Redout Review – The New Wipeout in VR

Redout is the new high speed futuristic racing game from 34BigThings being inspired by games like F-Zero and Wipeout. The premise is simple, choose a craft and a circuit and either speed around the twisting tracks solo in Time Attack mode (and variations on the theme) or against 11 AI opponents. If you’re really feeling brave you can battle it out against other online players.

First up there’s quite a bit of choice for any would be racer which comes in the form of an extensive career mode, or quick race options where the latter allows you to partake in numerous modes of play however these are best left until you’ve made some headway in the career mode as there’s no reward for losing here – and you will lose, often. The career is a good reference point for unlocking more locations, craft and getting to grips with how the game plays. It’s not an easy game by any stretch and you’ll find that after the rather laid back opening time trial run, the first race highlights just how unforgiving the AI opposition can be. However, it’s not all doom and gloom because you’re encouraged to rack up credits to purchase upgrades, new ships and try again once you’re better suited.

There’s an underlying tactical element here as certain event types/tracks are more in tune with specific craft, so earning credits to afford them is a must and thankfully after each race no matter how poorly you perform there is a reward so you’re always making progress. It could be viewed as a bit of a grind especially if you’re finding it hard to fall on your feet, but persistence pays dividends if you’ve got the patience.

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Racing is fast and furious across the four themed locations and you’ll have to account for the craft elevation, braking and when you should energy boost for a bit of extra speed. Sadly, if you spend too much time scraping the edges then you’ll suffer the consequences and if you damage your ship too much then a costly time penalty is incurred as you explode and then be placed further back down the pack. The AI is tough to beat especially if you’re after gold medals and means that you’ll really have to spend the time learning the tracks. As mentioned it’s not an easy game and often you’ll be bashed by unforgiving AI or overtaken at the last stretch robbing you of a medal finish. It’s not clear if there’s rubber-banding going on but rarely can you zip ahead and hold the lead without interruption.

Visually, Redout looks good and sports some pleasant themed locations such as the African deserts of Cairo to more Mediterranean climes such as Abruzzo Italy or icy cold Alaska. There’s around 20 circuits to race on, each offering its own nuances to master. The speed as you move up the classes can be overwhelming (especially in VR) and with twists and turns aplenty means you’ll need a strong stomach. Luckily there’s a few viewpoint options to help you along the way but the very fast first person view might be the most immersive but is for hardened players only. It’s a lot more forgiving being able to see the ship as you move about. That said, there’s a number of options to tweak to get the settings right to suit your system which is a must for any game that offers VR support – so the included resolution quality option is most welcome.

Audio also comes in with an excellent thumping soundtrack filled with electronic flavours to suit the futuristic vibe making good use of keeping players fuelled with beats as the action ramps up – it very much feels like a spiritual successor to Wipeout in many ways as the music is all part of the driving force behind the fast paced gameplay.

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In terms of length, there’s quite a lot to strive for with unlockable circuits, locations, ship classes and ship types and with the Quick Race option allowing for a number of modifiers on the theme such as boss races where all stages are stitched together for a longer race, or survival mode where you see how long you can race against the clock without coming a cropper for examples. There’s certainly a healthy amount of options aside from the career mode and online racing making it good value for money. That said, you might be hard pushed to find suitable opponents online.

Redout is a well produced game which seems to be aimed at more hardcore players thanks to its tough AI, steep learning curve and fast paced racing. As you would expect this approach is likely to deter some players and perhaps the balancing is something that will be tweaked at a later date – or at least it should be. As it stands Redout works as a solid racing VR experience or 2D game to while away the hours. If you miss the days of F-Zero or Wipeout then you’ll find much enjoyment here. If you found either of those classics too much of an assault on your senses then Redout will induce a similar feeling whether that’s in 2D or VR. Those prone to VR sickness or have a lack of patience might do well to avoid this game.

Score 7.5/10

Written by: Rob Cram

Rob Cram has hundreds of video game reviews, thousands of articles under his belt with years of experience in gaming and tech. He aims to remain fair and free from publisher/developer influence. With his extensive knowledge, feels his gaming opinions are valid and worth sharing. Agreement with his views are entirely optional. He might have a bias towards cyberpunk.