Blur Preview

If you’re wondering which side of the racing/combat fence to sit on, Ged leaves us in no doubt: “The power-ups play a massive part in the game. The skill isn’t from learning the course; the game is about learning what power-up to use at what time and being able to dominate with it or having the skill to evade when people use them against you. If you’re talking percentages it’s probably 25% to 75%. It is an action game”.

This dock yard location isn't the most inspired locale, but the usual array of world-wide tourist spot are available.

Effective management of your arsenal isn’t all you have to be aware of as preparation is as essential to survival in Blur as quick reflexes and weapon mastery. Following the lead of many enduring online successes, Blur features a levelling system that is more RPG than PGR. Replacing the kudos system, players race to earn fans – the more of them you can accumulate, the faster you will level up, up to a maximum of 50 ranks. As you drift and destroy your way to victory you earn mods, and we’re not talking simulation-style spoilers and engine upgrades, but imaginative perks that can be used to customise your abilities to your own personalised style of play.

Car models are up to Bizarre's usual high standard. PGR fans may want to opt for the "super drifty" cars to feel right at home.

Up to three of these can be held simultaneously. Technical experts that glide their way through corners can equip the drifter mod that grants a nitro following a successful drift, while the combat-shy can equip the silent running mod that makes your car completely invisible unless you’re carrying a power-up. The diversity of mods should allow players to tailor their approach, granting Blur the depth that is all-important to a community game.

Shock sends EMP domes to the front of the pack much like a blue shell, only less disc-snappingly frustrating.

Community is one area of development that Bizarre are keen to nail, and aside from the standard-setting 20-player online battles, local sessions of elbow-jostling and trash-talking are supported with 4-player split screen multiplayer. This marries all the joy of the post-pub session with the modern conveniences of significantly larger 16:9 TVs and consoles powerful enough not to take a hit on frame rate for a tremendously enjoyable and thoroughly workable experience.