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One of the nice things about a game like Split/Second is that it seems to be so unlike anything that Disney Interactive would typically come out with. That includes the notion that it would be the publisher you would least expect to try to breathe new life into the racing genre. But in Split/Second, they’ve put out a game that may succeed in at least starting a new thinking process toward racing games.  As a developer of critically-acclaimed racer, Pure, Black Rock was likely the right choice for taking risks with a racing game. In the case of Split/Second, the idea was to take a few ideas seen in other popular genres, from first-person shooters and action games, and apply them to the speed of an arcade racing title. Initiating huge set pieces and changing the conditions of a race is just one of the elements that makes this game so unique. The formula proves to not only work well, but also create a sense of tension and adrenaline that has been sorely lacking in other racing titles.     The story behind Split/Second is that of a reality show where contestants race against each other and blow things up along the way to sabotage the track. In the single-player Season Mode, episodes are separated into five-piece races where you need to attain a certain placement in each to secure entry into the next episode. In running through the races, you also unlock them in Quick Play mode as well. Each completed race also gives you a number of credits that are automatically used to unlock new cars. While there is some commentary between races, the reality show concept is really not very deep at all, and pretty much only exists to wrap a premise around the whole thing. The pyrotechnic chaos is the integral element of the game, primarily because minor or major explosions can alter the track enough to make every lap just a little different. This could include minor ones like exploding barrels, fuel trucks and storefronts, to big ones like collapsing bridges, towers and demolished buildings. In order to trigger these events, you need to fill up your power bar by drifting when taking corners. Once one part of the bar is filled, you will see icons flash above your competitors whenever they drive near an explosive trigger. When timed right, the resulting explosion can “wreck” your opponent, or failing that, slow him down enough to let you catch up. This is partly why being in the lead is dangerous, since they can do it to you too. But it’s good that Black Rock didn’t make Split/Second a pure race against other cars. Detonator is a one-horse race where you have to make it across the finish line within a certain time, all while avoiding triggered explosions and obstacles along the way. Elimination is a race against others, with the caveat being that any car in last place after an allotted time is eliminated until there’s only one car left. Air Strike is a personal favourite - you collect points by being able to avoid guided missiles fired from helicopters. Air Revenge is similar to Air Strike, except you can wreck helicopters, though you still have to beat a target time. Survival is also plenty of fun - you try to overtake big rigs in condensed roadways, while avoiding explosive barrels that fall off their backs. The pace of these modes is frenetic, and it gets better and better when playing against human opponents. Though it would’ve been very cool to be able to play as the helicopter firing missiles against a friend driving, that may just have to wait for the inevitable sequel. At the very least, being able to trigger explosions against someone else in Detonator races would’ve been great. Still, Split/Second offers plenty of replay value for head-to-head races, as is.     The story online is more or less the same. You can opt for either a Public game, Private game or Xbox Live Party. Only Race, Survival and Elimination were the racing options at the time of this review. Disney has said there could be downloadable content for both single-player and multiplayer, but there hasn’t been much revealed about that yet. If there is a downside to this game it would be that racing aficionados who prefer to have more control and realism in their experience will be disappointed. Split/Second is pretty simplistic in its execution. You will only really need to press three or four buttons throughout the time you play it. There is no manual shifting and cars don’t sustain damage. That said, Split/Second proved to be a very fun game for me, with excellent visuals and no real learning curve. It may not be overly revolutionary, but it’s got enough going for it that it may very well start a trend that sees other developers tinkering with new ideas on how to make racing games more compelling.   Split/Second Format: Xbox 360 Publisher: Disney Interactive Developer: Black Rock Studio ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+ Official Site: http://disney.go.com/disneyinteractivestudios/splitsecond/ Rating: 9 / 10

 

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