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Formula Fusion Review – The Formula for Sci-Fi Racing Action

Formula Fusion Review – The Formula for Sci-Fi Racing Action
3.5

Platforms: Windows PC, Steam

Game Name: Formula Fusion

Publisher: R8 Games Ltd.

Developer: R8 Games Ltd.

Genre: Action, Racing, Simulation

Release Date: June 1st, 2017

Formula Fusion from R8 Games Ltd.

I’ve always found it strange that there aren’t more high speed, sci-fi racing games out there, and even those that are rarely capture the feel of the greats. For me, the bar was set by Star Wars Episode 1: Racer – one of very few excellent things to come out of that film – and I rarely find a racing game that feels as fast-paced and intense as that title. Others, no doubt, think back to the Wipeout series, and Formula Fusion is a high speed racer that shares many concepts with that PlayStation classic.

Missing Formulas

Formula Fusion comes with three main game modes: custom races, a campaign and online racing. There is also a garage where craft can be modified with “cards” that add new equipment or upgrade aspects of the vehicles. No tutorial is provided, and for the most part it isn’t necessary, but there are some areas where more information is required. The game makes no effort to explain its HUD, and it takes a few races to spot everything that matters.

There’s also the issue of equipment; many vehicle upgrades offer similar statistical improvements with no description provided as to how they differ. Some weapons have pretty obvious functionality, but others would benefit from a detailed description. I ended up trying each one to get an idea of how they work.

Formula One (And Only One So Far)

Fusion’s campaign mode is currently incomplete and at the moment it is only possible to play as one of the many planned factions. As a result, only the default craft is available to pilot in this mode (it appears that the vehicles are planned to be specific to each faction).

Otherwise, the campaign is solid and provides that satisfying experience of trying to get gold in every race. There are only eight tracks, but there are night and reverse variants to keep things fresh. There are also different game types, including a mode where all vehicles begin to take damage after the first lap, making an offensive, weapon-focused approach far more viable. As someone who enjoys taking the violent approach to gaining pole position, I found this particularly enjoyable.

It’s a shame that the limited campaign means that in order to try out the different vehicles it is necessary to play custom races. There are plenty of options here, thankfully, and pretty much any of the race types from the campaign can be recreated. The final game mode, War Online, was sparsely populated. This may change, but it’s worth noting that at the moment at least, the game appears to lack much of an online following.

Race to the Future

Formula Fusion is an interesting take on the Wipeout-style racing game. It’s fast, and I found both the racing and combat to be engaging once I got used to the feel of the game. The visuals are impressive, but I felt the music and sound effects lacked a little punch; when I started my first race I was underwhelmed and soon realized that this was the cause.

Formula Fusion feels somewhat unfinished at the moment, but the developers seem to be enthusiastic about adding more content so we can hope that the game will grow into something special. As of now, it provides a strong, entertaining foundation that needs more content before it can truly shine.

Formula Fusion is available via Steam.

[xrr rating=”3.5/5″]

Watch the official trailer for Formula Fusion below: