Review – Outrun Online Arcade (XBLA, PSN)

Outrun. Chances are you remember it from "the good 'ol days". Have you been wishing the arcade classic would find its way onto XBLA and PSN? If you have then good news! It has arrived!

The new Outrun Online Arcade is a remake of Outrun 2 SP, which itself isn't too old. Online Arcade, like the Xbox port of Outrun 2 SP (the Xboxifying, at least) was developed by Sumo Digital, so they know what they're doing.

Outrun is, well, what you'd expect. You wouldn't expect groundbreaking visuals, and there aren't any. You wouldn't expect a groundbreaking physics engine, and there isn't one. Instead, Outrun is distinctly average. But hey, I'm not saying that's a bad thing, not in any respect. Outrun doesn't have anything groundbreaking, but it doesn't need it. It just needs those redicliously long drifts to return. It just needs that oh-so-simple concept. And it has it. Thank goodness for that!

It is very easy to forget Outrun is an Xbox Live Arcade/Playsation Network game; bear that in mind when deciding whether to give this a try. Don't forget it is only a couple of pounds too! Even writing this review, I'm saying it doesn't have any groundbreaking visuals, but, hey, compared to your average Arcade title, it looks great. It plays great too, and whilst it is a bit shallow and I can't see you playing it for weeks on end, you wouldn't expect that of an Arcade title.

Speaking of shallow, I mean shallow. Five centimetres shallow. Obviously there is the online mode, where you can race against five other Outrunners (who'd have thought?!), but outside of online play, the other game modes, whilst offering some variety, quickly get repetetive. But again, the magic Outrun formula is there which spices everything up a bit.

Outrun, for an XBLA/PSN game is great. I don't know if it's the heritage of the series, or the more professional look of the game compared to its Arcade competitors, but Outrun just feels a bit shallow. I'm not saying it isn't enjoyable; it's great fun drifting at 293kph in a bright red Ferrari, I just wish Outrun had that little bit more to it.

Nometet.com says: