Split/Second
Disney Interactive Studios/Black Rock Studio
PS3/Xbox360
7/10
Disney made a racing game? And it’s set in… a reality television show set? I was skeptical but I have to admit, Split/Second is actually pretty darn fun. I was expecting whimsical vehicles that talk and Justin Bieber to be an unlockable driver, but if you came for that prepare to be pleasantly disappointed. Think Mario Kart with explosions. LOTS of explosions.
Disney admittedly is the master of mixing facades with charm so the massive rigged stage-settings being incorporated into the game play seems like a natural move for them. The tutorial you get is simple enough, and gives you the perfect blend of how to do it without holding your hand. “There’s a button for go and a button for stop. Got it, can I blow shit up yet?” The answer: yes. The amount of carnage found exceeded my expectations, as did the ease of game play. The reality television angle is odd at first but when the action starts you quickly forget about the plausibility and just have fun. Racing games are generally not my forte as they require finesse and an understanding of basic laws of physics. Not Spilt/Second. All you need to do is keep your eyes on the prize and on your opponents, who are hard to blow off but easy to blow up.
After gaining some points on a meter, you can make bad things happen to other cars. Things like, oh, exploding a bus that they’re driving next to or dropping a building on them. It is a delightful game of “screw your neighbor”. There is a satisfaction that is fiendishly rewarding in dishing out some pyrotechnic payback and mayhem at 200mph.
Along with blowing your opponents to digital hell, you can also cause some catastrophic damage to alter the course altogether. Blow up a bridge? Here, drive through the mall. Only thing I that would make it better? I would love to have hit a button and charge through Space Mountain or have the Matterhorn shoot a bobsled onto my opponents. Maybe they will have an expansion pack…
-Jonathan “The Emperor” Yost & Laura Gaddy