Split/Second Demo

Realism is a vital component in any racing simulator, since it determines how fast the vehicles can go, what happens whenever one of them hits an obstacle, as well as the handling in corners. Thus, although it doesn't always result in fun, accurate simulators are highly appreciated by gamers who want to experience the races as close to reality as possible.

Split/Second is a racing game that disregards every concept of realism when it comes to the actual races, as well as the handling and the way cars react to massive explosions. Hence, doing your best to stay ahead is never enough, since you can always be removed from the lead with a well-placed trap. Naturally, these traps always end with an explosion and your vehicle shred to bits, at least until you respawn back into the race five seconds later.

The main idea behind the game is that the competitions are actually some sort of reality TV show, one in which the competitors must do everything in their power to destroy each other in the most creative ways possible. In the end, the final goal is to become the champion of the current season and win the distinction of being the best racer in the show.

Since the traps feature events like flaming cars dropped from helicopters, the resulting crashes are quite spectacular to watch, even if they only win you a couple of seconds. In order to trigger these events, you have to acquire enough power during the race, after which you simply have to press the appropriate key whenever you are near a certain scripted area.

As you might expect, nothing is too realistic in this game, especially not the handling. But, the entire purpose is for the races to be as preposterous as possible and have as much fun as you can along the way. To that affect, there aren't too many things that can be held against Split/Second, since there's nothing better than to see the opponents go out in a fireball behind you.

The game may be very fun and entertaining at first, but the scripted events quickly become repetitive and the races start to lose their charm after a while. Despite that, the first few hours are definitely worth it, at least until you finish the career mode.