Being a stuntman sounds like a cool job! Fast vehicles, the smell of petrol, adrenaline rushing through your veins, and hordes of adoring fans. Yes, it’s dangerous and there is every chance you’ll lose your life, but I’m sure the risk is worth it. REKT: High Octane Stunts puts you in the driving seat and asks you to flip, roll, and spin.
Developed by Little Chicken Game Company and published by No Gravity Games, you’ll play this casually, aiming for a high score. Set across four arenas this high-energy racing game can be enjoyed solo or with three others locally.
REKT: High Octane Stunts is a fun, casual experience.
When Tony Hawks Pro Skater 1 first hit the scene people were addicted to its arcade-style. REKT: High Octane Stunts aims to replicate this experience. With simple tasks to focus on and many cars to unlock, you’ll have plenty to do as you perform endless tricks in each arena.
The gameplay is split between solo and local multiplayer modes. Both maintain the same high-energy focus and will keep you playing for hours.
Solo allows you to play Challenge and Practice events. Both are effectively the same and you will race around each level, leaping from ramps, flying through hoops, and collecting clocks to extend your time. The premise is extremely straightforward; land on your wheels to increase your multiplier or crash and get REKT.
Multiplayer makes this game what it is, and it’s a shame it’s local only.
I’m not surprised that this is local multiplayer only, because of the indie developers budget. It’s a shame though as this mode is fun and enhances the entertainment factor. With four events to select, there is something for everyone. Score, Virus, Checkpoint and Capture the Crown are your options.
You race against one another trying to gain the highest score. Crash into each other to pass on the virus and the last car standing wins. Speed through checkpoints the first there gets one point, and it’s first to five. Finally, keep the crown for ninety seconds to be the victor. It was fun, childish, exhilarating, and super addictive.
REKT: High Octane Stunts is all about new cars, RP, and upgrades.
All these stunts and tricks aren’t just mindless fun. No, they help you explore and complete each of the three set tasks. REKT: High Octane Stunts gives you random missions to attempt; drifting a set distance, X amount of spins or flips, collect clocks to increase your time, and so forth. If you are successful you’ll earn RP, the in-game currency.
RP is used to unlock arenas and to upgrade your vehicle of choice. Improve its grip, speed, spin and flipability. It’s easy to earn RP, yet it focuses your mind and each completed task gives you a sense of achievement.
A long list of cars awaits to be unlocked. Getting them all is simple enough, but it requires dedication, lots of tricks, and precision to land on your wheels. Every point you score in the arena tallies up and automatically adds each vehicle to your garage. At the start, you’ll gain a new car with every visit to the arena, but as the required score increases, as does the challenge.
Dated, but nice to look at.
This is one indie title that won’t blow you away with its graphical quality. The blocky world and bright colours give this a dated finish. Yet, this matters not as it’s still nice to look at. The cars all vary in style and this is helped by an array of custom options at your disposal. A lack of detail to the final product gives this an early 2000 aesthetic. The gameplay is smooth in its handling, and the tricks and stunts seamlessly flow into one another.
As you’d expect from the theme, the audio blasts out some aggressive tunes. The loud soundtracks are a brilliant accompaniment to the fast-paced action on the screen. It pains me to say that the sound effects weren’t as good. The engine noises lacked oomph and there is a distinct lack of arena ambience. I was desperate for OTT commentary and crowd noises, yet what you get is a bit of a damp squib.
Landing on your wheels every time is easier said than done.
Focusing simply on spinning, flipping, and rolling, you know the controls are going to be straightforward. Every trick is performed using the analogue sticks and nailing them was a fun and easy task. What wasn’t so forgiving, however, was landing on your wheels every time. This takes practice, timing, and finesse. Learning to get this right is a challenging but enjoyable part of REKT: High Octane Stunts.
As a premise, it’s quite repetitive, and this holds the solo mode back. Where the game excels is the local multiplayer option. Here you’ll have great fun as you fight with friends for hours. If the developers added an online mode, this would increase the replay value and longevity. A moderate achievement list lacks difficulty but completionists must invest time into this to get their 100% status.
REKT: High Octane Stunts is fun, but needs more meat on the bone.
I love casual arcade games as they serve a purpose and fill a void. REKT: High Octane Stunts does just that, but to fulfil its potential it needs more meat on the bone. If the developers added more solo events or tasks to try, then this would be a much more rounded experience. Its multiplayer mode is excellent, and I enjoyed playing solo, but I simply craved more from it. I had fun with this and recommend you buy it here! Jump in your vehicle and flip, leap, and spin your way to victory.
