By Quintin Smith on May 20th, 2011 at 2:54 pm.
Digital Reality, who Wikipedia assures me is the oldest Hungarian “video game developer company” in existence, has gone and announced SKYDRIFT, a download-only racing game that looks a bit like Crimson Skies crossed with Playstation high-speed headtrip Wipeout. Why do I feel the need to make all these comparisons? I suppose it’s so my brain doesn’t drown in all these games, each of which is secretly as unique and beautiful as a snowflake. Trailer and press release (“spectacular and exotic locations,” “extreme maneuvers,” “aircrafts”!) after the jump.
Missiles! Big rocks! Guitar! Hey, this actually looks quite good.
Gain advantage using 6 different types of offensive and defensive power-ups and survive the infinite variety of extreme maneuvers often dangerously close to the ground.
Admire the amazingly detailed dynamic terrains and incredible vistas, from a desert canyon to a tropical island to arctic glaciers based on the most spectacular and exotic locations all over the planet. The breathtaking landscape includes monumental rocks, volcanic lava flows, scenic rivers and ice fields that provide a memorable experience in incredible graphics rarely seen in digital-only titles.
Unlock all 8 modern, state-of-the-art aircrafts tuned to the max. Personalize them with over 30 unique racing skins from military camouflage war paint for hiding, to the most shiny and colorful ones for domination.
20/05/2011 at 14:57 aldo_14 says:
Also sounds a bit like Slipstream 5000.
20/05/2011 at 15:11 Nero says:
Oh man, that game brings back memories. I have a friend which I played a few games through Null Modem cable many years ago and one of them was Slipstream 5000.
20/05/2011 at 15:13 mojo says:
first thing that came to mind.
20/05/2011 at 15:13 Fringe says:
Yes!
That’s what I was thinking. Even though we’re just drawing MORE comparisons.
20/05/2011 at 16:26 Mr_Day says:
Ah, Slipstream 5000 and Fatal Racing gave me some good times.
To the Dosbox-inator!
20/05/2011 at 23:49 The Army of None says:
Oh man, I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought of Slipstream. That game consumed many of my hours.
20/05/2011 at 14:59 President Weasel says:
From the screenshot I was thinking “this look slike Crimson Skies crossed with Wipe- oh, Quinns said that”.
20/05/2011 at 15:03 Daniel Rivas says:
I thought the Arctic Monkeys were a bit rubbish past the first album. Which was a stonker.
20/05/2011 at 15:31 DanPryce says:
Favourite Worst Nightmare has it’s moments. People really underestimate that album
Also, SKYDRIFT looks like quite a lot of fun actually. I’ll keep an eye on this’n.
20/05/2011 at 16:02 mllory says:
I rather fancy that album.
Granted, it’s the entry album for me and it took me a while to get into the older stuff. I guess people don’t like it because it’s different? But then, isn’t that part of being an artists anyway.
20/05/2011 at 16:28 Daniel Rivas says:
I just didn’t think the sneering tone worked in the second album, once they were rich and famous. And the third Wasn’t Northern Enough, obviously.
20/05/2011 at 16:40 mllory says:
Wasn’t Northern Enough
Ah well, there you have it. I guess I’m not british enough (or at all, to be honest) to catch such nuances.
20/05/2011 at 15:04 Vinraith says:
Now that looks cool. I guess there’s no chance of 2 player splitscreen play…
20/05/2011 at 15:06 Misnomer says:
You guys watched that and didn’t think Star Wars pod racing?
20/05/2011 at 15:10 Vinraith says:
Pod racing? Odd, I don’t remember anything by that name in the three Star Wars movies that exist.
20/05/2011 at 15:11 jon_hill987 says:
They had the arcade machine of that in the Student Union when I was at Uni. Many a drunk evening (and pound coin) were spent on that one. The two throttle control was brilliant.
Of course the only race worth playing was the Tatooine one, the others just weren’t as well made.
20/05/2011 at 15:37 RakeShark says:
I suppose Vin doesn’t recognize Republic Commando either, Pod Racer and that are the two gems to come out of that movie series.
But yes, I was thinking Pod Racer too.
20/05/2011 at 15:51 Gnoupi says:
@Vin – We obviously won’t discuss the movie part, but the actual “pod racer” game was quite good:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbcVEmK8eP0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN0tIJrQff8
(and far more intense or interesting than the movie it is inspired of)
20/05/2011 at 15:54 Vinraith says:
@Gnoupi
I know, I just felt the need to be that guy. :)
Yeah, actually the pod racer game was a lot of fun, in a Wipeout kind of way. I missed Republic Commando, though.
20/05/2011 at 16:52 RakeShark says:
Bah, it ate my post. In one paragraph then:
Republic Commando is a rough little fresh gem in a sea of FPS’s that try really hard to be realistic and/or grimdark. You can find it either on Steam, in a brick’n'mortar shop with a PC section, or on Amazon as part of a 5 game LucasArts “Best of PC” collection. It doesn’t have any real DRM built in other than CD Key and CD Check. The things that make it stand out from other Star Wars/LucasArts titles of the era were its sound design, music, voice acting, solid squad command mechanics, and being a tangential deviation from all the Jedi lightsaber wank of the time.
Check it out, it’s a fun little game that admittedly ends too quickly, but it’s proof that there were some Star Wars games of that time period that didn’t suck.
