Bobo Bay Releasing in April of This Year!

United States, February 23, 2026 | Steam Next Fest is a shining global spotlight on hundreds of upcoming titles, and Bobo Bay recently participated in the highly anticipated digital celebration. Hosted on Steam, the week-long event invites players worldwide to explore, download, and experience free demos from some of the most exciting indie and emerging games currently in development.

As part of the festival, Bobo Bay is launching a demo, offering some players their first hands-on opportunity to explore its colorful world and engaging gameplay systems. Designed to capture the heart of discovery and creativity, Bobo Bay welcomes players into its lively coastal setting where adventure, charm, and player-driven exploration take center stage. 

Bobo Bay

Steam Next Fest has become one of the most influential discovery events in the gaming calendar, providing developers with direct access to a global audience while giving players a curated preview of future releases. Throughout the festival, participants can tune into developer livestreams, join community discussions, and wishlist their favorite upcoming titles. For Bobo Bay, this moment represents both a celebration of progress and an important step toward full launch in April.

The Bobo Bay demo showcases key features that define the experience, offering a guided introduction to its core mechanics while leaving ample room for experimentation and replayability. Players can explore vibrant seaside environments, collect little creatures called Bobos, train them to participate in competitions, and meet the friendly NPCs in town.

From its inviting aesthetic to its thoughtful design philosophy, Bobo Bay emphasizes accessibility and immersion. The world encourages curiosity, rewarding players who take the time to experiment and explore.

Community engagement plays a central role in Bobo Bay’s development journey. During Next Fest, NewFutureKids will actively gather player feedback, monitor impressions, and evaluate gameplay data to improve Bobo Bay before April release. There will also be a community event running on the Official Bobo Bay Discord where fans can take screenshots of their favorite Bobos and submit the images for a chance to win an exclusive prize.

Official Bobo Bay Discord

What is Bobo Bay?

Bobo Bay is a charming pet simulation and creature collecting game that combines creativity, strategy, and competition into an engaging blend of exploration and challenge. In the game, players collect, mash (breed), accessorize, and train adorable little creatures called Bobos - each with unique appearances, traits, and personalities - as they prepare to compete in races and other scheduled competitions across the world of Starling Isle. 

At the heart of Bobo Bay is its deep customization system: Bobos come in thousands of combinations of body shapes, colors, patterns, eye styles, stats, and mood traits, allowing players to craft truly one-of-a-kind companions. Throughout their lifecycle, Bobos evolve from saplings into full-grown buds, and players may even unlock new opportunities to help them sprout into evolved forms with different features and competitive strengths.

The game’s world is richly detailed with a cute central town where players can explore shops for accessories, register new Bobos, visit the doctor, drop them off at camp, adopt from shelters, or buy snacks to enhance their performance. In addition to traditional races, players can tackle structured progression tracks called Sagas, complete a variety of Trials, and even challenge legendary Bobo Stars - special rivals that, if defeated, reward players with rare saplings of the same species.

Whether traversing serene environments in search of new Bobos or strategizing which traits and outfits will give them the edge in competition, Bobo Bay emphasizes player choice, community engagement, and replayability. Its cozy vibe, vibrant visuals, and blend of simulation and racing elements make it appealing to fans of both creature-collecting games and relaxed, creative worlds. 

Where can I play Bobo Bay?

You can download the Bobo Bay Demo via Steam, with a full release planned in April this year.

You can also play Bobo Bay through Patreon!

If you’re interested in staying in the loop on all things Bobo Bay and the plans for future content, everyone is invited to join the Official Discord server, where feedback and suggestions are always welcome!

Article by: Susan N.

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Step Onto the Race Track in Screamer This Coming Quarter!

Larkspur, Calif. (Dec. 11, 2025) | Milestone has officially announced a release date for the return of its most iconic IP, Screamer. The game will launch on March 26, 2026 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The announcement was made during The Game Awards 2025, where a new story trailer for the game was also revealed. https://store.steampowered.com/app/2814990/Screamer/

Inspired by classic JRPG elements, Screamer immerses players in an illegal street racing tournament where five rival teams compete with no holds barred. Each team, led by a leader and supported by two members, brings its own motives, history, and secrets to the track. Every participant has something to prove, and through the game’s campaign, it will be possible to explore all the intertwined narratives by playing the whole cast of characters. 

Set in a dystopic universe dripping with anime aesthetics and futuristic vibes, the story will unfold through cutscenes produced by Polygon Pictures, one of Japan’s oldest and most renowned animation studios. An international voice cast, featuring acclaimed actors Troy Baker and Aleks Le as two of the main characters, will further enhance the cinematic experience. Charged with tension and atmosphere, Screamer's narrative trailer sets the tone for what’s to come: a fresh experience set to redefine what players can expect from arcade racing. 

Beyond its narrative core, Screamer features innovative gameplay mechanics built around a Twin Stick control system and a seamless blend of racing and fighting actions. The Echo System, which serves as a connection between the narrative and gameplay, allows players to generate and use Sync and Entropy, the two resources that fuel offensive and defensive actions. With only a few months until the game launches on all major consoles, Screamer is now available for pre-order.

About Milestone

Founded in Milan in 1996, Milestone is one of the leading and longest-established racing game developers and publishers in the world. The +300 people team is responsible for hit series like MotoGP™, Monster Energy Supercross – The Official Videogame, the acclaimed Hot Wheels Unleashed™, as well as its own IP, RIDE. For more information, please visit https://milestone.it/

Article by: Susan N.

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Rally Arcade Classics Receiving Precision & Chase Update on September 9th!

