Screamer Preview: Put The Pedal To The Metal In This Anime-Inspired Arcade Racer

The racing genre of games tends to be focused almost entirely on the actual racing. Even when there is a central narrative, it often takes a backseat to the central gameplay loop. Milestone wants to subvert that, however, and deliver a racing game that’s just as exciting off the track as it is when players are behind the wheel.

The development studio behind racing game franchises like MotoGP, Supercross, and Ride, Milestone is revitalizing one of its oldest titles with a new anime-inspired coat of paint that fits the gameplay to a tee. Taking cues from plenty of arcade racers and colorful TV shows, Screamer‘s blend of narrative and gameplay delivers on a high-octane premise in more ways than one. After seeing firsthand how tight the game’s races can become, racing fans should start getting very excited for what’s coming down the road from the studio.

Screamer Is The Fusion Of Anime And Racing

The trick is that Screamer benefits from years of tight racing gameplay courtesy of Milestone, on top of a compelling anime-inspired narrative that drives the game forward. The game’s story is set in the future, focusing on a racing team on a mission of vengeance while joining a racing tournament known as the “Screamer” through a massive urban environment. Hiroshi, Róisínm, and Frederic seek revenge for the death of their teammate Quinn, setting them on a collision course with the man they blame for Quinn’s mysterious demise.

The narrative is compelling, even just from the limited amount included in the demo, suggesting a deeper mystery and darker story is waiting for players. The game’s narrative is broken up like episodes of an anime, with cut-scenes and narrative breaks all illustrated with a slick, modern look that benefits the cyberpunk aesthetic, fitting well alongside the sleek racing gameplay. The expansive story will see players get behind the wheel as multiple characters, driving the narrative forward.

Screamer uses a massive visual landscape and intense music to add some flair to the races and the narrative, along with some of the wacky elements one can expect from an anime-inspired story — like Fermi, a little dog that can drive a car. There’s also the Echo Engine, which is capable of restoring a car (and driver) after an otherwise fatal explosion. This allows the game to put emphasis on intense races without having to break the narrative to undo any on-the-road accidents.

How Screamer Takes Arcade Racing To The Max

Taking cues from plenty of older arcade-style racers, Screamer indulges in a clever fusion of a lot of different gameplay mechanics that lay the groundwork for some intense vehicular combat and races. Drifting is crucial to any racer’s success, with a successful enough move earning players a quick-time-event boost that can quickly go into effect. The gameplay tweaks the typical drifting mechanic, turning the right control stick into the player’s primary use of the skill. It’s an unusual approach that players can quickly adjust to, while also benefiting from a gameplay style that eschews any typical approach to slowing down or sliding around. More so than even other arcade racers, Screamer is all about going all out.

The biggest mechanic is Entropy, an energy source that can empower the racer. They can either se the energy to suddenly boost (and gain enough momentum to take down opponents) or create a temporary shield (that can counter enemies attempting to bring down the player). There’s a lot of Burnout DNA in the game mechanic, especially when players are forced to quickly react and strategically take out rivals on the road without spinning out. The Overdrive Ultimate is the best expression of this, a brief super mode that can allow the player to take out any car they touch — but will destroy the player’s car if they collide with a wall or track barrier.

There’s a real sense of risk and reward to every race in Screamer, putting an emphasis on intense and dangerous moves that is reflective of the tone of the narrative and helps keep the central racing gameplay mechanics from ever feeling too repetitive while retaining the narrative drive to keep players engaged in the story even when they’re not behind the wheel. It all helps the gameplay blend more thoroughly into the anime aesthetic while also informing the gameplay’s bombastic approach to drifting and combat. It helps Screamer really stand out as something unique, even as it wears its inspirations on its sleeves. It’s an intriguing addition to the racing genre that feels ideal for fans of intense car races and tense anime shows and could help Screamer really make an impact on players, all wrapped around a compelling narrative and fun cast of characters that are primed to become fan favorites. Especially Fermi. Seriously, never underestimate the charm of a car-racing dog.

Screamer comes to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Windows on March 26