So, do you remember the classic Outrun games, yes? Sega managed to craft an arcade legacy out of these games, from the original to the stunning Outrun 2 to the enjoyable Outrunners. Across the board, those games knock it out of the park and then some.
We haven’t seen a new entry in that series since (sadly), but we do have Aquiris Game Studio busting out the spiritual successor with its indie hit Horizon Chase Turbo, which has sold millions of units and appealed to gamers everywhere. And, like clockwork, we now have a sequel, with Horizon Chase 2 arriving for Xbox and PlayStation platforms, after winning gamers over on Switch and Apple Arcade.
It’s an arcade racer at heart, so a Gran Turismo 7 experience this ain’t. However, if you’re here for quick, speedy thrills and even have a few friends in tow, you shouldn’t hesitate to add this to your garage.
Vroom To Move
The mechanics in Horizon Chase 2 are fairly easy to grasp. You simply accelerate the fastest you can, while picking up tokens to unlock new upgrades to your car. You can also unleash turbo boosts, either acquired before the race or picked up somewhere along the road. They provide a necessary boost when it comes to securing a first-place victory, so keep them handy (maybe around the final lap, if possible).
Turning is quite cool. The controls mimic Outrun, where you have to lean into turns instead of relying on some sort of drifting system. Very rarely do you collide with anything, unless you enter a turn too late or, I dunno, drive into the wall. If you focus enough, however, the gameplay will definitely feel familiar here, as we got into it in just a matter of a lap or two.
It’s not complicated science, but your car does move fast and gives you lots to do through the game’s sea-to-shining-sea campaign, which provides lots of new, challenging tracks to take on. The races, however, lack variety. A time trial here and there, but, other than that, they’re just the same competitive circuits. Would’ve been nice to have a boss battle against, um, a Ferrari, maybe?
Upgrades provide a nice touch, as you can improve key components and even unlock new rides, to which you can customize to your heart’s content. The system isn’t entirely deep, but having access to an arsenal of sweet race cars isn’t bad at all.
Still, the racing is jam-packed with hours of challenges. There’s also Tournaments that you can set up against other racers, along with the Playground. Here, you can challenge players locally (up to four in split-screen) or even online. It works very well, and you’ll find a bunch of racers that are just as seasoned as you. Maybe even better.
Though it doesn’t look like it offers much in terms of complexity, Horizon Chase 2 sticks to its arcade racing roots. And totally wins because of it. Make sure you bring friends if you can.
A Speedy Little Monster
To go along with the simple yet top-notch controls, Horizon Chase 2 also looks stunning when it comes to being up to speed.
The game moves at a gorgeous 60 frames per second, with lots of details on the cars and the tracks. In fact, the globe-hopping will be an absolute trip for some, as you see some beautiful – and shady – terrain to get your mileage in. It’s also great to see vocal taunts come from the car, depending on what’s happening. “Gotta go fast!” is clearly a favorite of ours.
It also moves relatively smooth in split-screen multiplayer, which is a nice surprise. And we didn’t notice any stutters with online play either, meaning that Aquiris is definitely doing its homework when it comes to that sort of thing. Bravo.
As for the audio, the music features a soundtrack inspired by the likes of Outrun. Though it lacks a “Magical Mystery Shower” sort of hook, there’s enough here to keep you happily zipping along. The car noises are also nicely balanced, not wearing out their welcome but not being dead silent either. I did hope for some kind of announcer, but it’s not completely necessary.
Get Behind the Wheel
Horizon Chase 2 fires on all cylinders when it comes to carrying over what worked so well in the first game. It still controls like a dream, and has lots to do, even with its missing race types. The visuals really pop off the screen (for an arcade-style racer), and the ability to take on friends either online or locally is a sweet option to have.
Again, it won’t reinvent your idea of what a racing game should be, but it will remind you of the greatness from whence they came. For us, that’s more than enough reason to step on the gas.
GAMERHUB RATING: 4.5 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
Many thanks to Aquiris Game Studio for the review code!
