Screamer

I love that Milestone is experimenting with new ideas within the arcade racing formula, and while the story didn’t land for me, I applaud the effort at narrative in a genre that frequently doesn’t even try to add meaningful context to its races. Even so, difficulty spikes and arbitrary objectives combine with overly convoluted mechanics to rob Screamer of some of its fun. It’s worth experiencing to see a developer try something new, but this race track might just have too many turns to be a winner.

Screamer is one of the most visually striking and nostalgically satisfying arcade games to hit the market since the PS3/Xbox 360 era — the golden age of racing. Unfortunately, the game is undermined by frustrating AI and level design that prevents you from fully enjoying the experience it otherwise deserves, given what it has to offer.

Screamer is a hero racer with combat elements and a strong focus on storytelling that overturns the arcade approach of the 1995 original, in an attempt to build something new and different. Does it succeed? In some respects yes, in others less so: the gameplay makes bold choices that can sometimes feel puzzling, giving the impression of overcomplicating what is ultimately a fairly traditional structure, where drifting and boosting alternate to win races. Meanwhile, the lengthy campaign unfolds as a four-act narrative that works well (also thanks to some impressive animated sequences) until a certain sense of fatigue starts to set in. There’s a noticeable lack of a more substantial surrounding framework, one that would better capitalize on the compelling characters crafted by Milestone and their vehicles. Perhaps something that will be expanded upon in the future?

It's a slightly odd mix of fast-paced arcade racing, an unbalanced game, a story that takes up too much space, almost too many systems, and controls that demand a lot from the player. Screamer isn't a bad game, but it tries to do almost too much. I would have liked it to be more straightforward. More like Ridge Racer could have been in 2026.

For all its quirks, I do hope that Screamer finds a regular and loyal fanbase. The story may be naff, and some tracks are better than others, but there remains an enjoyable core at the centre of it all. The potential for online play, particularly in all-out team races, is highly promising, but it’s a promise that can only be fulfilled if Screamer can entice enough an audience to purchase and persevere. It’s an excellent, flawed, unique, undercooked racer that just may yet manage to become a simply great one.

The team at Milestone have been crafting racing games for more than three decades now, Screamer proving that they aren't afraid of taking risks and trying something new. From its surprisingly fleshed out storylines to its advanced racing gameplay concepts, there are plenty of intriguing ideas at works here though not all them are executed well.

Screamer is a stylish, content-rich, and ambitious racing game that slightly stumbles over its own grandiosity. Narrative shortcomings, combined with a hint of excessive multitasking lower its overall score just enough that it doesn’t quite reach the very top tier in my eyes. Despite these nitpicks, it’s still an enjoyable high-speed racer that manages to carve out something unique in its own market.

Screamer tries to do a lot and packs in tons of content, but unfortunately, it drops the ball when it comes to the basics of the genre. No matter what else an arcade racer does, if the controls and the driving itself aren't spot on, the battle is mostly already lost.

Screamer looks great and has some neat ideas. But this anime-inspired arcade racer is let down by inconsistent and unbalanced competitor AI and controls that can often feel overcomplicated for the sake of it.

Screamer is a game of half measures. It’s got an anime style that doesn’t extend beyond the menus and cutscenes, a cool drift mechanic that isn’t put to good use by the dull track designs, and a long story campaign that just doesn’t hang together in an interesting way...It feels like a game where the final product perhaps isn’t what the developers set out to make, or where restrictions have prevented it from realising its potential. It’s a shame – a story-focused, anime-style racing game with cool drifts and deep interpersonal conflicts between a diverse cast could have really been cool.As it stands, Screamer is screaming for some significant tweaks under the hood before it’s totally roadworthy.