Voltage

But, ooh, what's this? Real-time strategy elements? Sounds promising - some kind of detailed story mode which sees you becoming the Solar System's best racer? From what we've seen of the game in action, this seems unlikely - by "RTS" the rookie devs may mean "you can pick up power-ups as you race and use them in a vaguely strategic kind of way. While moving quite fast..."

Still, the cinematic trailer is pretty gorgeous and the shots suggest a graphical step-up from Fatal Inertia's jagged offering - IBA apparently carried out some extensive research on how each planet's atmosphere would look and affect racing. Not having ever been to Venus, we'll take their word for it.

We'll give them the benefit of the doubt for now, but it has to be said that, between the creators' lack of form and the astonishing similarities to past racing failures, it's hard to get too stoked about Voltage's arrival - especially as everything looks so very, very generic.

Feb 20, 2008