Screamer: PS5 Review

Developed by Milestone
Published by Milestone
Platform: PS5

Sometimes, arcade games can push you to the absolute edge.

Whether it's their addictive nature, their "just one more go" mentality or their ease of play, the genre is one that's always held sway with gamers - and so much so that fiddling with what's on offer can lead to a feeling of why mess with it if it's not broken.

Fortunately, arcade racer Screamer offers something of a halfway house for racing games, mixing both long anime-style cut scenes and cartoon-level racing in an update of the game that was first unleashed back in 1995.

With anime graphics and chapter-led storytelling, this latest from Milestone offers something a little different as it pulls you in with its story of street racing, different gangs and competitive edges. Digging into a dystopian-style future world and sci-fi trappings, it tells the story of rival gangs who thrash it all out on the track, pushing their racing to divulge their tale in a bitesize way that'll keep you engaged throughout.

With cars that feel just a little day-after-tomorrow stylings, and tracks that are like Blade Runner but on speed, the neon-soaked racing will see you needing to concentrate and learn mechanics as you drift around courses and take on other racers.

It's not an easy game to master and there are times when it distinctly feels like the levelling up process has happened to everyone else on the track but you. With its twin-stick system, the game does require concentration and a level head for blatting around courses - one wrong move and you're back to the dredges of the racing pack, destined not to catch up.

There's a kind of lunacy that works here as you battle other racers and take part in a plethora of other race options - and while the cut scenes can occasionally become annoying, skipping them leaves you missing out on some of the game's finer details.

Stripped of the seriousness of other racing sims and meshing anime with Forza Horizon and Wipeout works well here - just don't be surprised if you find yourself caught up in the fact you think you can beat others with just one more race.