Simple to like, however there are some bumps on this lightning-fast street.
Longtime readers could recall my love of Horizon Chase Turbo and its expansive Senna Perpetually DLC. Certainly, that recreation stays my favourite arcade racer in latest reminiscence, no less than one of the best since San Francisco Rush tore by means of the arcades once I was a a lot youthful man. On the time, I mistakenly in contrast it to Sega’s Out Run, however in reality, the Horizon Chase video games are non secular successors of the SNES Prime Gear video games–much less so the N64 sequels. That first Change recreation continues to be an exciting journey, that includes impressively different monitor designs, eye-popping backgrounds, and a way of velocity that I can solely evaluate to one thing like F-Zero X.
I used to be thrilled when Horizon Chase 2 hit the Change late final yr (the newest in a protracted record of Apple Video games refugees), however after studying considerably middling opinions on the time, I made a decision to carry off on taking part in it till the bugs have been labored out. I’m glad I waited, though there are nonetheless a pair hiccups right here and there–considered one of which was corrected whereas I used to be taking part in the sport (mislabeled button prompts within the automotive choice display screen).
![](http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/media/67338/4/1.jpg)
Let’s get the apparent out of the way in which first. In the event you appreciated Horizon Chase Turbo, you’re additionally going to love Horizon Chase 2, though perhaps not fairly as a lot. General, the 2 are very comparable: World Tour mode has you racing by means of dozens of race tracks around the globe, and people tracks are surprisingly imaginative. I discovered the hardest programs to be these with slender roads and many turns, forcing me to cope with aggressive opponents, jockeying for placement as typically as I used to be attempting to get into pole place. One of many pleasures of this collection is with the ability to take turns at practically full velocity–I by no means needed to brake, though that’s an possibility–however taking my thumb off the accelerator for a second at the beginning of a decent flip normally bought the job carried out. And it looks like Horizon Chase 2 ups the ante on loops and tight turns, with numerous switchback tracks that took me a number of tries to get the hold of.
Gathering blue cash continues to be a factor, as is Nitro boosting. You may decide up the uncommon further enhance icon, and Horizon Chase 2 introduces enhance “fragments” which should be collected in multiples of 4 to equal one full enhance. Sadly, they’re not practically as seen because the blue cash, and I typically discovered myself racing previous them earlier than I truly observed them. Fortunately, they’ve gotten rid of my least favourite side of Horizon Chase Turbo–accumulating gas. Now your automotive is gassed up always, which I appreciated immensely.
Automobile accumulating, nonetheless, has change into much less pleasing. As a substitute of unlocking one car modification per nation that utilized to your whole storage, Horizon Chase 2 calls for that you simply improve each automotive individually. Automobiles acquire expertise the extra they’re used, and earn upgrades by blue cash and amassing Tremendous Trophies (acquire all of the blue cash + 1st place on a course). What this implies is that you simply’ll basically have to choose a automotive and keep it up by means of World Tour mode–or till it hits Degree 10 (the max). Fortunately, unlocked vehicles are likely to (however aren’t at all times) leveled as much as begin, so that you received’t should do as a lot catch-up on them. Nonetheless, I’d have most well-liked having physique modifications apply to my whole storage.
![](http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/media/67338/4/2.jpg)
Apparently, this recreation introduces alternate physique builds, paint jobs, and rims that may be bought and swapped, however that is, once more, on a per-car foundation. Alternate rims are shared between all of the vehicles, however you’ll by no means truly see the edges whereas racing. You additionally in all probability received’t pay any consideration to the adjustments to the physique of the automotive, since they’re most seen from the entrance. The entrance of your car may appear to be Lightning McQueen and also you’d by no means truly know because you’re wanting in the back of your automotive throughout races. Paint jobs are extra apparent, however the alternate physique builds and rims appear to be an answer searching for an issue, and I nearly by no means performed round with this.
Horizon Chase 2 introduces a extra demanding Playground mode, in which you’ll full challenges to earn factors in direction of further aesthetic unlocks, like customized paint jobs. The challenges are attention-grabbing however fairly tough. The less complicated ones quantity to getting first place and utilizing so many boosts, however the more durable ones ask you to get first place and keep away from accumulating any “Nitro cash,” that are distinctive “N” icons which can be positively littered across the monitor. This could be doable in the event you have been the one automotive on the street, however with a full complement of opponents, you’ll typically end up being pushed into Nitro cash unwillingly. These challenges demand that you simply kind of memorize a path by means of the course and keep it up flawlessly, and my mind simply isn’t as much as that form of rigmarole.
One good improve in Horizon Chase 2 is that it options each on-line multiplayer and four-player split-screen, an enchancment over Horizon Chase Turbo’s split-screen exclusivity. I didn’t run into any issues in on-line matches, however I couldn’t get greater than two individuals (together with myself) to do a sofa co-op run, throughout which the sport operated flawlessly.
One of many highlights of Horizon Chase Turbo was the killer soundtrack by Barry Leitch and I’m glad to say he’s continued churning out banger after banger on this recreation. I already had the primary recreation’s soundtrack on my YouTube Music playlist, and the sequel has been added as effectively.
![](http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/media/67338/4/3.jpg)
There have been just a few points I bumped into throughout my time with Horizon Chase 2. Before everything, I used to be miffed to see an Epic Video games login immediate once I initially began the sport; you must “activate” the sport in your Epic account earlier than you possibly can truly play it. There doesn’t seem like a approach round this. Doubtlessly due to this always-online setup, Horizon Chase 2 would, mercifully occasionally, shut unexpectedly upon ending a race. I’ve to imagine it is a consequence of the Epic Video games connection, as a result of it by no means crashed through the race or whereas navigating menus between races.
Whereas neither of those points considerably have an effect on my love of Horizon Chase 2, I can’t defend the pressured Epic Video games login. I actually, madly, deeply despise this sort of factor in video video games (*glares at Bethesda’s DOOM re-releases*) and I want it was one thing I may skip previous. I don’t care about how my occasions stack up towards each different concurrent participant! Fortunately, the Epic Video games connection occurs routinely every time I flip the sport on, so I solely needed to register or log in as soon as. Whereas I’m certain there are gamers who will benefit from the Playground mode, I discovered it a bit too taxing, and extra aesthetic unlocks aren’t price it (for me). World Tour is as soon as once more the sport’s bread and butter, however I used to be upset by the adjustments to automotive upgrades and underwhelmed by the addition of physique, paint, and rim adjustments.
Horizon Chase 2 is a good recreation, nevertheless it’s fairly the masterpiece that its predecessor was. That mentioned, it is a no brainer in the event you liked the arcade racing goodness of Horizon Chase Turbo, as a result of that half, no less than, has not been modified on this sequel.