Developer: Black Rock Studio
Release Date: May 18, 2011
Platform(s): PS3, 360, PC, PSP, iOS
Review by: Shane Roberts

Trials are a feature of Playstation Plus membership. The consumer downloads the entire game with a 60-minute timer attached. If the player chooses to buy the game digitally at the end of 60 minutes, all progress carries over, including trophies earned.

Split/Second was the final title released by Disney’s now defunct Black Rock Studio. Following in the footsteps of Pure, Split/Second has you filling a meter, this time by drafting, drifting, and jumping. Filling the meter allows you to remotely trigger environmental hazards that range from an exploding barrel to dropping the Seatle Space Needle on your opponents. The most powerful of these “power plays” actually destroy sections of the course, altering the race path for the remainder of the match. The whole thing uses a futuristic game show as its framing device, and it beats the hell out of red koopa shells and green driving lines.

Split/Second is a very pretty game, and more importantly, it’s a very colorful game. You won’t kick up much dirt, and the crashes don’t compare to Burnout or Motorstorm, but you’ll crash through numerous destructible objects and enjoy all the mass destruction around you, even if it’s you getting hit in the face with a 747. Additional race parameters serve to make the game even more interesting, like a repeating timer that completely eliminates the car in last place each time it reaches zero. Power plays can only be activated at set locations, making level familiarity paramount. That also brings up the main criticism leveled at the game: the fact that once you’ve seen everything explode, you’re left with just one more racing game.

Will I buy it? No, but you should give it a rent if you like racing games.