August 14, 2025. Barcelona, Spain | Independent developer NETK2GAMES has announced that the arcade-themed rally game with simulation mechanics Rally Arcade Classics will receiving the Precision & Chase update this September 9, which will be implementing a manual transmission mode, a revamped speedometer and add an online friends list with high scores allowing players to track the records of other known pilots.

Rally Arcade Classics is already available on Steam, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch, bringing a nostalgic throwback to the genre classics from the 90s. The game offers 44 iconic cars from different eras (70's, 80’s and 90’s) with a license-based progression system, so players have to train their driving skills to unlock the modes before driving the legendary cars, introducing simulation type of physics in what would otherwise be a traditional arcade experience. Tour, arcade, rally and weekly events are also available for different styles and preferences.

“We devoted two hard years to create this game with a passionate team and one goal: to combine elements from different eras of racing games and keep an accessible experience for both veteran and new fans of the genre” - Salvador Casamiquela, co-founder at NETK2GAMES.

What’s new on Precision & Chase update:

• The manual equipment will be available, and the rating tables will indicate whether the player achieved the best time in manual or automatic mode;
• A speedometer will be added to the interface, replacing the previous bar. The manual pilots will have a larger interface to check the speed and revolutions, and the automatic ones will have an easier element to consult while driving;
• List of friends will be added in the game, allowing players to have up to 25 pilots that they want to follow closely;
• The classification tables will be renewed. In addition to reflecting on the type of equipment the pilot uses, you can filter by different settings: your global position, top 10 and friends.

Main features of Rally Arcade Classics:

• 44 vehicles representing the 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s including iconic rally models;
• 48 circuits designed to reflect the variety and challenge of classic rally competitions. (With totally dynamic weather and time of day);
• Six game modes that suit different styles and preferences: License (60 tests), Tour (360 tests), Arcade (16 championships), Rally (72 championships) and Weekly Events;
• Support for compatible steering wheels on the PC version, like Thrustmaster T300 and Logitech G29.

For more information about the game, you can visit the official website and follow the studio’s account on social media.

About NETK2GAMES

NETK2GAMES is a Barcelona-based studio founded by industry veterans who started programming when they were teenagers. Their love for gaming is what strives the team to pursue high-quality games that have the goal to push the boundaries of innovation and player engagement. At IndieDevDay 2024, the team even brought a Subaru Impreza WRX STI, an iconic model of the rallies, for participants to see.

Article by: Susan N.

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Make a Splash in Water Racing Game 'Smoots Crazy Wave' Later This Month!

Barcelona, Spain. July 24th, 2025 | Get ready to make a splash! Smoots Crazy Wave, the new arcade water racing game developed by Kaneda Games and published by JanduSoft, is launching digitally on August 28 for Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and Nintendo Switch.

The Smoots characters return in their wildest adventure yet trading running shoes for jet skis in this colorful, cartoon-style racer built for single and crazy local multiplayer fun.

Race across 7 vibrant locations including Honu Island, Dry Valley, Iceland, and the mysterious Lost World. Choose from 14 unique Smoots, each with their own stats, and master multiple game modes like Championship, Slalom, Battle Royale, and Time Trial. Whether you’re playing solo or with up to 4 friends on split-screen, Smoots Crazy Wave delivers an exciting, family-friendly experience full of speed, powerups, and laughter.

Features:

• 14 unique Smoots: Each character has their own stats 
• Exciting game modes: Choose from Slalom, Battle Royale, Time Trial, Exhibition, and practice 
• Local multiplayer: Up to 4 players can race together in split-screen mode 

Article by: Susan N.

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Memorable Music in Gaming - April Genre - Racing Games

This month we chose racing games. Now I know that some racing games used licensed music, but here are a couple with composers for the soundtracks of their games.

 

Nick: Mario Kart 64 - Kenta Nagata

Best known for his work in the overall Mario Kart franchise, Kenta Nagata got his start with the Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development department with a pair of Nintendo 64 titles: 1080° Snowboarding and Mario Kart 64. I was personally quite late to the SNES party, having gotten a SEGA Genesis well before the SNES came out, and didn’t play the original Mario Kart on that platform. My first exposure to the series was Mario Kart 64 (which along with Madden and Golden Eye were some of the most popular ‘party games’ my college buddies and I played on a regular basis. Mario Kart 64 was a fantastic blend of battle and racing games, complimented by accessible but deep gameplay, whimsical visuals and highly enjoyable sound effects and music.

Kenta Nagata found his talents put to use on a variety of well-known Nintendo titles such as Mario Kart 7 and 8, Super Mario 64, Phantom Hourglass and New Super Mario Bros. 2 in various capacities. But it is his first work, Mario Kart 64 where he was the Music Composer, I want to reflect on here. The music so often complimented the unique tracks, from the whimsey of Choco Mountain, to the deep and menacing sounds of Koopa Castle and the procession-heavy Donkey Jungle Park.

Of course, the most memorable for me is the longest, most visually impressive track Rainbow Road, which at just over five minutes in length is also the longest song on the track. This track felt like the ultimate one in the game, and something about this particular song has remained burned into my memory decades later.

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Richard: Cruis’n USA - Vince Pontarelli

Now I’ll be the first to admit that racing games aren’t usually my forte. Sure I’ll find some of them fun, but more often than not they don’t really catch my interest the same as other genres do. Well, Cruis’n USA is one of the few exceptions to that, and the soundtrack is one of the main reasons why.

