If you were to go into Phantom Spark having looked only at screenshots, you might think you know what to expect. Futuristic-looking racers soaring across gaps amid post-apocalyptic environments? It must be a Wipeout-influenced racer, maybe with some Redout or F-Zero thrown in for good measure.
You’d be mostly wrong.
While Phantom Spark is a racer that takes some of its visual cues from the likes of Wipeout and F-Zero, it’s also not really a racer in the traditional sense. You aren’t facing off against other drivers here in a bid to get around a course fastest. Rather, you’re only racing against yourself. Or, more accurately, ghosts of yourself.
This is because Phantom Spark is all about time trials. Like, only time trials, to the exclusion of all else. There are 30+ tracks here, and your goal in every single one is to get the best time possible. The only nod towards more traditional racing games is that on your second run through a course, you’re matched up against a ghost of your fastest time.
In other words, the game is only as compelling as you make it – if you enjoy racing against yourself (and maybe global leaderboards, if you feel like looking at those), you’ll enjoy Phantom Spark, but if you want actual competition, you won’t find it here.
To be fair, Phantom Spark isn’t totally devoid of other charms. The racing ships handle extremely well, so it’s always fun to take a turn or two around a track, even if it’s just to see how they look and how fast you can go. Further, because there’s no real focus on racing against others, Phantom Spark is possibly one of the most chill racing games you’re ever likely to play. If you just want to drive and ignore the best lap times, there are worse ways to pass a few hours.
But to get the most out of Phantom Spark, you’ll have to love time trials. If you’re a diehard racing game fan who prefers racing against yourself rather than others, that may put the game squarely on your radar, but if the allure of racing games is facing off against other people – be they bots or a Player Two – then this game may leave a lot to be desired.
Coatsink Software provided us with a Phantom Spark PS5 code for review purposes.
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