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Inertial Drift - Review Thread

Lant_War

Lant_War

Classic Anus Game
Banned
Jul 14, 2018
23,601
Not many reviews, but I imagine we'll get more eventually. Game comes out this friday!

MC: NA
OC: 85 (86% recommend)

Eurogamer - Recommended
Taking a healthy dose of inspiration from Ridge Racer Type 4, Inertial Drift is a unique arcade racer with an exquisite core mechanic.
Inertial Drift has its quirks - that drift mechanic won't be to everyone's tastes, and I can imagine a fair few bouncing off this hard after they've spent one lap too many bouncing off walls, while the lack of clipping in competitive races can also seem a little odd. Personally, though, I get why you're allowed to drift through other racers like they're ghosts. Inertial Drift is about you and the road, pure and simple. It's about placing this novel twin stick drifting in your hands and letting you explore its nuances, and exploit the potential in each car and each apex until you edge further up the leaderboard. It's just about the most stylish, thrilling racer I've played in an absolute age.
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DigitallyDownloaded - 4.5/5
Inertial Drift is gorgeous. More than just a racing game, it's a set of systems for player expression, putting them right in the shoes of a hotshot rookie on the warpath to becoming a drifting mast
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GameWatcher - 9/10
Inertial Drift is an espresso shot full of arcade-y goodness. Its approach to drifting isn't just intuitive, but it encapsulates that Initial D fantasy wonderfully. It might be shorter than other games coming out, but that time spent is enthralling and well worth it. If you love arcade racing, you can't go wrong with Inertial Drift's "easy to pick up and tricky to master" style.
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PushSquare - 7/10
All in all, Intertial Drift offers a fun variation on drift racing with a broad level of challenge. A great visual style and plenty to do distract from the somewhat low-budget execution.
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God is a Geek - 8.5/10
With its innovative control scheme and anime visuals, Inertial Drift is an incredibly fun and rewarding mashup of drift racing and visual novel.
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TheSixthAxis - 9/10
Inertial Drift is a conceptually stunning driving game with unique drifting mechanics that are easy to pick up but hard master. With plenty of cars, tracks and modes to contend with, there's more to this indie title than meets the eye.
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LordsofGaming - 6/10
When I first discovered Inertial Drift, it evoked 20-year-old memories of games like Auto Modellista, Initial D, and Midnight Club. What we inevitably get is a game that has a volume of content we would come to expect from a mobile game. In addition, a Story mode that can't be taken seriously. I did enjoy the unique way the game plays as well as the visuals. Looking back, it was probably a mistake to compare a small indie game to big-budget classic games made by some of the largest publishers on the planet. However, I can't justifiably recommend a game that has no real progression system.
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Type VII

Type VII

Member
Oct 31, 2017
2,325
Sounding good so far. Hotshot Racing has been getting good reviews too so I'm really looking forward to these two this weekend.
 
Miker

Miker

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,028
FYI there's a free demo on Steam that has a decent amount of content.



I tried it earlier today and had a good time. The twin stick drifting model has a learning curve, but it's definitely satisfying when it clicks. As the game is *heavily* focused on drifting, there's no collision with other cars and you're basically racing against ghosts.

I've been keeping my eye on Hotshot Racing and Inertial Drift, and I'm not sure which one I want to get. They seem to fill very different niches. Hotshot Racing seems to be more Daytona and Out Run 2 with a SEGA blue skies aesthetic and bumper-to-bumper racing with easy drifting. Conversely, Inertial Drift seems to be more focused on a modern neon synthwave aesthetic that leans into a grungier Initial D/Ridge Racer aesthetic and leans into chasing the perfect line in time trials.

One thing to point out is that Inertial Drift is, at least based on what I've read, 30 fps on Switch. It's a fairly demanding game despite the relatively simple visuals - I was expecting 4K60 on my GTX 1060 but I had to turn it down to 1440p.
 
Rumenapp

Rumenapp

Forza Photographer
Member
Nov 9, 2017
12,938
The drift in the game feels so good, one of the best of the genre for sure.
 
BrickArts295

BrickArts295

GOTY Tracking Thread Master
Member
Oct 26, 2017
13,893
Rumenapp said:
Only played a little bit but the music is good and i'm sure i saw a replica of the AE86 in the game.
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Fine I'll give the demo a try.
 
.exe

.exe

Member
Oct 25, 2017
22,339
Had a blast with the demo. Glad to see the full game delivers. I will be picking this up for sure.


Miker said:
One thing to point out is that Inertial Drift is, at least based on what I've read, 30 fps on Switch. It's a fairly demanding game despite the relatively simple visuals - I was expecting 4K60 on my GTX 1060 but I had to turn it down to 1440p.
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The prologue ran really well on my 970 at 1080p. So older hardware isn't entirely out of the picture at least.
 
nikos

nikos

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
2,998
New York, NY
Demo was definitely fun. Need to decide on a platform to purchase the full game on.

EDIT: Will probably rule the Switch version out since it doesn't have analog triggers and this game is going to require precise inputs.
 
jett

jett

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,687
Went through one of the character stories.

I can't recommend this game enough to anyone missing some proper Japanese arcade drift-style racing. The twin-stick mechanic is weird at first but you quickly get a handle on it and I can't really say just how fantastic it feels to drift around corners this way. I sunk a couple of hours into the demo and that was enough to come to grips with this innovative mechanic. It's also a beefy game with a lot of game modes. Plenty to play here.

PC version is basically flawless too, thankfully. Runs perfectly and there aren't any technical issues at all.
BrickArts295 said:
2 questions...
AE86? Eurobeat?
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lol no eurobeat as far as I can tell (the music is pretty low key to be honest), but this is as close to the AE86 as it gets.

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The name clearly a reference to the Toyota Trueno.
 
Miker

Miker

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,028
Desperately need a Switch Pro so I can play it on handheld at 60 fps. I don't know whether I'd really want to sit down at my TV for extended periods of time to play this all that much.
 
Radium217

Radium217

Banned
Oct 31, 2019
1,833
Last question - does anyone have this and hotshot racing and which would you recommend? I've got both in my cart but think it's unwise to buy both unless they are both amazing.
 
jett

jett

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,687
The racing class cars are a bitch to handle, I'm actually doing multiple donuts just because I drifted too much lol. There's such finesse at your disposal with the twinstick drift mechanic. This has to be the single biggest and best innovation in a racing in forever.

This game is great. It's the same as my experience with the demo, the more I play it the more I enjoy it. I kinda wish there were races where you had a full grid of cars with vehicular collision. The devs must've had their reasons. And of course people already cheating in the PC time trials lol. Oh well. Weird that the demo had legit times. Maybe the devs were deleting the cheaters there.

Radium217 said:
Last question - does anyone have this and hotshot racing and which would you recommend? I've got both in my cart but think it's unwise to buy both unless they are both amazing.
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There's an ID demo on Steam. I think most complaints about Hotshot Racing are the AI rubber banding the the flat-ish design of tracks, two issues Inertial Drift doesn't have. Track design in ID is actually pretty fantastic, lots of elevation changes and fun chicanes.

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Grifter

Grifter

Member
Oct 26, 2017
2,596
Been wanting to play OutRun 2 and this looks the best of all the recent arcade/neon-indie racers. Trying the demo, and I'm terrible, but I wish there was a course map onscreen as some oncoming turns or series have been hard to discern, and getting stuck in the sand is a bit annoying (I'm aware the answer to these is "git gud").

Also had to turn down the repetitive music, which was drowning out everything else.

The initial class C car steers so subtly that I thought I was having controller issues. Curious if it's Steam's support for Switch Pro controllers.

Despite all that, I'm having a fun time feeling out the right times to tap brake and gas, and just how much I can manipulate the drift stick. Thinking I may need to connect a PS/XB controller instead for proper analog triggers.
 
unholyFarmer

unholyFarmer

Member
Jan 22, 2019
1,375
Hmm not sure if I will get it for base PS4 or Switch (docked). I wonder if the game runs at 30fps on both, couldn't find the precise info in the reviews.

Funny that I was super excited for Hotshot Racing, but I will wait for some possible updates and get ID for now. The boring tracks in HR is a real letdown.
 
jett

jett

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,687
unholyFarmer said:
Hmm not sure if I will get it for base PS4 or Switch (docked). I wonder if the game runs at 30fps on both, couldn't find the precise info in the reviews.

Funny that I was super excited for Hotshot Racing, but I will wait for some possible updates and get ID for now. The boring tracks in HR is a real letdown.
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Based on online footage I've seen it seems to run at 30fps on Switch and 60fps on PS4. Of course I'm not 100% on that since I'm playing on PC.
 
Jaded Alyx

Jaded Alyx

Member
Oct 25, 2017
35,582
unholyFarmer said:
Hmm not sure if I will get it for base PS4 or Switch (docked). I wonder if the game runs at 30fps on both, couldn't find the precise info in the reviews.

Funny that I was super excited for Hotshot Racing, but I will wait for some possible updates and get ID for now. The boring tracks in HR is a real letdown.
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Skip to 4:00 if the timestamp doesn't work. I would avoid this on Switch tbh.

 
unholyFarmer

unholyFarmer

Member
Jan 22, 2019
1,375
krae_man

krae_man

Master of Balan Wonderworld
Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,640
Grabbed this and Hotshot Racing. I seem to be able to learn drifting in this game better this one is holding me more.

I don't like the lack of a mini map in the corner, or how turns are labeled. You almost need to memorize it. It would be nice to see a map in the corner so I could tell if turns are light or sharp.
 
Mandos

Mandos

Member
Nov 27, 2017
31,274
I'm interested but I'm switch only so I'll wait for some patches/sale. Plus fight crab next week. But as someone who loved the initial d series I'm interested
 
Hallucinations

Hallucinations

Banned
Jul 24, 2020
671
Since I'm an nomad for foreseeable future I've gotten this on my Switch Lite (plus i legit dont have a racer, dont like MK8). I''ll report back, but that name. I ain't gonna lie... That cheeky name got me.
 
Green Mario

Green Mario

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,325
After playing the demo a couple of weeks ago I thought it'd be a fun little racing game, but it's actually the most fun I've had with an arcade racer in a long time. Plenty of tracks and modes to keep you busy and it's well worth the $20 price tag. The art style is gorgeous and the stick drifting mechanic is easy to learn but hard to master.
 
krae_man

krae_man

Master of Balan Wonderworld
Member
Oct 25, 2017
9,640
Has anyone tried to get the Almost there trophy?

It seems to be glitched and unachievable.
 
jett

jett

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,687
I really dig this Ridge Racer reference in particular

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And this one too

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unholyFarmer

unholyFarmer

Member
Jan 22, 2019
1,375
Very impressed with the game, lots of good content. Drifting mechanics is great, I'm really enjoying the dual sticks gameplay.

In race/duels, I dislike the fact that your opponent's car is a 'hologram,' so even this mode feels like a time attack. The soundtrack is weak, and the game feels quiet, so having some eurobeat on the background really helps. While the story is pretty dumb, I'm glad it is in there and that it comes with plenty of variation and tracks.
 
jett

jett

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,687
unholyFarmer said:
Very impressed with the game, lots of good content. Drifting mechanics is great, I'm really enjoying the dual sticks gameplay.

In race/duels, I dislike the fact that your opponent's car is a 'hologram,' so even this mode feels like a time attack. The soundtrack is weak, and the game feels quiet, so having some eurobeat on the background really helps. While the story is pretty dumb, I'm glad it is in there and that it comes with plenty of variation and tracks.
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I think those are the two main negatives I have with the game as well. Weak, samey, lowkey music and that there's no real actual racing against other cars. The most exhilarating moments in Ridge Racer come from not just managing your drift but also simultaneously navigating through your opponents.
 
OP
OP
Lant_War

Lant_War

Classic Anus Game
Banned
Jul 14, 2018
23,601
Super Craig said:
Was wanting to buy this on Xbox, but it doesn't seem to be on the store?
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Going by their site, it doesn't seem to be out on Xbox atm (Link). Maybe they've said somewhere what's going on.

unholyFarmer said:
In race/duels, I dislike the fact that your opponent's car is a 'hologram,' so even this mode feels like a time attack.
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Agreed. Really hoping they can eventually add proper races, being limited to 1 on 1 races is also not very interesting.
 
CloseTalker

CloseTalker

Member
Oct 25, 2017
31,119
This looks really fun! I played Hot Shot racing on Game Pass this week and din't much like that at all, this looks more up my alley. Glad that Switch video review exists though, cuz good god that framerate god poor. Steering clear of that version
 
BadWolf

BadWolf

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
12,148
Played it for a bit.

-Love the cel shaded-ish visual style
-Right stick drifting is super interesting
-The car barely moving when turning with the left stick feels weird

I think I'll take a break from this for now because I'm fresh off of playing a ton of Ridge Racer V so it just feels way too different. Will come back to it later for sure though.
 

Kramer

Member
Oct 27, 2017
162
Been playing this on Switch. Bloody love it.

Hotshot Racing is good knockabout fun, but this has taken more of my attention.
 
JamboGT

JamboGT

Vehicle Handling Designer
Verified
Oct 25, 2017
1,454
Just started playing, enjoying it so far and delighted to play a game made in Northern Ireland!
 
jett

jett

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,687
Anyone doing Viv's story?

I'm stuck in the snow mountain sprint time trial. I feel like I'm missing something from the race class cars unless I just have to drive super perfectly or something.
 
BubbaKrumpz

BubbaKrumpz

The Fallen
Oct 25, 2017
3,419
Yay Area
I've been spending so much damn time on time trails as that's always my favorite thing in any racing game. Wish more people were on the leaderboards on PC :( I'll run through the story tomorrow I finished some of it on switch but the 30fps really put me off on there.
 
Agent Icebeezy

Agent Icebeezy

Member
Oct 27, 2017
2,659
I would like to play this on the Xbox one. I don't see a link yet. Are there any console 60fps version? I've been reading that the Switch runs this at 30fps. If I have to get a PS4 version, I will though.
 
jett

jett

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,687
lol this game makes my body instinctually react like in my childhood days, physically tilting the controller in the direction I'm turning the car, as if that's going to help.
 
jett

jett

Community Resettler
Member
Oct 25, 2017
44,687
So far the most annoying time trial in the entire story mode I gotta say:



Viv's story is super hard.
 
nded

nded

Member
Nov 14, 2017
10,637
Just started but I'm liking it so far. It's nice that the cars seem to have very distinct handling styles and I love how chill the game feels despite how challenging it gets.
 
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