Kinetica

"As a futuristic racer, it‘s pretty cool. But that‘s all it is."

Wow…if this is what racing is gonna be like in the future. We're in very big trouble. I mean people racing with wheels attached their arms and legs? How bizarre. Anyway, this game introduces an…interesting look on racing in the future. It's a bit different, which is nice. Surprisingly, it's not a dud. And it's fun to play with pals. But when it comes down to it, "Kinetica" is nothing more than another racing game. It just has a bit more "zest" to it.

Graphics: 8/10

Nothing to boo about here. My expectation about any racer is that the graphics should be exceptionally good/engrossing. And "Kinetica" certainly didn't fail here. Each racer was specially designed and everything looks very smooth and cool. The racing environments are beautiful and are sometimes just totally insane. It's quite the eye candy.

Controls: 7.5/10

The controls are pretty basic. They don't take too long to learn. Square is to break, X is to push the gas, and L2 and R2 are for your specials. You can also do a lot of cool spins and stunts. Though some are a bit tough to pull off because they feel somewhat restricted.

Sound: 6/10

The overall sound is alright. None of the characters have voices so they're basically just mindless racing robots. Voices would've been nice, but meh. The sound effects are pretty cool but nothing that I haven't heard before. As for the music, it‘s a matter of taste. It's mostly techno, which I like, and set the mood and tone rather well.

Gameplay: 7.5/10

Well your ultimate goal is to get to the finish line first. And take out your opposing rivals. I kind of expected more from this aspect of the game. There are only a few ways to hurt or keep back your opponents. Like shocking/drafting. Otherwise you're just basically looking for engine boosts. There are alot of WAYS you can get the boosts, but it leaves a lot to be desired.

Overall: 7.2/10

Kinetica is a pretty cool game, but comes off as a bit bland, quite honestly. At least when compared to other racers. The racing is neat at first but it just lacks a lot of things to keep your interest. And the racing isn't as cool as you may expect. Kinetica brings some interesting ideas, that may very well be utilized into other possible titles. But on it's own, there's nothing that'll make you want to keep the game.

Buy or Rent

Well to be blunt, Kinetica does not please all gamers. So I wouldn't recommend buying it. The experience is just interesting and cool enough for a rent. Only buy it if you're the kind of person that goes to a lot of parties with your friends to play videogames. Cause it is fun as a multiplayer.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 05/11/06, Updated 08/28/09

Game Release: Kinetica (US, 10/14/01)