20/05/2011 at 19:57 Vinraith says:
You had me at “solid squad command mechanics.” There are FAR too few FPS’s out there that can boast some actual tactical substance.
20/05/2011 at 15:23 Moni says:
That reminds me: I should play Dogfighter before the End of Days.
20/05/2011 at 16:17 Antsy says:
Especially if you want to look forward to them.
20/05/2011 at 15:30 dwl says:
Plane Crazy
20/05/2011 at 17:26 Chaz says:
Yep, that’s what I thought too.
20/05/2011 at 22:58 LimEJET says:
Almost exactly, strangely enough.
20/05/2011 at 15:31 Richie Shoemaker says:
I’d rather they made another Imperium Galactica.
20/05/2011 at 15:33 Lobotomist says:
Love it :D
20/05/2011 at 15:35 Dana says:
Sorta want.
20/05/2011 at 15:56 Makariel says:
Looks like a Red Bull Air Race taken to the next level. I like.
20/05/2011 at 16:07 I LIKE FOOD says:
watch?v=eG9eXnnZewA
They definetly took impression from Plane Crazy
oh and thats a “youtube” clip, id edit in the full url if i was not a lazy hooman.
20/05/2011 at 16:07 tanith says:
I’d rather have them make a REAL Crimson Skies. ):
Dogfighter didn’t feel good at all. It may look a little bit nice but it just doesn’t feel right.
And Skydrift looks more like Dogfighter than Crimson Skies.
20/05/2011 at 21:59 VelvetFistIronGlove says:
I want to play Crimson Skies again. Sadly, I tried everything I could find, and it just wouldn’t run anymore on my ATI card and/or Windows 7 64. :-/
21/05/2011 at 02:15 wazups2x says:
Yep, I was hoping Dog Fighter would be an amazing game like Crimson Skies but it just wasn’t any fun.
20/05/2011 at 16:15 BobsLawnService says:
Does anyone remember Plane Crazy – because this looks exactly like it.
20/05/2011 at 16:16 I LIKE FOOD says:
Yeah check 2 posts up.
20/05/2011 at 16:29 ZIGS says:
Hungary has the best pornstars
20/05/2011 at 16:47 Bats says:
This reminds me a lot of Plane Crazy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plane_Crazy_(video_game) which came out a while back. Definitely looks like it has potential, will keep my eye on it.
what I wouldn’t give for another Crimson Skies on the pc tho…
20/05/2011 at 16:50 RightOnTime says:
Did I just see a BAGGER 288?
This looks like it could be fun especially with Dogfighter-esque controls (minus the twitchiness). Reminds me of N-Gen Racing on the PS1, good times
20/05/2011 at 16:57 somini says:
Mario Kart IN AIRSPACE!!!
20/05/2011 at 16:58 Outsider says:
This looks like it could potentially be a lot of fun!
20/05/2011 at 17:38 Kerbobotat says:
This looks like exactly the type of game I was looking for to rekindle our LAN parties, which devolved into endless minecraft and Company of Heroes games. Thanks RPS! (Also, once again, you have managed to render promise to myself that my free time would be dedicated to assembling a portfolio for a graphic design degree null and void.)
20/05/2011 at 17:43 Jad says:
Playstation high-speed headtrip Wipeout
Hey, Wipeout wasn’t just for Playstation, it came out for PC’s too! MS-DOS and all that!
20/05/2011 at 18:03 Rond says:
Looks like some old-school fun. I’m in, if people promise to actually play it, unlike Dogfighter and Plain Sight.
20/05/2011 at 18:54 Napalm Sushi says:
Wipeout HDs (not unexpected) failure to even glance at the PC, as though we are a particularly unpleasant and desperate looking beggar, led me to the closest point I’ve come to considering the purchase of a console since I sold my Saturn. My interest in this is, therefore, very much piqued.
20/05/2011 at 19:52 The JG Man says:
For ages I’ve thought that Wipeout was the best racing game series and has been the only reason why I’ve wanted a PS3. Like you, the existence of this eases that pain.
20/05/2011 at 19:03 stahlwerk says:
There are not enough alternative-ish history air racing games, so this one is an instant win by the graphics alone (it’s gorgeous).
20/05/2011 at 20:48 man-eater chimp says:
I’d like a non power-up mode so it ends up as flying Trackmania!
21/05/2011 at 03:15 Rii says:
I am so hard for this. Thanks for the heads-up.
21/05/2011 at 15:50 Turbobutts says:
The moment I found out that it’ll be on PC it instantly not only made my day but my weekend and maybe my whole week. PC really lacks some decent multiplayer arcade-ish (air) racing.
22/05/2011 at 00:57 LionsPhil says:
Ooh, pretty.
22/05/2011 at 03:21 Rii says:
I’m not seeing it myself. I mean, I wouldn’t call it ugly but nor would I remark upon its visual splendour. I’m not sure what others – including, apparently, the developers themselves – are seeing that I’m not.
22/05/2011 at 11:48 LionsPhil says:
Detailed, bright, saturated graphics without being outright cartoony are a welcome change from grey-brown, grey-brown with neon highlights, and NOLF/Evil Genius/TF2 (even though the latter is also damn pretty). Kind of reminds me of Flatout 2, actually.
Also it looks like the actual game part is quite readable: it’s possible to make out the course, identify the powerup types (admittedly mostly by colour rather than the icon on them), and opponents without these all being buried under ten tons of particle effects and bloom.