Go Speed Racer, GO!
I love a good arcade racing game. I grew up with the arcade classics such as Outrun, Cruis’n, and Daytona. When the original Horizon Chase dropped, I was immediately hooked with its fast-paced action and focus on fun over everything else. The sequel is finally here, and the developers have improved on some of the issues found in the original, while taking some things a little too far in the wrong direction. Still if you are like me and enjoyed the original, there is plenty here to make a second visit to this franchise worthy of a purchase.
The World Tour mode is easily the biggest attraction in this entry. The game tasks you with completing a series of races within a specific country before moving on. The races are against other racers with little concern for your well-being. Each race has two objectives, finishing first and collecting the blue coins. These coins serve a purpose in that if you collect them all you earn upgrades for the car you are driving at the end of the race.
MSRP: $24.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $24.99
What sucks about this is that the parts can only be used for the car you are using. That means you need to pick one and stick with it. New cars are also unlocked as you complete each country. Races are fast and brutal; one mistake and it is a challenge to regain first place. I found myself restarting races if I fell too far behind. There are no difficulty sliders, so this game is all about learning the cars, tracks, and best lines.
The cars themselves feel great. I also love that different types of vehicles handle completely differently. Each one has its own pros and cons with heavier cars taking turns entirely differently than slimmer, faster models. This adds a bit of strategy to choosing which car to race with. I recommend checking out single races and time trials to get a feel for what you prefer before committing to the World Tour with a specific vehicle.
Speaking of the time trial mode, this is by far for the hardcore. These races are brutal with each one consisting of picking up time coins along the way to finish. These will test even the most skilled players. This is definitely a mode that should be tackled after spending a healthy amount of time in all the other modes.
Horizon Chase 2 carries over the same stylized look of the first game. Cars blaze by at ridiculous speed. It feels extremely fast, but I rarely had to use my brakes. The game has a built-in design that circumvents a lot of going off the road. Still don’t think of these as guardrails. You still need to practice lines and make the right moves. As I mentioned, one mistake and you won’t be finishing first.
Sadly, the stages are a little more drab than in the previous games. There were several tracks that resonated with me, much like classic arcade games, from the first outing. This one trades that for more realistic looking areas that are not nearly as memorable and start to bleed together between races. Game does move at a brisk pace on Xbox Series X though. I never saw a drop-in frame rate and the music composed by Barry Leitch is outstanding. Lots of great tunes that had me humming along, much like the first game.
Horizon Chase 2 is a solid sequel that adds some new pieces that make it a worthy sequel. I do wish the track design was a little better and the upgrades worked across all cars instead of having to dedicate it to the one I am driving. Still there is a lot to love here, the soundtrack, the speed, and the pure arcade excitement. If you have any reverence for games from the arcade era, this is a no-brainer. Definitely worth checking out.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