Back in the day, one of the first games I got for my N64 was Cruis’n USA. Before I knew whether or not I liked racing games, before I even had my own money, Cruis’n USA was probably the 2nd or 3rd game I ever owned on the N64, and boy did I play the hell out of it.

I’ve never been all that great at racing games. Consistently average, but that’s about it. I remember the good old days where I would have friends over for sleepovers and we would wake in the early morning, scamper downstairs to my basement where the TV was, and play Cruis’n USA at five in the morning, much to my parents’ chagrin. I fondly recall us skipping through the tracks while driving, some notable tracks being “House Special”, “Deadwood Drive”, and “Bluegrass Boogie”. 

To this day I’m still not a big racing game fan, but Cruis’n USA still holds a special place in my heart, and on my shelf, for a beloved childhood game, and Vince Pontarelli did a solid job of helping to make that happen. Pontarelli has also worked on some pretty big titles, such as NFL Blitz, Mortal Kombat titles, NBA Ballers, and WWE games. If you’ve got a chance to try out this retro classic, I’d actually suggest giving it a go. It’s from a time when there were no gimmicks, just straight driving!

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Be Victorious in the Fast-Paced Racing Game 'Om Nom: Run 2' on Nintendo Switch!

Warsaw, Poland - November 25, 2024 | QubicGames is excited to announce that Om Nom: Run 2 will launch on Nintendo Switch on November 29th, 2024!

Since its debut in 2020, Om Nom: Run has become a global sensation, amassing over 72 million downloads across multiple platforms. This success is a testament to the game’s widespread appeal, thanks to its dynamic gameplay, colorful visuals, and the charm of its main character - Om Nom.

ZeptoLab in collaboration with QubicGames, is thrilled to bring Om Nom: Run 2 exclusively to Nintendo Switch. This sequel raises the bar by expanding the challenges, adding fresh content, and introducing even more thrilling courses to engage players like never before.

This action-packed title takes players on a thrilling race through vibrant locations filled with obstacles, power-ups, and the excitement of competition. Fans of Om Nom, get ready to dash, dodge, and dominate the track!

In Om Nom: Run 2, players join Om Nom and friends in a fast-paced adventure across dynamic locations, each filled with unique traps and challenges designed to test every runner’s reflexes and strategy. It’s more than just a race! It’s an omtastic challenge where speed, skill, and the quickest path to victory are key.

Game Highlights

• Race Through Exciting Locations – Dash through thrilling levels, each with its own unique challenges that will push your skills to the max.
• Avoid and Dodge Obstacles – Navigate the course with precision as you dodge obstacles, proving you have what it takes to be the fastest.
• Compete for the Finish Line – Experience the thrill of outpacing opponents and being the first to cross the line, racing toward victory and glory.
• Find the Fastest Routes – With countless paths to explore, strategize and choose the best route to leave the competition behind.

With smooth controls, captivating visuals, and endless excitement, Om Nom: Run 2 is set to bring the ultimate racing challenge to the Nintendo Switch. Are you ready to show off your skills and become the speedster champion?

Om Nom: Run 2 will be available on Nintendo Switch starting November 29th, 2024. Prepare to hit the track and discover the omtastic race awaiting you!

Game software © 2024 ZeptoLab UK Limited. All Rights Reserved. Published by QubicGames S.A. All trademarks, copyrights and logos are the property of their respective owners.

About ZeptoLab:

ZeptoLab is a gaming company known for crafting fun, innovative games, and setting the bar for impressive quality.

With Cut the Rope franchise games boasting a remarkable 1.7BN downloads and massive multiplayer titles C.A.T.S.: Crash Arena Turbo Stars, King of Thieves, and Bullet Echo amassing 350M downloads, ZeptoLab is reaching audiences worldwide on platforms like iOS, Android, and more.

A multifaceted player in the gaming industry, ZeptoLab excels not only in game development and publishing but also boasts a robust IP portfolio for licensing, an animation series production arm, and a commitment to extending its influence beyond digital screens.

To learn more about ZeptoLab and its latest offerings, visit https://www.zeptolab.com/

About Qubic Group:

We’re the most efficient publisher for casual games on Nintendo Switch. We collaborate with household names to bring their games to the PC and console market.

Comprised of multiple companies that specialize in publishing games across various genres – from kid-friendly entertainment and casual games to intense shooters and everything in between – we have the resources to handle any project (from development and porting to publishing).

Article by: Susan N.

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CrazyLabs Announces My Horse Stories for Nintendo Switch!

April 29th - Warsaw, Poland | QubicGames has announced that My Horse Stories by CrazyLabs will be released for the Nintendo Switch on May 3rd.

My Horse Stories by CrazyLabs:

Put on those cowgirl boots, style your new horse, and start racing like a champ!

You're located on a horse farm that becomes your haven, and with each passing day, you grow closer to your loyal companion - a graceful horse with whom you'll weave your own unique horse-riding tale!

To rise above the competition and conquer the racetracks, you must train tirelessly, immersing yourself in the art of horsemanship. Your dedication will bring you face-to-face with rival stars and formidable opponents who will test your skills and determination. You and your horse will form an unbreakable bond through intense training sessions, setting the stage for legendary horse riding tales that will be whispered for years to come!

But it's not all about intense races and fierce rival stars. In the tranquil moments between training, you'll find solace in the stars' stable horses - majestic creatures that inspire awe and fill your heart with joy. Take the time to nurture and care for them because their well-being is crucial to your success. Pamper them with love, groom their silky manes, and dress them in dazzling saddles that reflect their extraordinary beauty.

