Vector Unit & Microsoft Game Studios - (Rel. 7/28/10) 1200 msp
Last week, Microsoft's Summer of Arcade promotion begun with the incredibly well-received LIMBO. After such a critical success, it puts the next release, Vector Unit's Hydro Thunder Hurricane, in a tough position. One may wonder if there would be some type of letdown, or there may be questions of if people should shell out another fifteen dollars so shortly after a successful game such as LIMBO. I'm here to tell you to load up on Microsoft space dollars, and put the letdowns aside. Hydro Thunder is an amazing remake, and a 'boat-load' of fun.
Hydro Thunder, originally a Midway title, has been rebooted by Vector Unit. I must admit, I've never played the original in arcade form or console form, but this title stands on its own. It managed to get so many things right, that any minor flaws seem to be washed away in contrast to the amount of fun I'm having with the game.
Hydro Thunder comes packaged with both Single player and mulitplayer events. The single player 'career' so to speak, is broken into four separate events. You’ll need to race through the four modes, including Arcade (this is pretty much your standard - “first place wins” races), Gauntlet (one of my favs, which is like a watery Split/Second type of race which sees you avoiding explosive barrels as quick as possible), Ring Master (where you race through as many rings as possible, and get time added on every time you miss one) and Championship (which features events from all three - accumulating points). Credits are earned for completing and winning events, which in turn, helps unlock boats and new races/events.
Everything in Hydro Thunder needs to be unlocked. This could have been a troublesome path to take, but fortunately it isn't frustrating. I loved how Hydro Thunder managed to strike an incredible balance in difficulty. Everything in the game seems to be challenging in one aspect (getting golds in a lot of events is tough), but not frustrating in another. The game doesn't force you to collect gold in every race, as credits pile up for anything third place and up (although there are achievement points waiting for you if you manage to do so). I found my way through the game just fine without managing gold in races. This is something most racing games fail to deliver on. I was more than happy not having to restart my race every time I made a mistake.
One of my most positive experiences with Hydro Thunder were the loading times. First off, I know loading times may not seem like a big deal to most, but you really need to see it to believe it. I've never had a game load this quick since the cartridge days. It really help moves the game along for someone with time constraints such as myself. Going from menu to race is so quick in fact, you won't even have time to take a drink. Like 1-2 seconds quick. This was an amazing feat, and one that should be applauded. This makes Hydro Thunder one of those games that you can pick up and play in a very quick amount of time.
Another area where Hydro Thunder succeeds is the level and water design. Hydro Thunder is a boat-racing game set on exaggerated theme-park-style levels with huge statues, bugs, and monsters flying at you in a multitude of different ways. Every level was designed with several shortcuts which usually help you gain some precious time, or collect 1 of the 80 Hydro icons scattered in the 8 different levels. Every area is also scattered with power ups that help you open ramps or gain boost. Boost can be used in two different ways: as a speed boost or a boost jump, which helps you get over obstacles, other racers or helps you reach secret hidden areas. Every level seems well thought out and they are all a blast to play. There are huge jumps, caves, indoor areas, a lot of different locales to explore.
Another great element to the game is the water design. Water moves very realistic, making maneuvering your boat a challenge, but a fun one. Other boats ripple the water, and getting behind boats in their wake helps you gain drafting speed. When huge explosions happen, or huge parts of a statue fall into the water, it causes some massive waves, meaning you`ll have to try to move with them in order to reduce speed loss. Waves can even send you careening 20 feet into the air. The work done on these effects is commendable work for Vector Unit as an indie developer.
Another huge positive was the racing itself. Hydro Thunder runs smoothly and loose as an arcade racer should. The boats have a different feel, which adds to the replay value of trying to see what works best for each course. Again, I found the events to be challenging but not frustrating. Each race felt insanely fun and intense at times. My only real negative was that at times, things can get a little too chaotic. I lost visual of where I was supposed to be going at times, and a bit of the blur makes it hard to see at points during a race. Also, a few of the boats were a little too hard to control for my liking. Some of the expert boats focus on speed, and handling becomes a bit of a chore. Overall though, it didn`t seem to deter from my positive experience.
Mulitplayer is fun as well. The game offers 4 player split-screen, and is a blast if you can handle the chaos from only 1/4 of the screen. The online component is also well made. Rubber Duck is reminiscent of a Cat and Mouse game mode, which gives you the goal of getting your slow boat (rubber duck) across the finish line first. In the games I played with fellow journalists, I had no lag whatsoever, and the frame rate held its own.
Final Thoughts:
Vector Unit really pulled through with this release. There could have been a letdown following a great game like LIMBO. Instead they offer us a great contrast to LIMBO's slow methodical pace: with fast, intense racing action. The thought is, that maybe 1200msp is too high for this title. I couldn't disagree more, and Hydro Thunder is easy to recommend. Rock solid frame rate, quick loading times and well thought out maps and water effects make this an Arcade racer that deserves to be played. This year's Summer of Arcade has started with a bang...
8.5/10
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