A narrative racing game …
Friday morning, last day of Gamescom, first morning meeting. Italians of Milestone offer us a salutary coffee to tell us about their new production: Score. Yes, this name may resonate in some people who knew the joysticks in the 90s, alongside RIDGE RACER and others. Thirty years later, the studio behind the licenses MotoGP And Hot Wheels Unleashed want to give this old license to give a stroke of pep. And we will especially keep the name and the very arcade turn.
For the rest, this new part is largely freed from its inheritance, since we go on a very typical artistic direction animates in a dystopian framework with a strong narrative component. Yes, a racing game that wants to play it scenario to try to make a real identity. An identity that is likely to emerge by its gameplay mechanics.
Not that the bases do not make you want, but we suspected quite easily that we were not going to launch a racing game for its history. However, it is true that it adds a real cachet to the game, with its own universe. And that, we appreciate. Overall, there is talk of a funny clandestine tournament in a corrupt city organized by a mysterious character who will attract many pilots (called the ” Screen ») With different faces to discover (and which all have their background and their racing particularities).
Several groups are then highlighted: Green Reiepers in particular, former private soldiers in search of revenge, or Strike Force Romandaold pop idols lend to do battle. There seems to be a lore installed and well supplied by the studio. Attest to these kinematics produced by Polygon Pictures (Ajin, the idolm@ster shiny colors, black!) which will punctuate our progress. We will obviously wait for the release to judge this narrative component and its way of intervening in progress since we could not discover anything here.
… And coupled with road fighting
The narrative aspect (and the aesthetic animates futuristic) is not the only argument of the title to detach from the shackles of the genre, because Score also integrates combat game elements. Or rather, let’s say, Castagne on the track. It confused us a lot at the start of the session. However, the bases are quite recognizable: we were able to pilot on different tracks (rather inspired by the way) where we find a fairly traditional arcade conduct, sprinkled with acceleration, nitro, long straight lines before moving on to a pin turn, all with the objective of ending in front of its opponents.
And then, when you notice that the drift is not done with a classic hand brake combo / turn the steering wheel, we are surprised. No, this is done with the right joystick. A habit to take, who played some bad tricks at us at the beginning: when to place the drift? When to let go of the joystick? Ah, but this drift, can also be used wisely online to fill a gauge, so I rather have an interest in using it regularly?
In addition to this peculiarity in terms of playability, we actually find ourselves with two gauges at the top of the screen. A first, this great gauge, which we fill with well -felt slippages, but also with an active charging system that fills up when you pass the speeds at the right time (a visual indication encourages you to move up a gear, and if you do it with good timing, you have this little advantage). This gauge will allow you to use your nitro, with there too, a QTE to make, or to protect yourself with a shield.
The other is an entropy gauge, which this time allows you to go for an opponent to make him ko and make him lose precious seconds while reappearing. Except that this gauge fills according to the use of the first. As you can see, all of this requires a certain approach, knowing that each character has predispositions with a different affinity (a group makes it possible to strengthen an attack or gradually increase a gauge for example). Note the presence of leader for each group, stronger, but also more demanding. And let’s add to that a kind of overdrive, which combines the effects of the two gauges a little to make you a real ram car (but where you absolutely have to avoid the slightest touch with the edge of the track).
Good potential?
Do not deny it, the first races were difficult to hope to aim for a podium. Relegated to the last positions on the first tracks, we started to take charge of the foundations that after a few races. This is where we notice the depth of a system that seems surprising at first. Why not juggle between two speeds to enjoy the boost provided by a good shift? Would I not use my attack via the entropy gauge just to gain a good acceleration?
There is a whole strategy that is implemented and which is particularly exhilarating once you start to master the mechanics. What we thought was a flavor without flavor at the first race has finally become a real joystick in hand on the last. And then, we may have forgotten to evoke it, but the bases are mastered: we have good sensations of speed, the driving is pleasant (although a little rigid before we master the mechanics) and the racing car responds properly. The few tracks traveled were pleasant, both in their arrangement as in their landscape. There should be around twenty at the launch.
We expected to discover yet another Arcade racing game with licked aesthetics, and finally, Score made us very good impression. In addition to coming with a solid proposal, he tries to innovate with amazing mechanics that work terribly well and which bring real depth. There is no doubt that it will bring a real wind of freshness to the genre. It remains to be determined if the narrative coating is really interesting, which we can gauge in 2026 for its arrival on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series.