Features

• - Train every day with your horse till you're ready to compete in international horse races 
• - Compete in exciting horse story racing competitions around the world! 
• - Wow the crowd with your amazing jumps! 
• - Dress up like a champion in the most fabulous cowgirl boots ever! 
• - Take good care of your horse: feed, groom, and dress him up in an eye-catching saddle! 
• - Do farm chores. 
• - Upgrade your horse-story farm and build new facilities. 
• - Climb the leaderboard and make your family proud! 

About CrazyLabs

CrazyLabs is a top-three mobile game publisher and developer with over 6.5 billion downloads and more than 250 million monthly active players in the hyper-casual, hybrid, and casual gaming space. Check out our best games here.  

 

Article by: Susan N.

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Tank Racer - Retro Reflections - TBT

Tank Racer by developers Glass Ghost, Simis and publishers Grolier Interactive, R & P Electronic Media—PC Throwback Thursday retro reflection written by Hamza. 1999.

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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They say great surprises come unexpectedly and often in small packages. How true this axiom proved to be with Tank Racer for Windows.

Developed by Simis and published by Grolier Interactive (known for their interactive encyclopaedias which I’ve personally used two), Tank Racer is a hidden gem, bursting with wonderful and satisfying surprises. Not since BattleTanx and the tank from Grand Theft Auto: Vice City have I enjoyed controlling a tank so much. Just like in BattleTanx, the environment in Tank Racer is pretty much destructible. That means the Cadillac that’s parked in front of the Church can be flattened and converted into a makeshift path, so that the next time you pass that area you get more elbow room and thus, a better chance of gaining the lead. Fences can be broken through, camp sites can be crushed under the rollers, road signs can be uprooted; this is the most enjoyable form of destruction you can take part in without being scolded by your parents.

Tank Racer is a fully 3D vehicular combat racer with a bright and colourful presentation. For a game released in 1999, it still holds up pretty well to this day. The primary premise of the game is basic enough: be first and destroy some enemy tanks along the way. Ranging from offensive to defensive to upgrades, the weapons and power-ups you get are pretty standard fare, though they’re indeed enjoyable to use. What adds more spice to the combat is the turrets are capable of turning a full 360 degrees. This means if you happened to pick-up a homing missile but overtook your opponent, instead of slowing down and letting him pass you, you can turn the turret in his general direction and blast him off to oblivion.

Going back to the graphics, they are well done and very easy to the eye. The attention to military-themed details is also commendable. Several fighter jets fly above you at whizz speeds; army trucks wait around the corner just waiting to be flattened; and oddly enough, livestock are included too – though for what reason I do not know. You can mow down the livestock (no gore I can assure you of that) and all they do is give out their respective sounds.

In conclusion, Tank Racer is probably the first (thus far) racing game I’ve played which literally invites you to carve your own path by going through fences, caves, roadblocks et al. Genuine shortcuts are indeed present, but the point Tank Racer is trying to emphasise is you can create your own, at totally no expense. You won’t end up the wrong way, and you may not get the lead, but you might acquire a weapon that will increase your chances of moving up one or two spots in the rank. With a little less than an hour of full gameplay, I thoroughly enjoyed Tank Racer and left almost nothing to be desired. A wonderful surprise in a small packaging indeed!


Score: 9 / 10

Note: Screenshots from all platforms that were available at the time can be found here at Moby Games.

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22 Racing Series Drives onto All Platforms in Early Access November 22nd!

MELBOURNE – Oct. 5, 2022 – 22 Racing Series, the real-time physics-based racing playground set in the 22nd century, starts its engine on Steam Early Access beginning Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022. The AAA veterans (outsource animation director for LA Noire, Darkness 2, Darksiders 2; outsource art lead for Zelda: Twilight Princess HD) at developer GOATi Entertainment will bring 22 Racing Series to pole position on PlayStation 5|4, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Windows PC, Oculus, and HTC Vive in 2023 and beyond, simultaneously alongside PC’s 1.0 update.

The world's first future physics racer (FPR) takes place on an Earth 100 years from today, where climate change has ravaged the environment. Resource-intensive racing series have moved online, limiting their ecological impact and enabling a global sport to be accessible to all.

Experience terrains throughout environments most affected by climate change including Florida, Bangladesh, Solomon Islands, and Antarctica. Speed through clocked Time Trials, diverse Circuit Racing, difficult Elimination Rounds, scored Point-to-Point Racing, and a capture the flag-inspired Sector Capture.

Gain a competitive edge by allowing creativity to run free. Fill a virtually unlimited inventory with custom-built vehicles featuring personalized engine torque, tire grip choices, and more in a next-generation adaptive ‘keyframe’ setup that adjusts vehicles based on speed and action to achieve the ultimate grip and downforce.

Compete in a massive 100-player casual racing event and obtain an impressive rank to avoid elimination in Race Royale mode. Attempt to catch another racer in the “catch me if you can”, Streaker, mode. Reach new heights of lightning-fast speed using real-time strategy resource management and implementing build mechanics for an RTS-inspired Racing (RTS-Racing) experience.

Vehicles, tracks, race rules, and tournaments will be available for modders to bring their own racing visions to life, publish them to share with a community, and monetize them via the Pavillion Hub. Construct a brand new circuit using the fast and flexible track builder to create detailed, simple, lengthy, or quick custom tracks tailored to each racer’s style.

“We are extremely excited to aid the racing community in bringing their video game dreams to life,” said Garth Midgley, Managing and Creative Director of GOATi Entertainment. “Combining future physics racing and real-time strategy racing has been a huge step in our development process to create a next generation of racing experience.”

