With Steam Next Fest up and running, there are so many new game demos doing the rounds. I’ve got a few I want to play and write about, and the first one I’m going to tell you about is Half Grip, a combat racing game with a roguelite twist that just scored a new demo.
In the headline, I stated that Half Grip is the most intense driving game that I’ve played in years – it’s a bold claim, but I mean it. I even include Star Wars: Galactic Racer in that sentiment, which is intense, but not as much as Half Grip.
The reason for this intensity? The core gameplay hook in Half Grip is that this retro-inspired combat racer only lets you control things with one hand.
Changing gear? Do it one-handed. Steering? Also one-handed. What about that gun clipped to the ceiling? You’d better believe that you’re going to be using that same hand again.
This simple restriction makes the game tick with an energy that I normally experience in those hard-as-nails physics platformers. I found the simple actions required for racing one-handed to be challenging enough on their own. Throw in a shotgun, and it just gets messy.
The whole thing is held together with a classically inspired PSX-era aesthetic which I frickin’ adore. I was constantly reminded of Hi-Octane and the original Destruction Derby, except the combat gameplay is maybe a bit more like Twisted Metal.
Still with me? Of course you are! If you want to keep reading about great hand-picked roguelikes, this website is absolutely chock-full of them. Head over to the Guides Page for a concentrated hit of roguish games, organised via sub-genre and platform.
What’s more, there are always going to be new lists for emerging trends as well as fresh titles to highlight. This is because my backlog is embarrassingly long, and so I’m always trying to balance the new games that arrive in my inbox with playing the stuff I already have.
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