Info about Hotshot Racing: Official game description: **\*\*\*Hotshot Racing Big Boss Bundle – Free new DLC!\*\*\*** -------------------------------------------------------------- The Big Boss Bundle brings thrilling DLC to Hotshot Racing for free! New mode Barrel Barrage delivers the most incendiary action yet, while the Boss Level Grand Prix introduces an expanded selection of rapid racetracks. **Hotshot Racing** ------------------ Hotshot Racing is a blisteringly fast arcade-style racing game fusing drift handling, razor-sharp retro visuals and an incredible sense of speed to create an exhilarating driving experience. Developed by racing game veterans SUMO Nottingham and Lucky Mountain Games, Hotshot Racing is an all-new driving experience which revives the classic arcade gameplay of the 90s and thrusts it into the modern era. 16 racing circuits provide the twists, turns and straights conducive to searingly quick racing. Take in coastal, jungle, alpine and Las Vegas desert environments, with each course modelled with the most vivid colours and blue skies for miles. Time Trial and Grand Prix modes cater to those who like to compete in classic racing formats, while ‘Cops and Robbers’ and ‘Drive or Explode’ modes offer exhilarating new ways to play. Each mode is available in single-player, four-player split-screen and eight-player online, while Time Trial is single-player only. Single-player modes run at a blistering 60FPS to deliver one of the fastest depictions of racing possible. Smash lap records to rise-up the global online leaderboards or download ghost laps to match your racing lines against the very best. **MEET THE HOTSHOTS** --------------------- Keiko, Xing, Mike, Alexa, Aston, Toshiro, Marcus and Viktor - eight speed addicts that have dedicated their lives to the pursuit of being the greatest racing driver in the world. **CATCH THE DRIFT** ------------------- Drifting is crucial in Hotshot Racing. Boost charges as the player drifts so maintaining it for as long as possible is vital to preserving maximum speed throughout a race. **DRIVE OR EXPLODE** -------------------- In this mode each car has a bomb attached to it. Drop below a certain speed and BOOM! The trigger speed gets faster and faster, forcing players to maintain impossibly high speeds. **COPS AND ROBBERS** -------------------- Robbers evade the cops. Cops catch the robbers, and in doing so convert them to the police side, leading to an exciting test of skill for the surviving criminals. **A WELL NEEDED BOOST** ----------------------- Earn boost by drifting and slipstreaming opponents and unleash a one-shot hit of speed to leave them in your rear view mirror. Release date: Sep 10, 2020 Categories: Racing, Arcade, Arcade Racing, Arcade-style Gameplay, High Score Chasing, Local Co-op, Local Multiplayer, Split-screen Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer, Single-player, Single-player Racing, Endurance Racing, Time Trial, Grand Prix, Cops and Robbers, Drive or Explode, Vehicle Customization, Car Customization, Controller Support, Steam Deck Support, Accessibility Features, Casual Game, Competitive, Multiplayer, Leaderboards and Achievements, Customization, Achievement System, Online Cross-play, Ranked Matches, Ranked PvP, Cross-platform Multiplayer, Split Screen Feature scans: - Proton/Linux: score 10; verdict: Works Well; summary: The game generally runs well on Linux with compatibility mode and Proton 9, though there are minor audio stuttering issues that users believe could be resolved with further Proton improvements. - Steam Deck: score 60; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The game has significant issues with its always-online DRM, which is a major drawback for many users, particularly those using portable devices like the Steam Deck. While the game performs well on Linux and the Steam Deck with Proton compatibility, controller support is reported as semi-functional or stiff, which can detract from the gaming experience. Additionally, the lack of cloud saves is a notable issue that can lead to frustration and loss of progress. - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $3.00 - $7.00 - Reasoning: The evidence suggests that while some users find the game worth the full price of $20, many others believe it is better valued in the range of $3 to $7. The repeated mentions of the game being worth it at a discounted price, specifically around $3 to $7, indicate that the community generally considers this a fairer price range. Additionally, the sentiment that the game is worth the full price but better valued at a discount supports the upper end of this range. