Don’t let the name fool you; Tokyo Xtreme Racer is legit. For newcomers, the series has existed for over 20 years, yet it has taken a long hiatus. Now, with Genki publishing the arcade racer on PC, the series returns in a long-overdue release that I can’t stop playing.
Genki’s Tokyo Xtreme Racer is technically the fourth game in the series, but I’m considering it a soft reboot. It launched in Early Access on Steam in January and quickly received an ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ reception.
Explore the Shuto Expressway in Tokyo Xtreme Racer
I’ve spent the last week enamoured with this digital rendition of Tokyo. With over 100 miles of highway (or 180 kilometres for Canadians) and 48 cars available, there’s enough to keep you coming back while waiting for the full launch. We know there will be expanded tuning mechanics, highways, and more.
The premise of Tokyo Xtreme Racer is simple: you pick an entry point on the Shuto Expressway and initiate races against other drivers by flashing your high beams at them. You’ll meet drivers of varying levels on many of the on-ramps or loops and engage them. The race’s feature Spirit Points (SP) is indicated on the screen in a health bar reminiscent of fighting games for each driver. The goal is to lead the race and put as much distance between you and your opponent, causing their SP to drain, so the further your opponent is, the faster their bar drains. You can also smash into your opponent or trick them into hitting barriers to defeat them.
Traffic is your biggest obstacle, aside from watching your speed. Tokyo Xtreme Racer’s highways are littered with licensed cars serving as traffic, and you’ll need to be mindful of them or learn how to weave in and out of traffic. Traffic can be a boon if you time your speed and steering perfectly. Say an opponent is behind you and about to overtake you; find a car and let them collide so your opponent takes a hit and loses speed.
Go Faster, Faster!
As you continually win rraces you unlock CP (Credit Points) points to spend on upgrades, and BP (Battle Points) points to upgrade your car. I went with the Toyota AE86 over the others and spent several hours upgrading as many parts as possible, including brakes, exhaust, suspension, and clutch, before requiring a better car. I also go with the Skyline and will do so until the end of time.
Every chapter unlocks new vehicles, parts, skills, and story, but you must clear your list of rivals before moving on. However, I found myself farming defeated rivals to earn more CP and start owning the cars I wanted to race. It isn’t the worst setback, but I wouldn’t be disappointed to know adjustments were made to CP payouts for completed races.
You’ll complete a gameplay loop where you must defeat five underlings before taking on the Team Leader of the bunch, who is faster and more adept at racing the streets. By defeating several Team Leaders, you must take on the Devil racers, an elite group roaming the streets and where your most significant challenge lies. My own experience was being humbled by the Devil racers early on. I didn’t have the right car or tuning, so I returned to the expressway to challenge drivers for more CP. Ensuring you have the proper setup is crucial to your success, and a finely-tuned car is your saving grace in Tokyo Xtreme Racer.
You’ll experience some story elements while racing other cars. It’s a pretty basic story; I mostly tuned out while playing. Most of the story is told through text, so be ready to read a lot of exposition.
However, accessing this information through a menu may be less engaging than if it had been integrated directly into the gameplay, though such integration could disrupt the flow of racing. Brief plot snippets are presented when encountering the leaders of rival gangs. Still, the silhouette art style used for these characters means that much of the game’s story relies on the player’s imagination. The written backgrounds also require some interpretation and reading for those interested in exploring the storyline alongside the racing.
Genki’s done a commendable job updating Tokyo Xtreme Racer for a new generation, and I enjoy the campaign. When you’re consistently engaging a group of racers in single-player, it would make sense to take that experience and offer a similar experience in multiplayer.
Since launching in full access, Genki’s added improvements under the hood. The AI has seen improvements, making races even more thrilling than ever. There are also three new cars, the Mazda CX-3, Honda Fit, and Honda Accord. Plus, the Toyota Townace Van and Toyota Dyna are available after previously being shown driving around Tokyo.
For those who want to keep replay data, you can now save it and watch it. This is ideal for those who want to shave time off their laps by reviewing their footage in the Replay Theatre. Genki’s added a Hard difficulty mode for those seeking a more challenging race.
Adding realism to the mix, those who want to really live the life of a Tokyo racer can now monitor their water and oil temperatures via an optional mode, which returns from previous games in the series. If you rev your engine too much, it’ll raise the temps, brick your car, and leave you in last place, unable to finish your race. This mode is excellent for risk vs. reward, as it helps keep you focused on your car’s overall health as well as its physical state.
On PlayStation 5, Genki’s also added PS5 Pro enhancements and DualSense implementation to feel your car in your hands.
Verdict
I’m having a blast with Tokyo Xtreme Racer. It has a lot to offer right from the start. It’s got a decent selection of JDM cars, enough customization to keep you busy, a decent livery, and an excellent soundtrack. I can’t wait to revisit when the content updates hit, and I can see myself returning often to win one more race.
[The publisher provided a copy of the game for review purposes.]
Reviewed on: PC, PlayStation 5
