Split/Second: Ignition

What’s to be done with the racing game? There’s plenty of choice if you want accurate simulations, or if all you want is to hurtle through city streets, bashing your competitors off the road.

So credit is due to Brighton-based developers Black Rock Studios, who have come up with something different. Split/Second is a reality TV show in which you have insanely decided to participate. In a specially constructed city, you compete in 24 races to be crowned champion, get your mug in all the tabloids and be photographed at parties with Jordan lurking menacingly nearby.

Sounds great, I know, but to live this dream requires more than fast driving – high explosives have a part to play too. Helicopters drop bombs onto the racers, and devices on the course can be triggered as you pass, leaving a nasty surprise for those behind. Blowing things up is great, but the explosions mean the landscape is constantly shifting. Autopilot isn’t an option, since your next lap will probably be significantly different to the last. Excellent graphics and collision physics can almost be taken for granted nowadays, but what impresses here is the thought that’s gone into enlivening the tired old racer, making Split/Second unmissable for anyone with a need for speed.

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