Here at last is my review on the delicious ‘Blur’ beta. I am sorry it’s been so long. I couldn’t take my seatbelt off.

So, as the beta starts we’re met with a rather sublime and minimal navigation system, which I very much approve of. The mix of blues, combined with gravitational icons gives the initial impression that the beta will be rather cool, calm and collected…yeah…right.

Brrrrrrrrruuuuuummmm

As soon as you hit the multiplayer area, you find that your car choice is limited. Again, I love the simplicity of the intial stages. Though you’ll be rolling around the track in a compressed Ford for the first few games, the thing’s surprisingly nifty – so when your silly side starts going “Ooo! Shiny car with lots of bits!”, control yourself. Blur is very much an equal gaming experience, meaning although you may have a nicer and/or more reliable car, you can still win the game in terrible ones. Rather reminiscent of Modern Warfare or Halo, you progress via levels, gaining new cars, colours, and speedy bits along the way.

You cry: “What about the driving?!” Let’s just say, definitely not as an experienced driving gamer, the game is much easier to pick than, lets say, Forza Motorsport 3. There’s a much easier control system. Although you don’t feel like you’re out on the track, dealing with danger in real life, you still have a sense of full enjoyment, and the “I gotta’ get that guy!” factor. Along the way, you can access numerous power-ups to strengthen your ride, including a sudden burst of nitro, car repair, shots of purple crystals, exploding fireballs to hit the other cars, and a giant car bubble to stop you bashing into things. These power-ups appear on the rear of the car, and can be alternated, dropped, and selected using a relatively simple control system – although it will take you a few races to fully figure out how to initiate them. I have to say, nothing is more satisfying than firing a large red ball at cars in front, causing them to barrel roll, just like the matrix.

Yeah…the Matrix….Hey Smiths….Eat my Fireball…

The Power-ups included...

Anyway, the unique use of camera angles, and the infamous ‘wrecked’ screen really makes you focus on what your doing, and for me immersed me fully in the driving situation. I especially favour the 20 player races opposed to smaller ones, where you can well and truly blow the race out of proportion. When you make someone crash, you know it. When you crash, you know it. There’s always a rear-view mirror at the top of the screen, so you’re always aware of what else is happening in the race. The map’s support this by giving the player multiple routes to get to the finish line, and therefore you can make dramatic choices as to which cars you want to hunt, avoid, or beat. Although under no circumstance do you have to choose what’s right and wrong, your morality is tested through endurance. Do you take out that annoying 12 year old in front? Or you do you let him drive off, because he has a fireball and he’s preparing to get you?

Obviously the game will get so much better as it is worked on, and obviously this is required. Some elements in the beta cause cars to stack up in an odd fashion, and i’m not too keen on the car choosing system. If games were perfect in the beta, however, driving games such as Drift and Dirt wouldn’t be what they are today. I give the big, bold Blur Beta a good 4 stars out of 5. Join me on my XBL tag: Mortiraze – Perhaps we can have a spot of racing! Happy drifting gamers!

[starreview tpl=16]