To stay up to date with all things 22 Racing Series, speed over to the official website, Twitter, and YouTube pages.

About GOATi

GOATi Entertainment is a AAA game development company specializing in engine technology, physics simulation, blockchain integration, and global microtransaction business models for games and esports. Built upon their proprietary engine ‘RevGen’, they have developed globally recognized and award-winning emergent AI simulation programs and the world’s first RTS-Racing game ’22 Racing Series’. They have pioneered the development of Smart NFT blockchain technology, and in April 2020, they released ‘Pavillion Hub’, the world’s most advanced blockchain gaming platform, which is environmentally friendly and carbon neutral, and was purpose-built with ease of use sign-on, transact, play, and cross-platform connected features that make the mass adoption of blockchain technology in AAA games a near reality.

To learn more about GOATi, please visit the Pavillion Hub, follow @PavillionHub on Twitter, check out GOATi’s official website and YouTube channel, the 22 Racing Series website, and join the racing pit on Discord.

Article by: Susan N.

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Announcing WRC World Final in Greece on September 7-8th

Lesquin, France, July 20, 2022 - NACON, KT Racing Studio, WRC Promoter, and EKOAcropolis Rally Greece are very pleased to announce the eSports WRC World Final presented by AGON by AOC that will take place in Greece on September 7 & 8, 2022. The best players will compete on WRC 10, the official game of the FIA World Rally Championship.

For the second consecutive year, the final will take place during the Acropolis Rally. The 8 finalists will compete in the heart of the Olympic complex, at the end of the regular season, which will end on August 15^th. Among them, Sami-Joe Abi Nakhle (Lebanon - World Champ 2020) who has already won 7 out of 11 rounds, and possibly Lohan "Nexl" Blanc (France - Triple World Champ 2017, 2019, 2021), who is competing to retain his title. The event will also host Race Clutch and other drivers from the reigning World Champion team.

Partners AGON by AOC, Playseat, Fanatec, and FlexIT will also be present for this 7th consecutive season, organized by NACON, KT Racing, WRC Promoter, and EKO Acropolis Rally Greece.

You can find the current general ranking via the following link: https://www.wrc.com/en/more/gaming/standings/

WRC 10 is already available on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Steam PC, and Nintendo Switch™.

WRC Generations will be available from 13 October on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and later on Nintendo Switch™.

Buy WRC 10 on Steam

Add WRC Generations to your Steam wishlist

About NACON

NACON is a company of the BIGBEN Group founded in 2019 to optimize its know-how through strong synergies in the video game market. By bringing together its 16 development studios, the publishing of AA video games, the design and distribution of premium gaming devices, NACON focuses 20 years of expertise in the service of players. This new unified business unit strengthens NACON's position in the market and enables it to innovate by creating new unique competitive advantages. https://corporate.nacongaming.com/

About Kylotonn

Created in 2006, Kylotonn is one the most important French video game development studios, also known under KT Racing label. Specialized in motorsports and official developer of the WRC FIA World Rally Championship series and Isle of Man Tourist Trophy, the company is internationally recognized for its know-how and for the passion of its teams. With more than 170 employees as of today in Paris and Lyon, Kylotonn has developed more than 30 titles distributed by major publishers. Kylotonn has forged itself a strong technological expertise thanks to the real-time 3D engine KT Engine that the company owns. At the forefront of the video game industry, this technology is also used within R&D partnerships on autonomous vehicle projects in the automotive industry. Since 2018, NACON, one of Europe's leading video game publishers, holds a 100% stake in the company. Kylotonn is member of the French National Developers Federation (Syndicat National du Jeu Vidéo) and Capital Games. The company is supported by BPI, IFCIC, and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, and Innovation. For more information, visit www.kylotonn.com.

About WRC Promoter GmbH

WRC Promoter GmbH is responsible for all commercial aspects of the FIA World and FIA European Rally Championships, including TV production and the marketing of global media and sponsorship rights. It also has the responsibility to increase competitor numbers and to propose the venues that form the WRC and ERC calendars. WRC Promoter is the umbrella body for Rallycross Promoter GmbH, which is responsible for all commercial aspects of the FIA World and FIA European Rallycross Championships.

The World Rally Championship (WRC) is the FIA’s premium rally series. It showcases high-performance hybrid-powered cars and the world’s best drivers competing in dramatic surroundings, ranging from Sweden’s freezing winter to Kenya’s heat and rocky tracks. Participants battle for drivers’ and manufacturers’ titles at 13 rallies. More information can be found at www.wrc.com.

Article by: Susan N.

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Redout 2 is Racing to All Platforms in 2022 from Developer 34BigThings and Publisher Saber Interactive

TORINO, Italy – Dec. 13, 2021 – 34BigThings has announced Redout 2, the fastest anti-gravity (AG) racing game in the universe. Published by Saber Interactive, this sequel to the award-winning Redout is coming to PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store, PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation®4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch in 2022.

Redout 2 is the next generation of the hit series where racing through the dystopian wastelands of Earth is one of the galaxy’s most popular sports. A tribute to classic AG racing legends like Wipeout and F-Zero, Redout 2 carries on this legacy with lightning-fast speed, adrenaline, and action combined with stunning visuals and audio. Reach impossible speeds in exhilarating futuristic races across an expansive single-player campaign and competitive online multiplayer featuring in-depth controls, robust hovership ship customization, and a killer original soundtrack.

Key Features:

●     Speed & Control: With blazing-fast speeds of over 1,000 km/h and an intuitive driving system, Redout 2 is a blast to pick up and play, but truly rewarding for any who can master its super-high skill ceiling.

