Screamer is the arcade racer that we need: review

There was a huge need for a game like Screamer, and I'm truly happy that Milestone invested time and money to put Italy on the cutting edge of arcade-style racing games. In a single product, the Milanese developers have captured current trends and industry gaps to create an instant recommendation for anyone who enjoys racing games.

The game has its flaws and isn't perfect, but it fulfills a long list of community hopes and dreams, chief among them having a game that doesn't focus on realism—quite the opposite. What I was most pleased with was the driving model, which was truly a new experience, explosive, reckless, and absolutely worth trying despite its few imperfections.

In Screamer, one joystick is used for cornering, the other for drifting, and there's a semi-automatic transmission that, by pressing the button when the car is in the right rev range, gives a small boost. This means there are more things to manage while racing, but they're all simple, and they all integrate perfectly with the NOS/turbo management.

On a structural level, I was a bit perplexed by the way the system automatically downshifts when slowing down, and the resulting lack of acceleration, but I quickly got used to it and continued to enjoy the arcade racing feast the game has to offer.

Screamer features a multiplayer component, an arcade mode, and a myriad of customization options for modifying the game's cars (all unbranded). Its heart, and the reason I recommend it to all racing fans, is its story mode.

100 billion dollars up for grabs, a top-secret technology that prevents drivers from dying, a racing corgi, a mysterious benefactor, and five teams of characters are just some of the key ingredients in this campaign's success. What struck me the most was the way the narrative and gameplay elements were blended together to create something radically new.

Initially, the story seems to revolve around a single team seeking revenge, but it quickly becomes clear that each racer has their own backstory, their own personal dramas, and motivations ranging from tragedy to obsession, through trauma, revenge, and a frantic search for the truth.

I must admit, my initial encounter with some of the characters was off-putting, but once I got through the first act, I had enough insight into them to spark not only my interest but also a burning curiosity that drove me to continue playing for days.

The game's tracks didn't impress me positively or negatively, because they have good backdrops, interesting (though not surprising) bends, and straights where you can feel the speed. Even the cars, which draw inspiration from JDM, are beautiful but not exactly exciting in themselves.

When everything clicks together, though, it works so well. Cars + tracks + drift + turbo + [spoiler] = a constant rush of ​​adrenaline, and if you play the game on balanced difficulty, more than one race, even in the first chapter alone, will definitely test you.

Some of the available modes work not as good as the others, like team racing, and sometimes the AI ​​made decisions I couldn't quite understand. Despite a few hiccups along the way, Screamer is a truly complete experience because it has a compelling story, new racing mechanics, and modes in which you can use your accumulated experience and skills once the campaign is over.

I wasn't able to try a real multiplayer lobby during the review period, so I'll return to this topic as soon as I can. If you're looking for a new racing game that puts fun first rather than simulation (and has a real story to tell through cars), Screamer is the racing game for you, and a triumph of creativity.