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: 5.0h - Story completion: 0.5h - Session length: 0.5h - Endgame: N/A - Reasoning: The evidence provided indicates that the game can be completed relatively quickly, with mentions of finishing the game in 30 minutes and a maximum of 5 hours to complete all Grand Prixs on every difficulty. The grind and repetition mentioned suggest that while individual sessions might not be very long, the cumulative time to achieve full completion can add up due to redoing laps and dealing with game mechanics. - Time-to-fun: - Summary: Hotshot Racing is most enjoyable in local co-op or multiplayer modes, with fun starting almost immediately when playing with friends. Solo play may not be as engaging due to fluctuating activity levels. - Stance: Fun immediately - Anchor: Playing with friends in local co-op or multiplayer - Time to anchor: 0h 5m - Friction: Fluctuating activity levels in online multiplayer; Repetitive track design; Aggressive AI - Unlock drivers: Local co-op mode; Playing with friends - Conditions: Local co-op; Playing with friends; Casual play sessions - Player Archetypes: - Social Party Racer (sale) - Motivation: Social interaction and multiplayer fun - Playstyle: Casual, competitive, and social, focusing on local co-op and party play. - Experience: mixed - Purchase stance: sale - Labels: racing game enthusiast; casual player - Reference games: Mario Kart; Sega Rally; Daytona USA - Single-Player Critic (deep sale) - Motivation: Enjoyment of single-player content and variety of modes - Playstyle: Engages with single-player modes, enjoys career and time trial, but is critical of AI and lack of online play. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: deep sale - Labels: racing game fan; single-player gamer - Reference games: Asphalt 8; Most Wanted; Virtua Racing - Completionist Grinder (deep sale) - Motivation: Completing all challenges and unlocking every achievement - Playstyle: Focused on grinding through races, mastering each car, and achieving 100% completion. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: deep sale - Labels: completionist; grinder - Reference games: Parking Garage Rally Circuit; Old School Rally Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Classic arcade racing experience (weight 0.62): The game is praised for its authentic arcade racing experience, reminiscent of classic 90s arcade racers like Virtua Racing, Daytona USA, and Scud Race. It captures the essence of retro arcade racing with its simple, fast-paced, and colorful gameplay. - Visually appealing and vibrant (weight 0.62): The game features beautiful and colorful visuals, with vibrant stages and environments. The art style is visually appealing and adds to the overall enjoyment of the game. - Fun and enjoyable gameplay (weight 0.57): The game is consistently described as fun and enjoyable, with engaging and addictive gameplay mechanics. It offers a pleasant and accessible gaming experience. - Variety of vehicles and customization (weight 0.44): The game offers a wide variety of vehicles, including different cars, racers, and customization options. Players can choose from multiple characters, each with their own set of cars and customization choices. - Excellent drifting mechanics (weight 0.23): The game features enjoyable and well-implemented drifting mechanics, with a strong focus on drifting. Players appreciate the smooth and rewarding drifting experience. - Great multiplayer experience (weight 0.18): The game is fun to play with friends, offering good online play and enjoyable multiplayer experiences. It is easy to get into and provides great fun with a group of friends. - Easy to pick up, hard to master (weight 0.14): The game is easy to play casually but offers a challenge for those looking to master it. It is fast-paced and easy to get into, making it accessible for all players. - Charismatic characters (weight 0.11): The game features charismatic and cool characters, adding charm and personality to the gameplay. Common complaints: - Frustrating AI rubber-banding (weight 0.57): The AI's rubber-banding behavior is a significant issue, with many players finding it frustrating, aggressive, and unfair, especially on higher difficulties. - Dead online multiplayer (weight 0.28): The online multiplayer mode is reported as completely dead with few players, poor netcode, and no lobby servers, making it unplayable. - Lack of content (weight 0.26): The game lacks sufficient content, including a career mode and customization options, leading to a limited and repetitive experience. - Repetitive track design (weight 0.17): The tracks in the game feel similar and repetitive, lacking variety and designed poorly for the game's speeds. - Control issues (weight 0.14): Players report unresponsive controls and issues with both gamepad and keyboard inputs, affecting the overall gameplay experience. - Always online requirement (weight 0.11): The game requires a consistent internet connection to play, which is a drawback for many players. - French language complaints (weight 0.09): French-speaking players highlight various issues with the game, particularly with the AI, which exacerbates the game's flaws. - No cloud or mod support (weight 0.08): The game lacks support for cloud