●     Extensive Career Mode: Fly through hundreds of events across 36 unique racetracks - all of which are reversible! From Arena Races and Time Attacks to Last Man Standing and intense Boss Races, dart past the competition and dominate the finish line.

●     Competitive Multiplayer: Take on rivals in intense online multiplayer. Dive into fresh challenges with regularly added custom content and seasons featuring bonus aesthetic rewards.

●     Comprehensive Customization: Choose from 12 distinct chassis and fully customize your own hovership with an incredible selection of propulsors, stabilizers, rudders, intercoolers, flaps, magnets, wings, spoilers, rocket engines, paints and more!

●     Experience an original futuristic soundtrack from leading electronic artists like the legendary Giorgio Moroder and acclaimed talents such as Zardonic and Dance with the Dead, with tracks seamlessly and dynamically mixed based on real-time race data.

●     Create and share your best high-speed moments with Redout 2’s Photo Mode.

Redout 2 is available to wishlist now on Steam. For the latest updates on the game, visit the official website, and follow along on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Discord.

About 34BigThings

Established in 2013, 34BigThings is a leading Italian developer for premium games across PC, console, and mobile devices which uses cutting-edge technology to create innovative, genre-leading games that receive critical acclaim and capture the imagination of gamers around the world. The studio has released over 10 premium games topping charts on most gaming platforms. 34BigThings joined Saber Interactive in November 2020.

For more information, visit www.34BigThings.com, and follow the studio on Twitter.

About Saber Interactive

An Embracer Group company headquartered in the U.S., Saber Interactive is a worldwide publisher and developer operating across 19 studios in the Americas and Europe, including Saber development offices in Russia, Spain, Belarus, Sweden, and Portugal. Creating games for all major platforms based on both original and licensed IPs, Saber’s titles include World War Z with over 15 million players worldwide (built on the proprietary Swarm Engine™), SnowRunner, the NBA Playgrounds franchise, and the upcoming Evil Dead: The Game. Founded in 2001, Saber is known for two decades of development partnerships with AAA publishers, producing The Witcher III for Nintendo Switch and next-gen consoles, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Crysis Remastered, Quake Champions, and many others.

Article by: Susan N.

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Hot Wheels Unleashed - PS5 Review

Hot Wheels Unleashed by developer and publisher Milestone S.r.l.—Sony PlayStation 5 review written by Nick with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated reading time: 7 minutes

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Hot Wheels Unleashed was one of those titles that caught my eye when it was first announced, which has the potential to disappoint if it didn’t meet my expectations. The good news? It exceeded them. Hot Wheels Unleashed is a fantastic arcade racer with plenty of staying power.

First and foremost – it’s the aesthetic for me. Having been born in the 70’s, playing with toy cars in a variety of bigger-than-life racetracks predates my love of video games, Hot Wheels Unleashed tickled my nostalgia in a unique way. Instead of blocky, retro graphics doing the trick, the visuals are instead bringing my childhood memories into sharp focus. For starters, there is a massive collection of cars here, and they get presented with fantastic, detailed models. Before you acquire them, they sit in their traditional cardboard backed, plastic-covered packaging that you used to see in the stores when they were hanging on wire racks in the toy department. It’s a simple aesthetic before opening one, but still pretty cool.

However, it’s the variety and design that takes center stage here. You have traditional cars, but you have plenty of other IPs in there as well, from Snoopy on top of a car or Batman represented. This sets the developer up with an opportunity to release plenty of DLC here as well, going forward. This is more than just visual flare however, as the cars have the specific stats we have come to expect from racing games. Acceleration, top-end speed and handling vary from car to car. One interesting twist is the boost meter, which can handle a bit different from one type of car to the next as well, from smaller, compartmentalized boosts to longer, single thrust slingshots that send you rocketing past the competition.

This ties into the two different kinds of resources in the game. One is coins, which is simple enough – you use it to buy blind packs or from a pool of rotating cars that you can purchase directly. This kind of blind pack system could be frustrating at first glance, because there’s no duplication protection and the first time I drew a duplicate I sighed. Then I quickly discovered I could sell the duplicate and it was just about the same price as a new blind pack, so I jumped right in and pulled something new moments later. The other resource are parts / gears that go into upgrading your cars. You can take a common car and upgrade it to a rare one and further upgrade it again if you save up enough parts. Early on, I had one that I liked well enough to invest in and get really good with, but the more I played Hot Wheels Unleashed, the more cars I unlocked and the more I found myself upgrading multiple vehicles to see how they turn out and play compared to one another.

All of this works only because the core gameplay is so tight. I was surprised to find I was not terribly good at Hot Wheels Unleashed initially. Not because I’m great at racing games – I’m really not. But I got my tail kicked in the tutorial, which is not how that usually goes. There are different difficulty settings, which was a big help to me early on as I learned the nuances of the controls. There’s little things, like how drifting into corners can help more rapidly replenish your boost, that you need to learn to take advantage of in order to come out on top. Track familiarity is helpful as well. First time through there was almost always one little thing that would surprise me, such as a key jump or a sliding turn that took me off of the path just a bit more than expected, that I had to learn. Additionally, the difficulty only really impacts the opposing cars, which is great in the races / nodes / objectives that have you going up against nearly a dozen opponents – but it doesn’t help a lick if your racing skills aren’t quite up to snuff and you are struggling with time attack nodes in the campaign.

