Split / Second

"The great surprise from 2010: fun, addictive and visually stunning. It's a brilliant game that will appeal even to those who don't like racing games.  Eurogamer Spain
"Part game, part reality TV show, part summer blockbuster movie; I can't recommend Split/Second highly enough.  Mark Smith, GameChronicles.com

IGN.com 8 of 10
As much a Kart racer as an arcade racing title, Split/Second is as predicated on screwing over other competitors as finding a perfect driving line. The premise is simple: as a contestant on the television show Split/Second, you'll race against other drivers on a track designed to be destroyed...Split/Second has the most impressive destruction and explosions yet seen in a racing game. From passenger jets exploding across a tarmac as you race under a wing, to detonating power plant cooling towers, to collapsing train tracks, Split/Second assaults your eyes as soon as you're off the starting line. There's so much going on during races that it's often difficult to navigate the game's courses, though the designers usually do a pretty good job of marking turns and plastering visual cues around the track...At first, power plays seem like an arbitrary gimmick, but after a few races, the mechanic reveals more depth than is initially apparent. The most devastating power plays require either inordinate amounts of patience and delayed gratification by requiring a completely full power bar, or expert timing. Learning each track is important, but learning the telltale signs of a power play in the making is the key to winning races. This is particularly important later on in the single player mode against AI opponents, which feature some of the most frustrating rubber-banding in a racer this side of Mario Kart...In the end though, Split/Second has so much going for it that it's easy to recommend for kart and arcade racing fans alike. The visuals are great, the sound impresses, and there's enough game between the singleplayer season mode and fun multiplayer to last you quite a while. While there are flaws, these are more than made up for with strong design, and the power play mechanic brings the ever elusive addictive x-factor that so many games try and fail to capture. Even if racing games aren't typically your thing, Split/Second offers enough action and fun to recommend to everyone. - Arthur Gies