Review NaN of 2
, from Phoenix
Price Paid:
$40.00
from EB's Summary:
Tube Slider is a science fiction, futuristic racing game, and I am partial to that genre. Real world auto racing games, ala Nascar simulations and the like, are something I'll consider renting, but that's it.
Tube Slider is all about speed and handling. It is not a combat racing game. In fact, there is no combat whatsoever. There are no weapons, save the ability to ram or sideswipe your opponents, and all the powerups available are speed related. It is, in fact, the most focused racing game I've ever encountered in that regard.
And this essential fact may turn most gamers off. Tube Slider take a bit of time to learn to control with any accuracy, and the learning process can be frustrating. In addition, initially there are only two tracks available. Fortunately, there is an extensive tutorial mode.
There are several single player and several multiplayer options (with up to four players), and they are worth exploring. But only if you like this genre of racing game. If you played Mag Force Racing on the Dreamcast, or Kinetica on the PS2, and those games did not jazz you, then Tube Slider isn't going to either. Like those two games, Tube Sliders is a concept game with an artsy bent. This is not a game that reaches out, grabs you by the neck, and pulls you in. It is an intelligent and well thought-out game, but it demands that you give it some time to learn. So if you like sci-fi racers, then Tube Sliders is more of a seducer than a grabber. And if you don't like sci-fi racers, then give it a wide berth, or at least wait until F-Zero GC comes out in a few months.
There has been a lot of mixed press about Tube Sliders, and I'm going to try to set the record straight. As the name suggests, it's a racing game in which you race through tubes. You'll never lose control and fall off the track or have any other type of destructive crash. However, the tubes do vary a lot in size and shape, and there are obstacles in them as well. Also, gravity is a big factor, and it varies from track to track.
Your Slider is a type of hovercraft, and your biggest enemy is friction. If your vehicle lists too much when you're cornering, you'll drag on the bottom and slow down. If you collide with an obstacle or another racer, that too will slow you down. There are eight basic racing vehicles, and they all control the same way, thought their handling characteristics vary considerably. With Tube Sliders, lateral control is just as important as forward control, and that's what's going to frustrate a lot of gamers. There is only one control scheme, and learing to handle curves and slide up the sides of tubes at high speed can be daunting. But once you master it, the illusion of speed is incredible.
Like I said before, I enjoy this style of videogame. It does incorporate some new and unique concepts in racing gameplay, and it is a visual feast also. For me, the bottom line is that if I continually want to boot up a racing game to try and beat a previous record, then it was a worthy purchase, and Tube Sliders does satisfy that requirement. But most gamers will want to rent this one at first if possible. Although it's near total lack of violence may appeal to some parents, the inherent difficulty of this game precludes it's enjoyment by most younger gamers.
I have not played it in multiplayer mode, but the demo looks very good. The single player opponent A.I. is quite formidable. Report this review >>
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