Split/Second

 Xbox 360
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 78 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 66 out of 78
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 78
  3. Negative: 0 out of 78
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  1. ActionTrip
    73
    Apart from a few minor AI issues and Split/Second is actually an enjoyable game.
  2. Extreme Gamer
    72
    In one hand, 'Split/Second' is a solid arcade racer with a substantial feature to separate it from the crowd. In the other, 'Split/Second' feels like a one-tricky pony. One that becomes very familiar after a few hours of play.
  3. Xbox World 360 Magazine UK
    72
    It's good, but not good enough - proving the loudest car on the grid is rarely the healthiest. [July 2010, p.88]
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  5. DarkStation
    70
    Split/Second is one of those games that has a really solid concept and runs with it from start to finish. What ends up happening with this game though is that it looses that initial flare and ends up fizzling into a pretty standard arcade racing title.
  6. VideoGamer
    70
    Split/Second is so close to being great; so much so that in short bursts it really is a spectacular arcade racer. It just doesn't have any legs.
  7. Total Video Games
    70
    Split/Second is an original concept made irksome by a lack of depth and highly questionable balancing in the gameplay. Nonetheless, we can't help but feel that there's a lot more mileage left in Blackrock's big idea.
  8. Eurogamer Portugal
    70
    It is impossible to deny that Split / Second gets inspiration from games like Burnout.
  9. Gamestyle
    70
    Split/Second is at its core an amazing and visceral experience and the true successor to the Burnout series, even more so than Criterion's own Burnout Paradise.
  10. Gamer.nl
    70
    Split/Second has great graphics and introduces a couple of interesting new gameplay modes, but in the end the weak controls in the PC-version, the cheating AI and the lack of variety keeps this game from becoming truly great.
  11. Kombo
    60
    Like a Michael Bay movie, Split/Second is a must-see, but isn't worth more than a rent.
  12. Gamereactor Sweden
    60
    A lot of speed and explosions entertain us, but this is a racing game that relies to much on a pretty mediocre gimmick.
  13. Gamekult
    60
    This arcade racing game lacks some arguments in the long run.

Awards & Rankings

44
#44 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2010
67
#67 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2010
47
#47 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2010

User Reviews

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User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 123 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 123
  2. Mixed: 25 out of 123
  3. Negative: 9 out of 123
  1. sergiomach5
    Apr 20, 2014
    7
    Buying Blur and Split/Second at a similar time has resulted in inevitable comparisons, and while I find Blur to be the superior game,Buying Blur and Split/Second at a similar time has resulted in inevitable comparisons, and while I find Blur to be the superior game, Split/Second is far from a bad one and its personal preference at this point as to what people prefer.

    The sense of speed and sheer intensity when everything is exploding is in its favour, but it gets a bit too repetitive for my liking. A few more tracks or maps would have done a world of good to the racing. The level 2 plays are someones true racing fantasy being played out on screen, but its just not to my taste. It has a bit in common with Burnout revenge with its art style and racing theme of battling over racing which I do like since no other game has done that for me in years.

    Worth a look for arcade racers and thrillseekers alike    … Full Review »
  2. limelight
    Dec 30, 2010
    9
    An arcade racer at heart, Split/Second delievers heart pounding, fast and fun gameplay. The variety of racing modes keeps the gameplay freshAn arcade racer at heart, Split/Second delievers heart pounding, fast and fun gameplay. The variety of racing modes keeps the gameplay fresh and the trigger events are a sight to see. The downsides? It just needs a few more tracks, and toward the later levels the A.I. can get nasty with the rubberbanding. Otherwise one of the best modern racers out there up with Burnout Paradise.… Full Review »
  3. bioadam
    Dec 14, 2010
    5
    The ecstasy and the agony. Split/Second start out with a bang. Giant set pieces exploding all around you and races that literally come down toThe ecstasy and the agony. Split/Second start out with a bang. Giant set pieces exploding all around you and races that literally come down to a split second. The first few hours are blissfully spent racing, setting off explosions, and gaping. The game looks like a perfect 10. Then when the game hits its stride, it slaps you upside the head with its stupidly awful, unforgivable a.i, an a.i. that I score an abysmal 0.

    The a.i. controlled cars do not really race better then you, they race with cars much, much faster than yours. The only worse crime than nerfing the player's car is enchanting the a.i. cars with magical powers. Seeing the pack blast pass you at nearly twice your speed is disheartening. Seeing them blast pass you in the very same car you have is gut wrenching. Seeing them blast pass you when you are just a few hundred virtual feet from the finish will make you want to throw your controller at your television. It gets worse, though, as the a.i. will often manage to end up more than 8 seconds ahead of you, well out of sight and well beyond your ability to even the odds with "power plays". This a.i. behavior defeats the entire premise of the game. Correcting a.i. behavior seems like a simple fix: tell the a.i. cars to stop cheating. The terribly programmed a.i. begs the question whether Black Rock even play test this game. I know they did, because they had a limited beta. Normally when a game developer has a beta or hires play testers, they do it to learn things. Maybe they forgot that players like to win once in a while. In fact, players like to win all the time. No one and I mean NO ONE buys a racing game to lose. I almost feel that this game needs a casual mode. I mean "almost" because no racing game should be this frustrating difficult.

    Most of the reviews for this game are positive, but I think that is the result of playing the game for only a few hours. The fun really drops off after the half way point and never picks up again. The reviewers never got to the point where they were playing the same tracks over and over, beautiful though the tracks may be. The reviewers never had to race against a pack of SUV that accelerate faster than a Formula 1 race car. The reviewers never had to replay races over and over to try to win a new car in the hopes that this one might give them the edge, only to find out that the stats on the car really don't matter. Fittingly, the shoddy artificial intelligence was followed by shoddy natural intelligence.

    The graphics, sound, and concept are superb. A shame all that work goes to waste because Black Rock does not understand the single player experience. I wonder if Black Rock ever calculated the number of lost sales as frustrated and disheartened players sent their copies of Split/Second onto the used market. I know that is the fate of my copy. As for a sequel, seriously why bother? Black Rock has filled its customer base with negative memories towards its product. Who really wants to relive that sinking feeling when you lost that race for the 5th time because the a.i. can cheat? My advice to Black Rock, patch the original or get out of the racing genre.    … Full Review »
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