saves and mods, which is a significant drawback for many players. - Unbalanced difficulty (weight 0.08): The difficulty settings in the game are poorly balanced, making the game feel unfair at times. - Game abandoned by developers (weight 0.08): The game is reported as abandoned by the developers, with no further updates or support. Gameplay feedback: - Arcade-style racing (weight 0.33): The game is designed with arcade-style driving mechanics, providing a retro and casual racing experience with various modes and customization options. - Drift and boost mechanics (weight 0.32): The game features a strong emphasis on drifting and slipstreaming mechanics, which are integral to the boosting system. Players can use these mechanics to gain speed advantages during races. - Variety of game modes (weight 0.25): The game includes a range of game modes such as Grand Prix, time trials, and single-player campaigns, offering diverse gameplay experiences. - Car customization and stats (weight 0.23): Players can customize their cars and choose from a variety of vehicles with different attributes and performance stats. - AI opponent behavior (weight 0.22): AI opponents can exhibit aggressive and sometimes unfair behavior, including cheating and rubber-banding mechanics that affect the racing experience. - Difficulty settings (weight 0.11): The game includes different difficulty modes, allowing players to choose the level of challenge that suits their skills. - Progression and achievement system (weight 0.1): The game features a progression system with achievements, providing players with goals and rewards as they advance. - Gear shifting mechanics (weight 0.09): The game includes gear shifting mechanics, allowing players to choose between automatic and manual transmission. - Nitro usage (weight 0.09): The game includes nitro mechanics, allowing players to use nitro boosts to gain speed advantages during races. - Graphics style (weight 0.06): The game has a distinctive low-poly graphics style, contributing to its retro arcade aesthetic. - Controller support (weight 0.06): The game supports various controllers, including joysticks, enhancing the gaming experience for players who prefer different input devices. Performance notes: - Performance issues and fixes (weight 0.28): Some players experience performance issues that can be mitigated by using borderless window mode and enabling VSync. Specific hardware setups can achieve high frame rates. - Frequent frame rate drops (weight 0.23): Many players report significant frame rate drops and performance issues during gameplay. This includes general framedrops and stuttering problems. - Online and DRM issues (weight 0.2): The game has always-online DRM, which prevents it from booting offline. There are also reports of game crashes with multiple devices and technical problems in online multiplayer, including poor netcode. - Smooth performance on certain hardware (weight 0.16): The game runs smoothly on specific high-end hardware like the 4090 and Steam Deck. It also performs well on systems with forgiving hardware requirements. - Technical and compatibility issues (weight 0.13): There are several technical issues including incorrect refresh rates, monitor flickering at startup, and problems with controllers not working. Additionally, the game has issues with defaulting to integrated graphics and requiring manual settings for dedicated GPUs. - Graphical and visual issues (weight 0.11): Players report various graphical issues such as poor level of detail, texture pop-in, and cheap-looking special effects. These issues affect the overall visual quality and driving experience. - Audio and miscellaneous issues (weight 0.06): Some players experience minor audio stuttering and micro stuttering caused by tire smoke effects. There are also reports of game crashes and mandatory internet connections. - Linux compatibility (weight 0.03): The game works on Linux using Proton 9, indicating some level of compatibility with this operating system. - Time trial bugs (weight 0.03): There are specific bugs reported in the time trial mode, affecting the gameplay experience. Recommendations: - Best value at discounted price (weight 0.33): Many players recommend buying the game on sale or at a discounted price. It is seen as good value for money when purchased at a lower price point. - Recommended for arcade racing fans (weight 0.25): The game is highly recommended for fans of classic and retro arcade racing games. It is praised for its solid gameplay and nostalgic appeal. - Fun with friends (weight 0.18): The game is enjoyable when played with friends, making it a good choice for multiplayer sessions. It is recommended for those looking to have fun with others. - Highly recommended (weight 0.12): Several reviews highly recommend the game, indicating a strong positive reception among players who enjoy the genre. - Good time-killer (weight 0.09): The game is seen as a good way to pass the