GRIP succeeds in honouring fan favourite Rollcage, but is there more to this wall-riding combat racer than a quick hit of nostalgia?
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Not everyone will have heard of Rollcage. Published by Psygnosis for PC and the original PlayStation back in 1999, the arcade racer stood out thanks to one clever concept: being able to race on every surface, including walls and ceilings. It scored well among critics and was quickly followed up with a sequel, but that was almost 20 years ago.
Since its heyday some three console generations ago, no one has attempted to revive the quirky combat racer. Not until Caged Element unveiled GRIP, which is pretty much a modern day Rollcage in all but name. Its a project thats been in circulation for a few years now, originally taking to Kickstarter before the crowdfunding campaign was scrapped in favour of an early access model. GRIP would eventually get picked up by UK publisher Wired Productions and is finally ready to get off the starting line.
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The set-up here wont come as a shock to fans of the genre. At its core, theres a hefty campaign mode or, if you prefer, you can dip straight into any mode or map solo, online, or with up to three friends locally via splitscreen. Its a straightforward, no thrills, racing package that doesnt try to crowbar a wafer-thin story into its campaign, laying out a spread of tournaments that gradually ramp in difficulty.
As you progress, youll earn experience, level up, and unlock customisation options, but these amount to a sparse selection of vehicles, rims, tyres, and paint jobs. Its in sore need of depth but GRIP at least tries to mix up the map and mode rotations, as well as tampering with some of the race conditions, such as disabling certain power-ups.
Theres your usual clutch of items here, ranging from a bog standard speed boost to homing missiles, a minigun, swarm rockets, and a rear shield. In truth, theyre fairly dull and lack creativity – even if they get the job done. The driving is equally serviceable, but theres nothing here to really get your engines revved up.
GRIPs clunky looking vehicles cant drift and the handling isnt exactly fluid, though theres still some fun to be had navigating the games tracks. You see, aside from chasing boost pads and fending off other racers, youll need to keep an eye on how the road ahead warps and bends. It adds a fun twist, though Caged Element could have done with being more playful and inventive in its track designs.
Blitzing through tunnels and half-pipes doesnt always go smoothly. There will certainly be times where you go to hit a jump or mount a wall only to be spun out, collide with an obstacle, or fly off the track completely. The lack of proper air controls can make these moments even more frustrating, often leaving you helpless as your vehicle flails around before GRIP spawns you back into the action.
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Losing a few seconds isnt all that devastating, at least when racing against computer opponents. Rubber-banding is in full effect here, to the point that youll actually see pack leaders deliberately slow, allowing you catch up. Its by no means a deal breaker (without it, the competition would crush you) though most racing games do a better job at hiding it.
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GRIP isnt just about racing, it has to be said. Theres a deathmatch mode with its own clutch of combat arenas, letting you toy around with the games arsenal of weapons. The aptly named Carkour is also thrown into the mix, a collection of micro stages that will have you navigating tight turns and massive jumps to reach a goal area. Theyre pretty tough and not at all necessary, although its good to see the developers try and add some bonus features to the game.
In motion GRIP can look fairly basic and doesnt have quite the same cinematic sheen as showcased in some pre-release media. The aforementioned variety in race locations certainly helps but its unlikely youll be badgering Caged Element to add a photo mode to the game any time soon. The game doesnt have announcers or any commentary (which, lets face it, is probably for the best), instead opting for a drum and bass playlist that includes 11 tracks licensed by Hospital Records. Its a decent, if tame, line-up that doesnt come close to touching WipEouts masterful music selection.
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When Rollcage originally debuted in 1999 gamers could hardly move for all the combat racers that were launching at the time. It took a while for them to thin out and nowadays theyve become somewhat of a rarity. Excellent arcade racers are even harder to come by, Mario Kart 8 having conquered the entire subgenre with no serious competition in sight. Needless to say, GRIP is no way close to breaking Nintendos hold: its a perfectly serviceable racer that plays on the nostalgia of Rollcage fans, but those memories will quickly fade again.
GRIP: Combat Racing
In Short: A no-thrills arcade racer that straddles the line between nostalgic throwback and outdated curio, and while fun in short doses it quickly loses its novelty.
Pros: Transitioning between floors, walls, and ceilings at high speed makes for some fun chases. Deathmatches, splitscreen, and online play give it legs beyond a fairly dull campaign.
Cons: Level designs arent as imaginative as you might expect, meaning GRIP never makes the most of its one defining feature. Overall package feels thin and lacks depth.
Score: 5/10
Formats: Nintendo Switch (reviewed), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC
Price: £34.99
Publisher: Wired Productions
Developer: Caged Element
Release Date: 6th November 2018
Age Rating: 7
By Jim Hargreaves
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