N.Gen Racing

Several members of the original Wipeout team took part in the creation of N.Gen, so it's no coincidence they share traits like a techno soundtrack, strobe light beacons, amazing speed and so on. It also borrows a thing or two from Gran Turismo (permits, buying and selling aircraft, upgrades). Beyond the similarities, N.Gen's strong points are its impressive speed and handling capabilities. The first few levels move about as fast as the average PS flight sim, but the later races take place at a sonic pace. The effect is magnified by the surprisingly smooth flow of mountains, valleys and other background elements. The handling is nice and intuitive in arcade mode which makes it perfect for the casual gamers. Beyond the occasional hard turn it's pretty straightforward. Pro mode, on the other hand, is really tough to master. The jets react to the slightest nudge of the stick, and this extra maneuverability is required to win the higher levels. In the end, N.Gen delivers a decent racing experience with a healthy amount of Wipeout-inspired adrenaline. It's not without some negatives. The biggest problem is the button configuration is awkward. Holding down the thrust, after-burn and weapon buttons at the same time is just plain silly, especially when the action heats up. Configuring the controller doesn't seem to help either. If you can deal with that and you liked Wipeout, you'll probably like this one. To be sure, rent it for a night or two.

Initially, N.Gen comes across as one of those games where the designers sat around and said "let's do a racing game, only instead of cars...let's have planes!" The whole thing feels very forced and you can't help feeling that it hangs together like an idea in desperate need of adequate execution. If it was a $10 game, I'd be all over it, believe me. The graphics are great, bordering on the superb in places, but the gameplay never matches up. The beauty of a good racing game is being able to jostle for position and feel like you really are "racing." let planes just aren't conducive to that kind of action, so you just whiz around admiring the scenery.

I've been waiting for a good airplane racing game for a long time, and it's finally here. Curly Monsters pumped some sweet graphics out of the PS, with only a hint of slowdown when there's a lot of stuff on screen. The racing gives you freedom of movement (there is a "track" but you can move outside it for short periods of time) and a real sense of speed. Tunes are a collection of electronica tracks that, while not performed by big names, fit the racing action perfectly. My only concern is with the control. Sometimes juggling the buttons for changing and firing weapons, thrust and afterburner can be a huge chore. But it's worth a look.