Preview: Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket-Powered Battle-Cars

Valerie Gorchinski - Military.com

Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket Powered Battle Cars - One of the Longest Named Games Ever

If you've ever found yourself driving a car thinking: "the thing missing from this experience is a high powered rocket and a giant soccer ball..." you can stop dreaming. Sort of.

I was recently invited to take a look at "Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket Powered Battle Cars" the upcoming fall release for Psyonix Studios exclusively for the Playstation Network. The very basic premise for the game is "soccer played with cars" but it is so much more than that. The cars are equipped with rockets that enable you to jump, flip, dodge and even fly. Yes, I said fly. Apparently, "Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket Powered Flying Battle Cars" was too long a name.

The game has clearly been developed with multiplayer function in mind, both local and online through the Playstation Network. Split Screen functionality allows for up to 4 local players and 8 online. Multiplayer matches are fast to play, fast-paced and addictive.

Players square off on one of many different maps and battle each other to the exploding goals. Yes, exploding. There are several options at the disposal of the player(s) for destroying their opponents. From the multiple ways of crashing into one another to the pesky habit the goals have of exploding and taking out any nearby cars whenever a point is scored. Cars respawn quickly, but the position change is disorienting to say the least.

In spite of the robust multiplayer game, the single player game hasn't seemed to suffer any quality. There are many, many mini games that offer variations on the core gameplay, but also serve as an opportunity for the player to hone their skills for the vs matches. Additionally, as these mini games are completed more cars are unlocked for play. Each car is unique, right down to the way their body shape effects the ball.

For a "download" title, there is really a surprising amount of detail present. From the beautifully rendered cars and maps, to the many ways to play the game, to the in game video editor (which allows players to edit movies of matches and then upload them to YouTube), to the use of the Unreal Physics engine. It all comes together to create the most impressive rocket-car soccer game I've seen yet.

Supersonic Acrobatic Rocket Powered Battle Cars will be released on the PS3 (Playstation Network) this fall, watch for a full review in the upcoming months.

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