Racing is one of the first genres of video games with the first being released in 1974 with the first wave of video games. Since then, racing games have grown in popularity with genre staple franchises like Forza, Gran Turismo, and Need For Speed dominating shelves. However, many of the most popular games focus on track or street racing with all the exotic supercars you can dream of. With realistic off-road racing and a focus on UTVs and ATVs, Overpass by NACON and Zordix takes a different approach and offers a unique racing experience.
The vehicle classes that Overpass focuses on are UTVs like the Polaris RZR and a number of different ATVs. This already starts the game on a very unique path since these vehicles haven’t made it to more recognizable racing games and this offers a very different experience. In addition to the different vehicles, Overpass also allows you to toggle between 2 wheel drive, 4 wheel drive, and differential locking to add another layer of realism to the driving experience. The game is play from a third person point of view that allows for better visibility of the upcoming obstacles, but there isn’t an option to switch to first person driving. I was kind of disappointed with that since so many other racing games are pushing toward the first person format and it offers a level of realism that isn’t possible in a third person format.
The tracks were fantastic. The scenery was beautiful and I could tell a lot of time and effort went into creating beautiful environments as soon as I started the tutorial race. This was especially true in the desert tracks that quickly became my favorites in the game. Throughout the tracks, there were obstacles that included typical off road staples like mud and small rocks but there were also buried pipes, true rock climbing, log obstacles, and even a see saw that you had to drive onto and wait for the other side to drop you back onto the tracks. This was a very fun element of the game that really added to the experience of playing it, and also served to differentiate
Overpass as a racing game that focuses on the skill of controlling the vehicle to overcome obstacles rather than just focusing on speed. The most fun I had with this game was while I was trying to master the rock climbing sections. It took me a while (with several times and maybe some slight yelling at my TV) but it was very gratifying when I figured out the trick to it and started to traverse the steepest rock climbs in the game with ease.
The only aspect of the game that I didn’t like was the penalty system. During the races, there are yellow ribbons that line the designated track and red flags on either side of obstacles. Understandably, there’s a 2 second penalty for contacting the yellow ribbons to keep players from cutting the track but these ribbons also appear very close to obstacles. This led to quite a few races where my vehicle would slide off rocks and back into the ribbon causing me a time penalty which got pretty annoying. The worst offender of this system was when you contacted the red flags on either side of obstacles you had to climb. Contacting these resulted in a 10 second penalty on your lap time whether you continued over the obstacle or not.
Overall, Overpass was a very fun game to play and really offered a unique perspective on the racing game genre. Elements like obstacles in the tracks vehicles added to the experience in a way that I didn’t know I needed but I will now expect from other racing games going forward. Overpass wasn’t a flawless game, but it’s one that definitely belongs in the collection of anyone who loves a great race.
7.5/10
Check Out the Overpass Launch Trailer:
Overpass is available NOW on PC via the Epic Games Store and for the PlayStation 4 , Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch platforms.
For more information, visit the official website:
https://play-overpass.com/
Xbox One Review
My first console was the original Playstation and I would play Twisted Metal every now and then but games didn't hook me until I played the original Halo at my friend's house. As soon as I picked up that controller, I knew I needed an Xbox and I had to have that game. Since those early Halo days, I've branched out and played any game I could find with a great story and memorable characters but Master Chief is still my favorite. @thenotoriousTGT on Twitter
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