Review: Gripshift (PS3)

Graphics- 7/10
Sound- 8.5/10
Gameplay- 6/10
Replay Value- 6/10
Overall- 6.5/10

Gripshift for the PS3 looked like a nice racing game to get since there aren't too many games out right now, and for only $10 and loads of content, I decided I couldn't pass it up. However, it gets repetitive quick and after you realize this, nothing will keep you coming back for more.

If you read my preview of Gripshift, you know that I thought Gripshift would get repetitive. And it most certainly is. There are a nice variety of tracks, and although I'm not sure about the exact number, there are a LOT of tracks. Unless you have OCD and you must complete every game you own 100%, you will get bored. And even then, you will still probably get bored. This game is incredibly repetitive. To worsen the situation, the game features a steep learning curve. There are five difficulty levels: beginner, easy, intermediate, hard, and insane. Beginner is too easy. Easy is mostly easy, with some occasional hard objectives that require excellent timing to complete. Intermediate is somewhat easy, but starts to get a lot harder. Hard is pretty damn hard. Insane, well, to be honest, I gave up on this game before I got to insane, but I imagine it would be pretty freakin' insane. The game gets hard fairly quickly, and people with short attention spans (me) will get bored really quickly.

To mix up the gameplay, there are a few different environments the tracks are in. They all look nice, but there was nothing that wowed me. The cars also are well done, with cartoony graphics that actually add to the gameplay in the same way Katamari Damacy's did; it draws you into the experience. Also, the game features a techno soundtrack that fits well into the game. The soundtrack has good songs, and plenty of them, I think somewhere upwards of 30. I don't listen to techno, but I found several songs that I like.

That about sums up the single player section. Except for the racing. Yea, the racing... it's not very good. In the preview, I thought it was too easy. Well, the race that was featured was the first race in the entire game. The racing is easy in beginner and easy, a little harder in intermediate, challenging but still doable, and insane is near impossible. The racing features a "weapon system;" I guess you can call it that. There are three items: shield, TNT, and rockets. The shield is self-explanatory, the TNT is like a bomb or a mine, and the rocket is a homing missile. Simple enough, only the homing missile, the most useful of the weapons, has a tendency to suck. Turn sharply, and it will zoom right past you. And don't even try to use it on loops; it will only hit the enemy if they are two feet in front of you. The only multiplayer is online, which wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, except for there aren't many people online. On the plus side, there is a good sense of speed, and the game does feature simple and easy-to-use controls. So if you have $10 to spend and you need to play a decent racing game on the PS3, or you really like techno, buy this game. Otherwise, this game is a pass.

Pros: Only $10, soundtrack, simple controls, lots of tracks.
Cons: Repetitive, steep learning curve, repetitive, nobody online, repetitive.

Review: Eric