The track design is arguably the best element of the game, but it kind of ties into my above statement about needing to learn the tracks. It’s one thing to see the track layout in the corner of the screen, similar to most racing games. But there’s a few extra elements that you can’t always anticipate for by looking at that, and often times these are involving sharp turns which doesn’t give you a lot of visual warning either. If you don’t make a jump going fast enough, you’ll miss the landing point on the other side of the gap and have to reset your car. There may be a section where you’re on a brown wooden floor with orange cones coming up that don’t really stand out much until you’re right on them and already turning – leading you to stray from the track. These little quirks are sometimes annoying in what is otherwise pretty fun track designs. They make use of a combination of things, such as magnetic tracks that allow you to go vertical or through large loops like the old school tracks of my youth, but also span tabletops, have household items as part of the visual environment that just add a bit of flare to everything.

Aside from getting new cars, you can also unlock new items in the area called the Basement. This is one of a half dozen other zones (such as a skate park or a garage), but the basement is probably the coolest for two reasons. One, it’s the most like my childhood in terms of nostalgia. Additionally, you can edit the basement, adding things like different items for the shelf, different colors and patterns on the walls, ceilings and floors, things like that. You don’t get to make any changes to the actual race course, but it’s still a neat feature that I’d love to see added to the other locales later. Also, given the action’s intensity? I found it difficult to take in the environments unless I was having someone else race and I was spectating. It’s dangerous to let your eyes drift off of the track for too long. In terms of the camera view, I could see this being an issue for some people as well. I prefer the angle used here – behind the car is my default in pretty much all racing games. But I can see some people feeling it’s a missed opportunity to see the dash or even take on the action from a first-person perspective not offered here.

Last but not least, there’s several modes here to keep you coming back for more. You can do quick races, online matches and the other normal modes – but there’s a bit of a more involved campaign mode that has you doing ‘boss battles’, different kinds of races (timed, competitive position, etc) that unlock nodes on the map with each successive victory. Each victory also tosses you things like gears, coins and blind packs, further adding to your stock of cars. It’s all a very rewarding system of progression, constantly dangling that carrot while the game itself really lends itself to that addictive “Just one more race” mentality. Lastly, for those with a creative itch out there to scratch, the Track Builder mode is pretty robust and you can share them out online, giving Hot Wheels Unleashed the kind of limitless potential that could keep gamers rallied around this game for a long time. Now, you don’t have access to all of the ‘parts’ right away, as you’ll have to earn them – but these are not core components. Just extra bits of flare that can be tacked on later.

Summary

Hot Wheels Unleashed is a fantastic and thoroughly enjoyable arcade racer that brings my childhood imagination to the big screen in thrilling fashion. The visuals are fantastic, there’s plenty of modes and some pretty solid progression elements that kept me coming back for more.

Score: 9 / 10

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WRC 10 FIA World Rally Championship - PS5 Review

WRC 10 FIA World Rally Championship by developer KT Racing - Kylotonn and publisher Nacon—Sony PlayStation 5 review written by Pierre-Yves with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

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Celebrating fifty years of racing, Kylotonn's off road racing simulator WRC 10 is doing a lot more than bringing the latest edition over to the newest generation of gaming hardware. Celebrating fifty years worth of epic driving, this latest version has multiple modes and eras to drive in for everyone from novices like me to pros making me wonder just how they do that.

Now this is something that I've been waiting to see both how it looks and how it handles after the WRC 9 upgrade to the latest consoles. Amazing landscapes, crystal clear sound and in the case of the PS5, haptic feedback though the controller which is what really settled for me which console that I wanted to have this experience on. The change in direction of the haptic feedback over the traditional rumble as well as the adaptive triggers are really two elements that help increase the immersion short of building your own bucket seat with pedals and a steering wheel.

For a comparison on this immersion, I had re-downloaded WRC 9 to see how the controller felt in my hands compared to WRC 10. For the most part, what was done within WRC 9 still relatively applies to WRC 10 with more and more feedback being provided on rougher road conditions. You can feel where the car is struggling and adapt to what part of the road you are driving on. This feeling I found helped me concentrate a lot more on what was coming as I was driving down a treacherous road at 135 km/h if I was going to at least meet the bare minimum of the challenge requirements.

What really inspires some panic though is that there are some turns that you’re going to need to take that you really can’t drift through, you’re going to have to actually hit the brakes and not just pull on the handbrake. This would be fine, but panic may start to set in when you’ve got about 80 km/h to drop down and your trigger is fighting you as you’re trying to brake. It’s nuts but like the haptic feedback, these responses from the controller in your hand eventually start to make everything feel more natural and settled in than ever before because you know through a physical response, just how bad that upcoming tight turn is going to be.

Following the same format as before, there are a few modes to experience depending on your personal playstyles. There’s the single player training to get acquainted with driving off road and the types of situations that you can find yourself in. What I really like about this mode is that it doesn’t just teach you how to get the job done, it challenges you to get the job done. Going through the motions isn’t enough, you actually have target times in order to complete the challenge and with each level of bronze, silver and gold, you unlock more points which unlock more training situations.

The added bonus to these situations is that it gives you a chance to really learn how to maneuver one of these cars without having to worry about stress, cash flow for repairs and the mental state of your staff. You don’t need to stop for breaks or worry about relationships with manufacturers like in the campaign mode. You can simply just drive and learn through small circuit drifting challenges or much longer treacherous situations with a half broken car in the rain, at night, in the middle of nowhere. Those were perhaps the most fun as you REALLY need to be paying attention but at the same time, you also need to go fast and these busted up cars? May or may not respond to you in the same ways that they should depending on what’s been busted for the challenge.

WRC 10 screenshot of drifting a modern car through an off road forest track.

