Fatal Inertia
| Fatal Inertia Fatal Inertia EX | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Koei Canada |
| Publisher(s) | Koei |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 3 Foliage - SpeedTree |
| Platform(s) | Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 |
| Release date(s) | Xbox 360
|
| Genre(s) | Racing |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer, System Link (Xbox 360), Online Multiplayer |
| Distribution | DVD-DL, PlayStation Store download |
Fatal Inertia is a futuristic hovercar racing game from Koei. Originally an exclusive for the PlayStation 3, it was released for the Xbox 360 in 2007 and then released on the PlayStation 3 on May 29, 2008 in Japan, June 19, 2008 in North America and July 15, 2008 in Europe as a download on the PlayStation Network under the title Fatal Inertia EX. The PlayStation 3 version was initially delayed because of difficulties with the Unreal Engine 3 on the console, due to the cell processor's architecture.[1]
The game is set in the mid-22nd century Earth, and a handful of immense corporations control virtually all business, politics, and entertainment. Extreme sports have become one of the main sources of entertainment with Fatal Inertia as the most popular.[2] Competitions take place far from cities due to the high level of danger.[2]
There are six different racing environments that are divided into fifty-one courses.[3]
Race Craft
Fatal Inertia has four main Craft types, each one having advantages and disadvantages over each other:
- Phoenix Class: craft that, though they do not excel, are well balanced on most parameters.
- Aurora class: the fastest of all the classes, though with questionable reliability. Suited for adept or advanced players.
- Mercury class: light, fast accelerating vehicles with superior handling in contrast to other classes.
- Titan class: massive machines that can demolish the competition with their heavy armor and greater firepower, compensating for their poor handling and acceleration.
Though there are only 4 classes there are numerous upgrades that can tune each class to its own unique look, stats, and handling.
Weapons and Items
Fatal Inertia has a set of non-lethal weapons, mostly centered around magnetic behavior. Most of the weapons have primary fire which projects forwards, and a secondary fire that is projected backwards.
- Magnets: Small magnetic spheres that attach to the hull of the targeted vehicle and weigh it down which, in time, overload and explode, damaging the craft. A craft may use a barrel roll to remove any attached magnets.
- Cluster Magnets: A canister of magnets, with a metal proximity sensor that explodes near to one or more crafts, unleashing a barrage of magnets.
- Rocket: A thruster weapon that, when fired at an opposing craft, attaches to it, igniting the thruster and throwing it off balance. The secondary fire uses the thruster as a booster to your own vehicle, propelling it forward.
- Force Blast: a bomb that, when projected forward, unleashes a powerful wave of energy which violently disrupts the course of any craft within the blast radius of the explosion. Secondary fire works a boost to your craft and also shakes off any weapons attached to it.
- Smoke Bomb: creates a smoke screen to blind opposing pilots, either in front of your craft (primary fire) or behind it (secondary fire).
- Cable: Elastic cable that can be used for multiple purposes. Primary fire releases a magnetic-ended cable, for example to stick enemies together, while secondary fire releases a spike-ended cable, which can be used for attaching to an enemy craft and then anchoring them to the terrain.
- Force Field: provides temporary protection from magnetic weapons and minimizes damage from environmental impact.
- EMP: generates a spherical field disrupting any electrical and magnetic forces, deactivating any magnets and shutting down any nearby crafts.
- Time Dilator: slows down time for all opponents.
Trial Versions
On August 2, 2007 a playable demo of Fatal Inertia was released on Xbox Live Marketplace.[4]
On May 29, 2008 a multi-language playable demo of Fatal Inertia EX was released on the Japanese PlayStation Store.[5]
On July 15, 2008, the same day as Europe's release, a trial version was also available on the PlayStation Store as a free download[6]
Fatal Inertia EX
The PlayStation 3 version of the game is a download-only title, and appeared on the Japanese PlayStation Store on May 29, 2008[7] in North America on June 19, 2008, and in Europe on July 15, 2008, as part of PlayStation Network's E3 2008 release plan. A number of tweaks and improvements have been made to the title, notably the difficulty level; to this end, EX includes a training venue with eight new tracks, known as the "Fatal Inertia Proving Grounds Facility", as well as a Master difficulty level for veterans.[7] The development team have also adjusted gameplay, including weapons and physics.[7] Controls support the DualShock 3 along with SIXAXIS tilt control for craft steering.[7]
Reception
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The reception for the Xbox 360 version was mixed, with a Metacritic average of 61 out of 100.[8] The PlayStation Network release received a slightly improved score of 63 out of 100.[9]
See also
References
- ↑ Gamasutra - Koei Confirms PS3 Fatal Inertia, Anticipates 2008 Release
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Shoemaker, Brad (2006-10-22). "Fatal Inertia First Look". GameSpot.
- ↑ Alexis Dunham (2007-08-31). "Fatla Inertia goes Gold". ign.com.
- ↑ Major Nelson (2007-08-02). "Demo: Fatal Inertia". MajorNelson.com.
- ↑ Fatal Inertia EX
- ↑ PSN Store Update 15 July 2008
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Patrick Klepek. "Exclusive: ‘Fatal Inertia EX’ Arrives Via PlayStation Network Next Month".
- ↑ Metacritic. "Fatal Inertia (xbox360: 2007): Reviews".
- ↑ Metacritic. "Fatal Inertia EX(ps3: 2008): Reviews".