At first glance, Impact Racing comes across as another empty, brainless, drive 'n' shoot contest - but it takes only a few heart-racing laps to realize that this is more than just Ridge Racer with missiles.
If there's one way to describe Impact Racing, it's "nerve-wracking." Unlike traditional racing games, where the only objective is finishing the race with the best position, each Impact race requires the completion of two missions, each equally intense: Complete laps before the allotted time expires (and this usually comes down to a second or two); and destroy a certain number of cars. Concentrate on one and not the other, and you'll quickly be slamming your Playstation controller on the floor in frustration. You'll see....
Essentially, you floor the gas, destroy every car in your path and try to make it back to the finish line before the clock runs out - and there are no pit stops, accidents, off-course excursions, yellow flags, or anything else to slow the frantic pace. While cruising at high speeds it's important to watch for bonus icons, which include extra time, energy, armor, and weapons. One worth avoiding is the wild "flipview" icon, which flips the entire screen upside down (and reverses the steering controls) for a truly dizzying experience.
Impact Racing features three different main tracks (City, Mountain, and Space), and several different modes (including Mirror, Night, and Night-Mirror) for a total of 12 racing variations. Unlike most racing games, the tracks here don't vary enough to provide wholly different levels of difficulty or excitement. There's no track selection option, but it's doubtful you'd ever feel compelled to race on one track more than the others. Visually, Impact Racing has a wonderfully cold, dark tone, resulting in a very space-like and futuristic atmosphere. The graphics are solid, though unspectacular, and the sense of speed as you whip around the tracks at 180 mph is superb.
Impact Racing may not seem like much on the surface, but its high-tension, high-impact races ensure that you will come back again and again for further punishment.
