Screamer – PS5 Review

Not every game appeals to every player. This has always been clear to me. However, I always believed that arcade-style racing games were definitely my genre. I've spent countless hours enjoying series like Top Gear, Cruis'n, Outrun, Horizon Chase, and similar titles, both in genuine arcade cabinets and on consoles. That's why I was so excited when Screamer was announced – an arcade racer featuring an anime aesthetic, a strong narrative focus, and set in a cyberpunk world. It truly seemed tailor-made for me.

But after many frustrating hours, I had to accept that this game was, definitively, not for me.

Screamer is actually a reboot of a PC racing game series from the 90s. I recall trying some of them back then, but this new title bears little resemblance to its predecessors. The original games were largely devoid of deep storylines, set in a 'present-day' rally style, a far cry from the sci-fi anime world we now race through.

The story revolves around an illegal tournament organized by a mysterious figure known only as "Mr. A". Participants consist of several three-person teams, each with diverse objectives ranging from a simple thrill-seeking to personal vendettas. Players can experience the narrative multiple times from the perspective of each team, delving deeper into this world and uncovering the tournament's hidden mysteries.

All the characters boast very interesting designs, and while they fit within classic anime archetypes, they possess distinct personalities and special details (I particularly enjoyed Gage, a mechanic who detests getting dirty and converses with his dog). A fascinating aspect is that each character speaks their own language—explained within the plot by the existence of a universal translator. While initially captivating, this feature can eventually become tiresome, especially if you prefer listening to dialogue rather than reading subtitles.

While Screamer's premise isn't groundbreaking, the characters and their stories drew me in sufficiently that I wanted to see their plots through to the end. This proved impossible, however, because no matter how hard I tried, controlling the cars in races became a Sisyphean task for me.

The core idea behind the car controls is quite intriguing: you use the left analog stick to steer and the right one to drift. Yet, for some inexplicable reason, it was a system I could never master. Every attempt to navigate a corner, whether tight or sweeping, invariably resulted in crashes or significant speed loss. All my efforts to adjust my playstyle—driving slower, focusing solely on drifts, choosing different characters, avoiding turbos, or using more turbos—ended in frustration.

I know it's possible to play Screamer "correctly." I've watched other online players control their cars flawlessly, even through the most challenging turns. But no matter how much I tried, I simply couldn't achieve it.

Given this situation, I tried to enjoy the game in a different way. Screamer features a very interesting team racing mechanic. In these races, the 'leader' aims to stay ahead while their two teammates focus on attacking other cars to give their team an advantage. But this didn't work for me either. The companion cars felt even "heavier," and trying to accurately line up attacks or deploy shields at the right moments demanded a precision that my aging hands couldn't quite achieve.

Could that be it? Am I getting old? Over 40 years surely must have cost me some skill. Yet, I revisited some of my favorite arcade racing games—especially Horizon Chase Turbo—and enjoyed them without issue, even on the highest difficulties. "I'm good at these kinds of games," I told myself. So what is it about Screamer that's causing me so much trouble? I even tried a curious one-handed accessibility option, but that only made things worse.

Every second spent with the game amplified my frustration because all elements apart from the gameplay truly appealed to me. While there aren't many distinct biomes, there's a good variety of tracks within them, showcasing excellent examples of cyberpunk aesthetics that aren't limited to traditional neon-lit night cities. It also offers a good selection of game modes and car customization options. Although some of its tunes are irritating—I always had to lower the volume when starting due to the shrill menu music—it features excellent electronic tracks that perfectly complement its futuristic environments and designs.

But all of this was overshadowed by my inability to adapt to its controls. I've read other critics and players who have expressed similar frustration, but in almost all those cases, they claim to have eventually "gotten used to them" and started enjoying the game. So, is it just my problem? Is there actually an issue with unintuitive controls that only I seem to perceive? I wish I could say definitively. I want to say it's the game's fault. I want to say it's my fault. The truth is, I don't know.

There are many elements that make Screamer potentially worthwhile. Few racing games are so dedicated to narrative, and its 'anime cyberpunk' aesthetic makes it truly unique. However, I can't easily recommend it based solely on those features. I believe it's a good game, and I think most racing game enthusiasts will enjoy it immensely, but I fear some of you might encounter the same gameplay issues I did. Sadly, there are no demos available on any platform, so I can't advise you to "try before you buy."

Perhaps, for each of us, there's a game in the world that we simply cannot play well, no matter how much we want to. I believe I've found mine.