Gaming Target - Xbox: Quantum Redshift

Written by Gavin Wright on September 04, 2002

First Impressions: So, the future is going to bring us floating vehicles and big-breasted racing chicks? I can't wait!

Quantum Redshift is an Xbox-exclusive futuristic racer in the vein of the classic Playstation series WipeOut. Developed by Curly Monsters, a Microsoft first-party team made up largely of ex-Psygnosis staff members (the people responsible for the first three WipeOuts), they are hoping that Redshift will be the spiritual successor to their earlier titles.

Amid the silent disappointment that was the latest WipeOut game, one of the things that brought it down was the unbelievable sense of speed and turning ability possessed by the vehicles. Basically, these futuristic ships capable of shattering land-speed records ended up controlling less like hovercrafts and more like dump trucks. On the other hand, Quantum Redshift places a much higher emphasis on realism in the game's racing physics, so that traveling at 600 miles per hour actually looks and feels just as you'd imagine it would.

Redshift features 16 different racers, each with distinct backstories and motives for competing in the tournament. The characters' plotlines unfold through cutscenes that take place before and after every race, giving the player a good reason to replay the game with each and every character. Each racer in the tournament has a rival that, for reasons explained in the aforementioned cutscenes, would sacrifice the chance to win for the opportunity to see you taken out of the race. The rivalry between players brings an interesting twist to the game, and extends the significance of each character's backstory into the gameplay.

There are 16 courses in the game, each a different real-world location native to one of the drivers. They'll have you racing through dense forests, futuristic metropolises, and desert canyons reminiscent of the pod racing scene from Star Wars Episode 1. Since the crafts hover just over the ground, they are capable of traveling over water and catching some serious air off of ramps. You'll also have to deal with varied weather conditions that correspond to the track, such as rain, snow, and fog. The levels themselves are well-varied, some clearly inspired by certain courses from EA's SSX: Tricky, while others resemble present-day race tracks only with a handful of futuristic touch-ups. Alternate paths must be discovered and used effectively to come out on top, a factor that WipeOut and F-Zero have never really stressed.

The crafts are very responsive, but still have some slide to them when trying to negotiate turns. The vehicles have air brakes on either side, which are essential for turning and can be used together to stop. Each craft has two weapon bays, one for homing pick-ups and the other for weapons of the non-homing variety. But while the vehicles do come healthily equipped with ammunition, QRS stresses the use of turbo boosts, shields, and evasive maneuvers to avoid enemy fire rather than fighting back. Since your ship will flash a warning when an enemy has locked onto you, you'll know exactly when to flip on the protective shields to keep the damage to a minimum. This allows the game to strike a nice balance between racing and combat.

The single-player modes of combat-racers can only last so long; so head-to-head play is inevitably one of the bigger draws of the genre. Quantum Redshift allows for up to four-player split-screen racing, with all the levels from the tournament mode playable in multiplayer as well. Unfortunately, there's no support for system link games or online racing via Xbox Live, although the game's release nearly coincides with that of the online network.

Visually, the game is coming along quite well. First off, the environments are detailed nicely, considering that most of the time they'll be nothing but a blur in your eyes. The vehicles are particularly sharp, with environmental reflections on the surface and complex weapon and driver animations. Subtle environmental effects, such as drops of rain that land on the screen while riding through storms and exhaust trails from the back of the crafts, are also very well-done. Microsoft's first-party lineup has yet to disappoint as far as graphics are concerned, and QRS is looking to be no different.

The soundtrack for Quantum Redshift is being supplied by Junkie XL, a European techno group. Apparently the developers aren't looking to stray to far from the tried-and-true formula for games of this type, which has turned techno/rave music into a genre standard. And for those of us that aren't too fond of the included music (what, you mean there are people out there that don't like techno?), the Xbox's custom soundtrack feature will also be supported.