Blur Preview

If you’re not daring enough to go head to head with your friends, that shouldn’t stop you laying down the gauntlet through less confrontational means. The friend demand allows you to build a racing challenge with a vast array of editable parameters and send it to your friends. Should they be skilled enough to laugh in the face of your feeble test, they can modify your challenge, making it even more difficult and sending it right back at you. Aside from the obvious bragging rights earned from such behaviour it also allows early unlocking of certain content, giving time-starved players a more convenient way to fill their garages.

The back and forth of weapon exchanges mean that the pack are kept close to each other at all times. When there are 19 other people to tussle with, wearing a seatbelt is recommended.

Most intriguing of Blur’s attempts to create something unique in the community area is the integration of Twitter. Community Manager Ben Ward talks us through thinking behind it: “Twitter is ingrained in people’s conscience at the minute and definitely hardcore gamers are the same demographic as the people that are into Twitter. It’s going to be interesting to see whether people want to use it as an outlet to express themselves in the game – it’s kind of an experiment”.

Weapon loads are stored conveniently on the boot of your car, keeping the HUD lean and uncluttered.

Complimenting the passive observation of players’ Twitter usage will be an extensive collation of data that details their car and course selections along with preferred race parameters and mod selections, allowing the studio to respond to trends in the player base. Ben is keen to see how this community-led evolution of game types will be layered with new content such as co-operative team matches: “For me the exciting part is when people use team work in custom games and then all of a sudden it’s not just cat and mouse – it’s team cat and mouse. There’s that extra variable; that extra layer of depth”.

Jumps are accompanied by a Hollywood-style engine-cut only to kick in upon landing. The audio work is of an exceptionally high standard throughout.

For all the talk of concept, community and content, trial by fire would be the only introduction to Blur’s explosive 20-player online battles, and true to their word, Bizarre have created an intensely action-packed experience. Yes there is something of a disconnect between abstract neon weaponry firing electrical bolts of punishment while a Ford Mustang power drifts through a chicane, but such concerns take a back seat to the genuine sense of enjoyment that Blur provides.

Bizarre’s willingness to hand players the tool set to adapt the game to their own desires shows a great deal of trust in their community – one that, given their proven track record, will no doubt be appreciated, and pay great dividends come May 28th when Blur is released in the UK.