a lot of mileage out of the multiplayer fun packed into the
game, that I would recommend the title to Xbox gamers who want a racer
that resembles Wipeout’s gameplay style. But if you are looking at
Quantum Redshift solely as a single-player excursion, you may want to
rent it first before deciding to buy.
-
Lee Cieniawa
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