Overlanders

A good futuristic racing game! However, the online community is very small, and the amount of single-player content is a bit limited, so I'd probably wait for a sale.

Are you a racing game fan? Like the competition of beating other people on crazy maps? How about chasing and beating up giant monsters? What if a game could throw that all together into one experience? Add hovercrafts and customizable weapons and you have the recipe for Overlanders by developer Run-Down Games. My first impression of this game was: Star Wars Podracers meets Mario Kart. I really enjoy racing games as a whole genre since they seem to show up in almost every gamer’s life at some point in time. I remember playing driving games at the arcade and the many hours I spent on The Simpson’s Road Rage as a newly crowned teenager. Overlanders brings a fresh take on a classic genre that has not had many hits lately; in my personal opinion. There is quite a bit to the game so far, with a few more things to come in updates. Currently, there’s a tutorial, a campaign mode, and a multiplayer mode. Coming soon, there will be more upgrades and a map builder mode that shows a lot of promise. In the campaign mode, it’s your job to chase after big monsters and end them before the world is destroyed. Your race ends when the monster is taken out. You can upgrade your gear to you hoverbike to increase your odds at scoring the big points against your foe as you race through the course. As you progress, harder beasts will be encountered and more desirable loot can be obtained. In multiplayer mode, you choose a bike of your choice and match up with four others online and race against each other. While you have to worry about your rivals, there will be a monster to take out as well. Best tactics and hits wins the race. I really liked the design of the maps in each encounter I had. They were well thought out with the theme and color pallet. No two maps I played were similar to the other. I viewed three different courses in my playtime: a desert, a snowy mountainscape, and a jungle. Each had their own obstacles and advantages while not being too overwhelming to the player. I also enjoyed the fact that in multiplayer mode you could choose what type of bike you wanted. There are four to choose from: Comet, Goliath, Buffalo, and Flux. Comet is your speed heavy model. Goliath is your attack based bike. Buffalo is the middle ground, easy rider. Lastly, Flux is your starter speed with a small kick of power bike. I tested each of these and can attest that they fit all types of gamers. I had a lot of issues with Overlanders. Most of the time when I go to play a racing game, I want both of my hands on a single unit. Whether it’s a keyboard or a controller, I don’t mind, but they must be together in this sense. Overlanders uses both the keyboard and mouse for steering your hovercraft. I found it odd that in order to fully turn right or left depended on your mouse trajectory. Even though the A and D keys were to help that as well, I found it frustrating to make a smooth turn. Another huge problem was that the turn arrows on the course blended into the area. I would not have a clue when I was supposed to turn until I was right up on the curve. This normally meant I was crashing into a wall or rocks. Hard core racing gamers should definitely look into this game as it may present unique challenges and breathtaking sights compared to run of the mill racing games. The shining star of this game is the fantastic multiplayer experience and if you are a fan of online play, this game will entertain you for hours upon end. Although, if you are prone to not being adept in several controls, frustration will become your best friend.