Race the Sun (PC)

NOTE : this game has nothing to do with the 90's movie with Halle Berry....thank the good Lord. Although it does use the "solar powered vehicle motif.

Race the Sun caught my eye on Kickstarter. The sleek ship design, dodging geometric obstacles, clean HUD, the metallic look to everything and the feeling of speed - were all things that attracted me to this title. I'm a big fan of the original Starfox - and this reminded me of the feeling I first felt flying in that game. Having been burned before though I held back, didn't pre-order and finally picked it up when it was a full release.

You might have heard of Race the Sun, or Flippfly - from their widely publisized "Not On Steam" sale.

It's been called an endless runner, compared to Tiny Wings, Starfox, Temple Run and Star Wars Podracing. This last one I would like to quickly mention that a true Star Wars Podracing game with customization at it's center - racing and betting online - would be an amazing game.... and customization (at least at that level, is missing in Race the Sun).

When I first got it I played it daily. Since the levels are reset every 24 hours - it's a different experience each day. This idea does keep you coming back for more and prevents the player from memorizing a map and being able to play the game blind. There are also portals that take you to alternate levels and now (since the newest update) a new very difficult level type and user generated levels. In short, there's a lot to play. Sometimes, however, the randomly created levels can be a little unbalanced - your runs range from extremely short and then the next day perhaps it's a breeze.

You are a solar powered ship that must stay in the light to keep the ship powered. Collect little glowing pyramids to increase the multiplier. The sun is setting, so you need to hurry and power-ups will help you. As the sun sets, the shadows will get longer - this has two effects: one to sap power from your ship if you stay too long in them, and two to actually warn you of an upcoming obstacles - it's a good mechanic. Also the setting sun has a neat effect - though the long shadows it creates might help you navigate, when you pull back into the sunlight you are blinded and if it's low enough it's exactly as you would imagine: flying towards the sun is blinding.

Each game starts with a quote - usually sometime to about time and I wonder if that has something to do with the way that the levels are created. Perhaps the quotes are apart of some algorithm? I don't know.

I haven't mentioned yet that there is no speed control in the game - you fly at maximum speed all the time. You can steer, jump if you have the power-up and even do a barrel roll (although I find this super dangerous and not too helpful). If you bump an object you might get lucky and get away with a speed reduction and a scratch - but most likely you will explode into a powdery white firework.

The game looks so sleek while flying - I wish I could say the same thing for the menus. I think they are wanting the menus to look "old school" but in my opinion they are just clunky and ugly. Since the last update actually, the game has gotten even less appealing to me with the addition of ship decals - which I find destroy the beautiful bright reflection off the metallic wings.  If anything, I would update the HUD and simplify it even more: putting a light on the back of the wing or hull for a power-up so you don't have to take your eye off the action.

There is also a Rally Mode where you can play with friends in teams. The first player races as far as they can and when they collide and explode the baton is passed to the next player and they continue from there - unfortunately I have no experience with this more because I just don't know anyone else who is playing. *sob* I haven't tried to the world editor for the same reason.

Overall it's a fairly solid game - sometimes the levels seem a little strange and I'm not sure how I feel about how the leaderboards work - comparing your daily scores and then your overall scores, but I guess that is the best way to do it with a game that randomly creates levels. It might take away from the competition though, since you have to check back to see what day you won on. Maybe they could implement 'daily wins' or something like that.

I've decided to step away from Race the Sun for a while - mostly because I don't know anyone who is playing and so the will to compete just isn't there for me. It's fun to climb leaderboards for a while - but without taunting and trash talk and rubbing it someone's face when you destroy their highscore, it feels lonely. Maybe I will take it up again after another update, see if they fix that HUD and those menus.

You can pick up Race the Sun here.

Also check out the (now over) "Not On Steam" sale page and their original Kickstarter page for game details.