time, especially after a long day. It is enjoyable for casual play sessions. - Requires powerful PC (weight 0.07): The game is not recommended unless you have a very powerful PC, indicating high system requirements. - Desire for more content (weight 0.07): Players express a desire for more maps and characters, suggesting that additional content would enhance the game. - Recommended for hardcore players (weight 0.06): The game is recommended for hardcore players who are deeply into the genre and seek a challenging experience. - Worth buying but not amazing (weight 0.04): The game is considered worth buying, especially on sale, but it may not meet extremely high expectations. - Solid rating (weight 0.03): The game receives a solid rating of 8/10, indicating a generally positive reception. Other player notes: No miscpoints Emotions: - Frustration (weight 0.34): Players are frustrated primarily due to the AI's aggressive and unfair behavior, including rubberbanding and erratic actions, which significantly impact the gameplay experience. Technical issues such as performance problems, lack of multiplayer functionality, and always-online DRM requirements also contribute to this frustration. Additionally, the lack of certain features like reverse gear and limited car customization adds to the dissatisfaction. - Disappointment (weight 0.19): Players feel disappointed due to the lack of content, depth, and customization options in the game. The abandonment of multiplayer modes and dead online servers further exacerbate this sentiment. Technical issues, repetitive gameplay, and the game's failure to meet expectations set by classic racing games also contribute to the disappointment. - Satisfaction (weight 0.08): Players express satisfaction with the enjoyable arcade racing experience, praising the gameplay mechanics, customization options, and controller compatibility. The graphical fidelity, frame rates, and overall positive aspects of the game contribute to a worthwhile purchase and a satisfying gaming experience. - Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Players enjoy the fun and engaging racing experience, appreciating the variety of modes, well-balanced gameplay, and customization options. The visuals, music, and overall positive experience with the game's design and gameplay mechanics contribute to their enjoyment. - Joy (weight 0.07): Players find joy in the carefree thrill of drifting at high speeds and the overall gameplay experience. The variety of tracks, customization options, and the enjoyable arcade-style racing contribute to their happiness. Playing with friends and the memorable characters also enhance the joyful experience. - Nostalgia (weight 0.06): Players feel nostalgic due to the game's retro arcade racing experience, reminiscent of childhood arcade games and 1990s racing classics. The graphics and gameplay mechanics evoke memories of classic arcade racers, contributing to a sense of nostalgia. - Excitement (weight 0.04): Players are excited about the graphics, gameplay, and characters, as well as the thrill of speed and the game's content. The dynamic BGM, customization options, and the blend of retro speed with modern fun contribute to their excitement. - Anger (weight 0.02): Players feel anger due to the aggressive and frustrating AI behavior, as well as issues with online multiplayer not working. The difficulty and control issues, along with the loss of progress and offline boot issues, further contribute to their anger. - Happiness (weight 0.02): Players express happiness with the enjoyment of the game's style, gameplay, art, and music. The character stories and variety of cars also contribute to their overall happiness with the game. - Excitement (weight 0.02): Players are excited about the fun racing experience and the pleasure of playing the game. The variety of content and the overall positive aspects of the game contribute to their excitement. - Love (weight 0.02): Players love the flat-shaded polygonal look and classic 1990s arcade gameplay. The quick pick-up-and-play feel with simple controls and easy-to-grasp menus also contribute to their love for the game. - Content (weight 0.02): Players feel content with the enjoyable gameplay elements, such as car modifications and drifting mechanics. The overall positive experience and the game's value as a time-killer contribute to their contentment. - Hope (weight 0.01): Players express hope for a sequel or spiritual successor, as well as a desire for more content. This hope is driven by the positive aspects of the game and the potential for future improvements. - Disappointment (weight 0.01): Players feel disappointed due to the detestable AI and shaky mechanics. The overall end product does not meet their expectations, leading to a sense of disappointment. - Boredom (weight 0.01): Players feel that the game becomes repetitive and boring quickly. The lack of variety and engaging content contributes to their boredom.}