REDOUT II Review: Fast And Narrow Isn't A Great Combo

PC Review Code Provided by Saber Interactive

There are a few different ways that a racing game can be set up and one of my favorite styles to play is the fast-paced, futuristic ones. Something about mixing the visuals of a sci-fi atmosphere with unique yet unbelievable vehicles and tracks is simply appealing. This mix was well by 34BigThings when they released Redout and now they worked with Saber Interactive to release Redout II. While they definitely delivered another round of entertainment, it does have a bit of a problematic setup.

Gameplay

The opening menu lets you choose from a few different play modes, but I found myself mainly pushing through Career as it is where I have the chance to properly play through all the tracks and find my favorite vehicle. From the first race, I noticed that I really didn’t like the first vehicle and had issues controlling the vehicle. This barely improved as I continued to play and was quite frustrating, but eventually, I did find a groove and vehicle that worked for me so I could actually enjoy the game.

Getting past this frustrating start was a bit of a burden, but after that, there is quite a bit to enjoy with this game! The speed hurdles on the tracks give you a boost, which is like a reward for having good driver control. You could even get a double boost if they are side-by-side and you hit it just right. There are a bunch of different tracks with beautiful surroundings which are really just a blur when you are actively racing. Many vehicle choices and customization options allow you to personalize your racer as you want.

If you finish Career mode or just want to challenge yourself in a different way, you can check out the other modes. There you can try to complete a single race at a faster time or head into multiplayer to take on other racers online. However, I definitely suggest unlocking vehicles and finding your favorite before you do that.

Audio and Visuals

While maintaining a high-detail graphic quality, they pulled off a really nice atmosphere around each track. Using sceneries in most maps that players can recognize while putting a futuristic track and vehicles in it, along with a neat little story piece for each map, was an unexpected but delightful addition. They really did a great job making the entire game aesthetically appealing.

The same can be said about the music style choice and the sound effects used in the game. Everything either matched as it was supposed to, brought life to the environment the track was in, or simply gave players a sweet jam to listen to while trying to claim first place.

Replayability

As a racing game, there is always replayability. You can unlock all of the vehicles, learn all of the tracks, practice on becoming the best racer, and take on players online. Not to mention the local multiplayer that is also offered for this game.

What It Could Have Done Better

One of the biggest aspects that killed this game for me a bit has to contribute to the size of the track. Fast-paced racing means wide turns, wide roads, flips, shortcuts, and so much more! While they did include some of these, the racetrack maintains a two-lane narrow space throughout the game that I just wish was wider. The best racing experiences allow players the chance to zigzag and move around. With a narrow racetrack, it limits the creativity and expressive driving aspects and only lets players move forward or fall behind.

Please stop starting racing games with such a limited number of vehicles. I get that you want to have players unlock more vehicles, but this can really be a dreadful experience if the only option(s) in the beginning just doesn’t work. There should always be three or four options right at the start of the game with vastly different stats, even if they are dramatically good at one thing and dramatically bad at another. I would rather play with different vehicles that are drastically good in one aspect of the stats over a ‘perfectly balanced’ choice as that opens up the opening experience to more players.

Verdict

Redout II is a pretty entertaining racing game if you can get past the beginning frustrations. I was a bit disappointed to end up struggling through the beginning of this game and it really put a damper on my overall experience. While I would say that this game is worth recommending, it will always come with the tag that it is best for those with patience for a rough start. Overall, it is simply a somewhat decent racing game that is likely to end up with a selective player base.

Redout II is now available on PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. It will also be coming to Nintendo Switch in the future.