Joining the family of idealized societies akin to Wipeout and XG 3 Racing, Kinetica is based upon a futuristic city of the same name in which an affluent class engage in underground high-speed racing. Unlike its predecessors which gave host to stylized hovercrafts and souped-up motorbikes, the cast of Kinetica represent the vehicles themselves; using kinetic suits comprised of wheels fused to their arms and feet.

Kinetica features several game modes; consisting of single and multiplayer options. Players can select from a single race, practice mode, or engage a full season. The single race consists of four tracks, divided into 3 classes (you do the math). Additional levels can be accessed by successfully completing the first four tracks via the season mode. In addition, Kinetica features a set of hidden characters which be unlocked in similar fashion to the advanced tracks by completing certain conditions. As highlighted earlier, there's also a two-player mode, which can be customized accordingly to alter the set of races and computer-controlled opponents you'll race against.

While the premise adopts the traditional model of all racing games, Kinetica features a substantial degree of unique elements that sets it apart from the rest. To put it briefly, Kinetica is the product of the high speed and futuristic themes of Wipeout combined with the aerial wizardry and precision of SSX. Players can choose from a total of nine racers, six of which are immediately accessible at the start of play. Each character is categorized by a series of attributes tailored to your preferred style of racing tactics that range from acceleration, cornering (maneuvering), top speed, grip and mass. To ensure the highest success rate, players must skillfully execute aerial or ground-based stuns to build up their boost meter; the most essential element in the game. In addition, players can gain an added advantage by collecting crystals (5 in total), which provide various power-ups such as infinite boost, drafting, or an electric burst attack to use against your opponents in the vicinity.

Overall, the gameplay is straightforward, albeit a stiff learning curve that can be especially frustrating not only to newcomers, but seasoned racing types as well. This could prove to be one of the game's glaring shortcomings. Kinetica is an extremely fast-paced game, perhaps too much for its own good. There will be moments where you'll feel totally out of control, slamming into walls or even off the tracks themselves (fortunately, you can reset your position in advance by hitting the select button). The keys to bear in mind are execution and awareness. Aside from strategically knowing the opportune moments to activate speed bursts, players must be exceptionally savvy to the respective challenges featured in each track.

Due to the immense size of intricacy of each level, ample time must be spent to become fully familiarized with every nuance featured within each level; this is particularly where the Practice Mode proves to be most valuable. With the pace of the game running at such a frenzied pace, there's little room to casually second guess the routes as its been leisurely available in other games of this kind. A miscalculated move can easily divert your position from first to last. This problem becomes more apparent during the two-player split screen feature. As many players know, a substantial degree of detail is lost, which in the case of Kinetica, boasting original level designs full of aerial architectures, twists and turns. Although this is a minor deterrent of enjoyment, players who can overlook these quips will find Kinetica qualifies as a rich, challenging racing experience.

Visually, Kinetica boasts an array of solid designs and intricate detail. The environments vary from a futuristic metropolis, complete with a bevy of transparent surfaces and vibrant lighting effects, to the lush organic locales. Unfortunately, there's a minor degree of jaggies and flickering, specifically in the rural/lush levels. In addition, the framerate occasionally becomes choppy when a high congestion of racers is onscreen at a given point in time. It's minimal to say the least, and by no means a major drawback.

To fully complement and deliver the most surreal and unique experience, Kinetica makes use of SoundMax technology, introduced by Analog Devices Inc. Traditionally game developers have used streaming audio such as wav files to produce sound effects for the titles. Although the initial results work over a period of time it can become repetitive. In their aim to deliver an unprecedented audible experience, the Santa Monica Studios selected SoundMax as the optimal choice to bring their vision to fruition. Time Moss, Senior Programmer expressed:

"The SoundMax guys were very useful in helping us develop the different personalities for each of the bikes. So a heavy bike sounds heavy and a lighter bike sounds much more of a mid-tone, but at no time does it get a really annoying drone, it always compliments the way the bike is racing, it sounds very realistic."

The end result is amazing. Kinetica features a wealth of authentic, fresh sound effects that vary according to the action onscreen. You'll never hear the same sound samples looped in a redundant fashion, while each element is distinct and truly defines the game's general atmosphere.

The soundtrack consists of a series of underground music artists licensed from Sony, Universal among other music labels, including groups such as Vitae, Meeker, Juno Reactor. Much of the songs consist of electronic accompaniments and techno beats, and even a few vocal soundtracks are thrown in for good measure. Overall, they fit the pace quite nicely, albeit a few vocal selections seem out of place. Gamers who are especially fond of the music featured in Wipeout or the feature film The Fifth Element will enjoy the music immensely.

Though mildly unpolished, Kinetica is quite a unique and exciting game. It's unfortunate that the mechanics have such a steep learning curve, and a frenzied pace that's perhaps too fast for its own good, as it's enough to discourage some players. With no hint of Wipeout Fusion on the horizon for domestic release, Kinetica serves as a worthy placeholder to offer a fresh, fun experience for players with an insatiable taste for speed.

· · · Bahn