Antigraviator is a fast-paced experimental arcade racer with sci-fi overtones, set in the year 2210. Its selling point is that it features no speed limit. With proper timing of boosts, you’ll easily break the sound barrier and go beyond that. The tracks are immersive and aesthetically pleasing; in total, there are four different environments with three tracks in each — from futuristic backdrops to racing on desert wastelands, there’s a track sure to appeal to anyone.

CHOOSE YOUR CHALLENGE

There are a few race types to try out, but in each, your focus is staying ahead of the pack to ensure victory. To play well, deftness and a little bit of strategy are required. A mini-map of the tracks is missing while you race, forcing you to keep an eye out for indications of turns and learn the track.

The campaign offers championships of varying levels: Placing within the top three in these grants money, with the higher-tiered championships offering an increase in your potential reward. However, with increased reward comes increased risk; aside from the first one, there’s an entry fee. If you’re looking to build up your wallet to purchase upgrades, whether functional or aesthetic, this is the way to go.

Quick races, on the other hand, don’t grant monetary rewards — but they do provide a way to practice by yourself or with AI opponents if you’re struggling with a particular track or race type. Single is your standard race type where you simply finish first to win, while Countdown is more interesting. Here, you have a time limit to drive as far as you can, with regular checkpoints that replenish your time. Whoever drives the farthest wins. Because of the checkpoint feature, you must ensure that you drive each section of a track nearly perfectly, whereas in Single races, it’s entirely possible to drop down to near last place and then regain first with well-timed boosts and tactically-placed traps. There’s also online racing, with both ranked and casual modes available.

When choosing a track and race type, you see both your record (best lap or furthest driven on Countdown) and the world record. Comparing these figures offers an indication of how good you are compared to the best player at a specific race type on a given track. There’s no indication of what a good time is apart from this, unlike other racing titles that have bronze through gold medals for beating time thresholds. But, of course, the ultimate and most salient factor is whether or not you win.

UPGRADES

Speed boosts and traps both require two units of power which you pick up during a race. Other racers can take them, but they do respawn at designated locations. Your starting Grav has the highest pickup capacity out of the three options. Other parts you may purchase in the Hangar vary not only in pickup capacity but also in stats like acceleration or handling. While the starting Grav has the lowest acceleration and handling, if driven well, landing a place in the top three is very well within reach.

WHAT BRINGS DOWN ANTIGRAVIATOR

The application froze a couple of times within the first few hours. It’s still a week away from release so hopefully that will be patched by then. The rest of the game runs smoothly and feels polished. The recommended requirements seem a bit high, but the graphics are stunning.

Despite the occasional freezing, conquering the various tracks was fun. The few race types provide some replayability, but unless your goal is to win each championship or master the tracks, you might find the replayability going only so far.