Onrush review

Onrush—Race, wreck, repeat

Codemasters’ arcade racing game, Onrush has landed on both the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Onrush is not your typical racing game; it doesn’t matter who crosses the finish line first. It features intense 6v6 action where you must crush your opponents and look cool doing it to claim bragging rights.

If you’ve been looking for a game with a unique twist on arcade racing where you drive cars, motorcycles and off-road vehicles, Onrush dishes up exactly what you have been looking for.

Game Details

Platform(s): PlayStation 4 and Xbox One
Developer: Codemasters
Publisher: Deep Silver
Genre: Arcade racing
Modes: Single-player, multiplayer
ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10+)

Single-player or co-op campaign mode

While Onrush is primarily a multiplayer online game, it has a pretty good campaign mode that is enjoyable to play. There are six groups of events to conquer with optional challenges along the way. I found that the campaign mode had a perfect balance of challenge and strategy.

I never felt though as if I was facing an impossible task and yet at the same time the game doesn’t hold your hand and walk you through these challenges to make it a piece of cake. If you like, you can play with your friends in co-op quite easily.

By completing these events you gain XP which you can use to buy cosmetic items such as driver emotes, decals, and outfits. Though many may skip this campaign entirely, I found it to be a great way to introduce each of the different gameplay modes and vehicles before going on online and competing.

Eight vehicle classes

There are a total of eight different vehicle classes, which all come with their own strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, they all come equipped with RUSH abilities. Think of RUSH abilities as a massive turbo boost with perks.

You have to be careful, if you use your RUSH abilities at the wrong time it can send you straight into a wall. Though, using it at precisely the right moment can quickly put you ahead. Bikes allow you to zip around your opponents, but can be easily damaged.

On the other hand, heavily armoured vehicles give your nearby teammates a defense boost. And, Dune buggies create a whirlwind, causing opponents who follow you too closely to crash. Each and every one of the eight vehicle types has its own set of perks and RUSH features, which adds an element of strategy to the game when choosing your vehicle.

Exhilarating graphics

It’s not a surprise that Onrush looks as good as it does. The dev team is comprised of the same people that previously brought us the MotorStorm series of games and Driveclub. Built from the ground up using the new Ego engine, Onrush runs at a silky smooth 60fps on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro, and Xbox One X. I am confident in saying that Onrush quite honestly looks unlike any other racer currently on the market.

There are over 10 courses to play on including ski resorts, refineries and beaches to name a few. The game does a great job of keeping things fresh by varying weather conditions and the time of day. I was amazed at how much of a different racing on a track at night covered in snow was compared to racing on it during the day. Moreover, conditions can change dramatically in the course of the same race.

Four competetive online multiplayer modes

There are four different game modes for you to compete in, all that will require you to keep the pedal to the metal and find a delicate balance between offensive and defensive manoeuvers.

Overdrive

The easiest and more simplest mode is Overdrive. The first team to reach 1000 points first in a round wins. You earn points by taking out opponents, doing tricks, landing big jumps and more. Honestly, there is nothing quite as satisfying as landing a takedown against your opponent.

Countdown

Next is Countdown, which can be best described as intense, fast-paced, and a constant race against the clock. Your goal is to add time to the clock by going through checkpoint gates scattered around the track. Your team’s time is constantly ticking down and the first team whose time runs out loses.

If you get knocked out in Countdown, you’ll have to wait five seconds before you can rejoin. While it doesn’t sound like much, when the clock is constantly ticking down ever second is critical and can be the difference between winning and loosing.

Switch

My absolute favourite multiplayer mode is Switch. This particular mode is more combat focused than others and is where the action really heats up. Each player has a maximum of three respawns and essentially your goal is to be the last team standing.

You start off on bikes and each time you are taken down you respawn with a bigger, badder, and heavier vehicle. I loved this mode because gameplay was constantly shifting between playing it safe and going on the offensive.

Lockdown

Last but certainly not least is my second favourite mode to play, Lockdown. You must chase and claim a zone that is constantly moving around the track. Once you have claimed it, it’s your job to defend it from your opponents.

Successfully defend your zone, and you’ll respawn further down the track. I really enjoyed this mode because it required a lot more strategic thinking than other modes in order to be successful.

Final Thoughts

Onrush is one of those games that is just fun to pickup and caters to all different skill types of players. It is one of the most unique and interesting games in the genre in recent memory. Onrush can be best described as a mix between Burnout, SSX and MotorStorm. I particularly enjoyed Onrush’s unique gameplay and loved the track design.

I was quite impressed with online play. It worked flawlessly and I never experienced any lag or disconnections. I highly recommend Onrush if you are looking for a racing game with innovative gameplay modes, offers a unique twist and is just plain fun to play.

Let me know in the comments sections below what you like best about Onrush.

+ Solid online gameplay modes
+ Fun gameplay that promotes teamwork
+ Gorgeous and intense racing game
+ Extensive campaign mode

– Sometimes there is so much going on that it is hard to see what is happening

OVERALL

Gameplay: 4/5
Graphics: 4/5
Sound: 4/5
Lasting Appeal/Replayability: 4/5

Overall Rating 4/5 (80%)

Get Onrush now for PlayStation 4
Get Onrush now for Xbox One

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