Nothing can bring us down. We’re rapidly climbing the ranks until we can qualify for the Grand Prix. Onward and upward!
Though I find myself enjoying how aggressive and offensive Jak X is as a racing game, I do think there are a few issues with how aggressive it is that could put people off, and they’re worth mentioning.
While the emphasis on offensive weapons means that players falling behind always have a means of catching up, the reverse is that if they’re ahead, there’s a good chance they could be taken out and thrown behind without due recourse. The most obvious example of this is the ratio of front-facing to rear-facing weapons. In theory, if we have a rear weapon, we can always use it to deflect a missile coming at us. In practice, missiles always come in sets of two, while rear weapons like mines always come in sets of one. That means that it’s usually impossible to fully deflect a volley, and you’ll always at least take a few hits.
Additionally, most games of this nature, like Crash Team Racing, have systems in place to prevent AI-controlled racers from gaining access to the Blue Shell equivalent, the Peace Maker in this game. In the hands of a player, this weapon means that there’s always a chance they’ll be able to hit the person in front to take the lead. But when the AI has access to it, especially at the frequency we’re seeing it here in Jak X, it often means if the player takes first, they’re likely to immediately be taken out without almost no possible counterplay to stop it.
Even though I personally haven’t gotten frustrated by this yet, I see an alternate reality in which I am. And to people who do have that frustration while playing Jak X, I want you to know that I see and acknowledge you.
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