Possibly the most interesting addition is that regardless of the mode from training to campaigns, vintage cars from over the course of the last fifty years have been available for you to drive. What makes these cars so interesting is that they offer a new perspective of driving. These are much older vehicles and just taking them out on the same potentially treacherous tracks makes you wonder, as these cars have nowhere near the same level of responsiveness as today and with some of the tracks that they were driven on, how crazy were these people back then?

Now I found myself with a love-hate relationship when it came to driving vintage cars. I loved the idea, and I loved the look and the realism, and I realize some of these cars are fifty years old and that the technology was completely different, BUT, I sucked when it came to taking those out onto the tracks making me wonder what am I doing wrong “this” time. While I’ve now been playing the series for a few entries, I’m still rather a beginner when it comes to taking these cars offroad and sometimes think I know better (clearly don’t) when I drift around a certain corner only to go right past the road.

So when it comes to these vintage cars, they aren’t as powerful, they don’t glide as well, and from that standpoint it falls squarely into realism because they wouldn't handle like brand new cars designed today. My issue though is that for a novice like me, throwing those kinds of cars into both the training sessions as well as your career mode is like asking a brand new person to the Souls series to ace it on their first try. It’s going to be a rough ride and it can cause some frustration. This is especially the case after taking out a manufacturer’s new model in which with just a light touch of the controls has you going from 0-100 in seconds instead of wondering when the trigger is all of the way down why you’re barely breaking 70km/h.

WRC 10 screenshot of drifting a vintage car through an off road mountain track.

Otherwise, everything else is as I've come to expect of the WRC series. The courses are gorgeous to look at, treacherous to drive on and you have to pay so much attention to what you’re doing as well as what you need to do. Whether working with your partner calling out what types of twists and turns are coming up or finding out for yourself through a variety of challenges, the cars, busted or in pristine condition, are responsive and can potentially make you wonder about trying this out yourself one day. Maybe one day… on a closed circuit… with plenty of experts on hand!

Top to bottom though, Kylotonn's latest in the WRC series is worth picking especially if you were on the fence coming over from WRC 9. There’s more content to be found within WRC 10 and the addition of the vintage cars from the offroading history adds an extra layer of challenge to something that’s already challenging enough. It’s fun, it’s gorgeous to look at and the responsiveness from the PlayStation 5 controller from the haptic feedback and the adaptive triggers just increase the immersion all from the safety of your living room.

Score: 9 / 10

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REKT! High Octane Stunts - XB1 review

REKT! High Octane Stunts by developer Little Chicken Game Company and publisher No Gravity Games—Microsoft Xbox One review written by Nick with a copy provided by the publisher.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

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REKT! High Octane Stunts is a fun stunt car game with colorful visuals and easy-to-learn controls. However, it has a lack of content and depth that makes it an entertaining if somewhat short-lived experience.

There is an immediate, recognizable comparison to REKT! High Octane Stunts that is begging to be made, but this title in many ways reminded me of the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater or maybe Rocket League games. It is all about accessibility, tricks and crazy jumps. There is a great sense of speed and the airborne tricks are a blast to pull off. The recipe is a simple but enjoyable one, but it doesn’t really bring much new to the table after several hours with the title.

There is an online mode, but honestly it feels pretty underwhelming. The vast majority of my time was spent in single player, where you are basically going to either practice, or take on challenges to try and collect high scores. When you are about to undertake the challenge mode, you will get three challenges to try and complete. Some of them range from very simple (spin to the left twice, or simply turn or collect some clocks to extend your time in the arena) to more involved (super high jumps, a long period of drift distance or doing a ‘mini race’ where you hit targets in thirty seconds or less.

This ties into the game’s primary progression, which is earning enough experience to unlock new cars or enough credits to buy one of a handful of new stages. The environments are all pretty simple, but pleasing to look at. In many ways, this is a good description of the game’s overall visual aesthetic. Blocky, colorful environments and car models with lots of loops, bumps and platforms that encourage you to get airborne and perform as many flips and spins as possible to rack up points and try to get your highest score yet.

I would argue however, that this is not the most effective carrot to dangle. Maybe it’s just me – but high score chasing is not my top motivator in most games, and here it and getting to unlock new cars that are visually different but don’t really perform differently from one another gets a bit stale as far as motivation goes. Don’t get me wrong, the cars do have different stats like handling or speed, but unless you jump from something super fast like a car to a chunkier vehicle like a large truck, you don’t really notice the differences between them.

There is a bit of exploration to had in the stages due to various floating platforms and small secrets that can be found as you unlock new stages, but these things are not organically baked into the gameplay. There should be additional bonuses or modifiers for venturing up and into these more challenging spots in the map. Otherwise you spend time getting up there with no real benefit, which leads to getting lower scores, and this runs counter to the primary gameplay element of getting the largest scores you can in your allotted time.

It might have been nice to see some sort of AI bots added to the gameplay, creating new objectives. While some of the crazier flips and spins are fun to do on your own, the environments have a very simple look to them and without any other cars on it, you are really just battling time and points. It might have been nice to add some other mode, like a destruction derby or something just to add to the variety and challenge.

Summary

All in all, REKT! High Octane Stunts feels like an old-school arcade game. It is a bit of a misnomer to call it a racing game, despite having a car in it. At its core, REKT is all about the stunts and points, and while the game handles well and delivers on that promise, the number of environments and differences in unlocked cars are somewhat limited. There are not a lot of modes here either. What is there is great deal of fun for a time, but REKT! High Octane Stunts’ overall content is somewhat lacking.

Score: 6.25 / 10

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