Split/Second to race to the top of the charts

Finished the latest Forza? Bored of Burnout? Given up waiting for the new Gran Turismo? Well, there’s a glut of upcoming new racers in the next few months that will be fighting for pole position in the gaming charts… and I reckon Split/Second: Velocity from Black Rock Studio – part of Disney Interactive – has a good chance of coming out on top.

It’s a refreshing change for a racer on the current crop of consoles to not be overly concerned about realism and physics; for those of us who don’t care whether we’re using the correct tyres, have suitable suspension or sufficient understeer, a solid arcade racer is much more fun. Certainly this takes the tried and tested genre by the scruff of the neck and gives it a good, much-needed, shake – focusing on the far more important issue of making it through a race in one piece!

Set under the guise of a fictional reality TV show, winning and survival is all important. Split/Second is fast and furious, gorgeously detailed and more than a little reminiscent of some of the more popular driving games from yesteryear such as Destruction Derby and Carmageddon. In fact, if you cross the scenery smashing elements of Flatout Ultimate Carnage with the adrenaline-fuelled carnage of the Burnout series, you’re pretty close to imagining Disney’s latest offering.

Players don’t just race around the track but trigger explosive events that alter the course, wiping out opponents or creating timesaving short cuts.

Check out my five reasons why Split/Second will race to the top of the charts...

(Picture credits: Disney Interactive Studios)