Onrush: PS4 Review

Onrush: PS4 Review

Released by Codemasters
Platform: PS4

A racing game that is more of a bubblegum thrill rather than a long-term proposition, Onrush is all about how it feels rather than how it keeps pulling you back in.

Simply put, this is a racing game that requires you to rollerderby the opposition, filling up your boost and giving you the chance to unleash a vehicle's special ability. Nothing more, nothing less.

Sure there are heats, there are challenges (such as Countdown, where you have to race through gates before the clock runs out on either you or your opposition) and sure there are vicarious thrills as you pile and wipeout your opposition.

Taking in elements of the PS One classic Rollcage, mixing in any variant of Mario Kart and adding in elements of WipeOut, Onrush, when it clicks, is thrilling. Codemasters have pulled together a game that is as arcade as they come, a smoothly executed ride that's a shot of adrenaline.

But, to be frank, it's all a hollow thrill.

The game's instantly forgettable after you finish, and to a degree, disposable as you play it.
Sure the graphics and playability are smooth; sure, the game's regions are nicely executed, and also look graphically impressive, and sure, there's no glitching as you hurtle around the tracks.

And yet, progression, with its unlocking of loot crates, and its collecting of XP, emotes et al, seems a bit pointless in the long run.

Online, the game flounders, and joining games and matches when it works, sees you essentially apparently joining the end of the game and wondering why the machine even bothered. IT needs a retool and the hope is that this can be the case soon, because online's competitive ability could be one to mine.

It's a shame for Onrush, because Codemasters have pulled together a game that when it works actually fires on all cylinders. But it's a bit directionless at times, and with a retool, and a tweak over what it wants to achieve, Onrush really could be a great addition to the pantheon of arcade racers.