Ulasan Synthwave Dream ‘85 (PC)

Over-saturated blemishes of neon blue and pink; semi-“futuristic” vehicle components of an almost otherworldly design; and a televisi set, no larger than a hand-me-down microwave, illuminating the blurred lines between a timeless aesthetic and a lovingly crafted letter to the eighties and all its periodic embellishments. Suffice it to say that, as far as otentik tributes to the vibrancy of the time period go, Synthwave Dream ‘85 has its greatest interests nested in capturing the beating heart of the symbolic era. It doesn’t do everything right, nor does it hold a candle against most, if not all modern racing games that we have by the abundance. But it does, however, remind us that the golden age of eighties gaming was never perfect, to begin with. And it tells us that, so long as the composition is befitting of a believable time piece, amounting to perfection is a meaningless exercise.

Synthwave Dream ‘85 doesn’t strive to dethrone the likes of Forza or Gran Turismo from the podium; in fact, at no point does it dare attempt to undercut its opponents by installing shamelessly cheap emulations or on-the-nose jabs targeted at its adversaries’ faithful cores. Instead, Synthwave Dream ‘85 makes a ballsy decision to remove the complexity of the mechanics and lavish flair of a traditional open-world circuit, and substitute its chances of successfully replicating an award-winning jewel with a simpler, albeit time-appropriate racing-drifting hybrid game that is highly reminiscent of your typical arcade classic, warts and all. As I said, it doesn’t get everything right, but it certainly hits the nail on the head for the most authentic synth-like retro racing game in recent times. And that counts for a lot, truly.

Disiram Neon

While Synthwave Dream ‘85 isn’t about to score any major league points for its invitational circuits, much less its take on its chosen drifting mechanics, it is, on the other hand, bound to swivel a few heads — not for its lack of technical innovations, but for its rich and beautifully executed world design that’s befitting of an eighties period drama. It isn’t an open-world game, but it is a game that makes every possible effort to instill a sense of nostalgia in those who actively choose to carve through the smooth asphalt-heavy terrains of its short but memorable exhibition series. In other words, it establishes its target audience—retro fans and eighties fanatics alike—and it unveils its time capsule to invoke a certain kind of fodder.

The game itself consists of a procedurally generated world, with its primary course offering its own distinct set of corners, colors, and traversable obstacles. To cut a long story short, you have a rather simple task to accomplish before getting behind the wheel: navigate the corners by drifting—a mechanic that is essentially described as “easy and fun”—and earn points on the leaderboard to exchange for better vehicles and perks. The track, which gradually transforms as you glide through the streets, coughs up more points based on how you tackle the corners. And to put it simply, the better you perform on a track, the more points you can accrue, thus increasing your chances of obtaining even more credits to pour into your livery.

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Although the drifting mechanics are indeed described as “easy” to execute, that isn’t to say that the act of getting a foot on the ladder isn’t a strenuous task. As with most competitive games that foster a leaderboard of some sort, there is a bit of a learning curve to it. What’s more, as the circuit itself only dishes out a small amount of credits for each and every corner that you successfully maneuver, it also means that you have to accumulate a ludicrously high amount of points in order to progress further into the game and unlock different vehicles. Not a deal breaker by any stretch, but it is something that is worth bringing to the table, nonetheless.

With all of the above said, Synthwave Dream ‘85 gives just as much as it takes, with its thematically intoxicating art style and nostalgic touch attributing its overall design. Granted, it won’t appeal to the wider spectrum of gamers, much less those who’d soon rather get behind the wheel of a GT Continental than a Lamborghini Jalpa. That said, if you’re the sort of fanatic who would willingly exchange the full horse power of a modern-day trail blazer for a classier ride in a timeless vessel, then it’s highly likely that you’ll get a kick out of slipping, sliding, and burning rubber in this dated but awfully faithful ode to vintage-style racing.

Putusan

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Synthwave Dream ‘85 lacks the instrumental embellishments of a modern-day racing game. But quite frankly, it doesn’t really matter, as it makes it abundantly apparent right from the beginning that, in spite of its best efforts to fan the flames of its chosen genre, prestige is not a milestone that it wishes to achieve. This isn’t a solid contender for the apex of innovative design; it’s a time capsule for the collectors, the racers and the like-minded retro enthusiasts. And honestly, it doesn’t need to be anything more than that.

While the drifting mechanics can be a little tricky to master, the actual process of learning the corners and conquering the tracks is a tremendous amount of fun. Could the game as a whole do with a few more circuits to really push the boundaries? Absolutely — and an easier, more forgiving method for acquiring credits to purchase better vehicles wouldn’t be a bad addition, either. That said, for what it does boast in its current state, I have to say that Synthwave Dream ‘85 does manage to capture a surprisingly exhilarating racing experience. Is that enough of an incentive to coerce you into slipping behind the wheel for a spin on the track? You tell me, though for the generously low asking price, I’d say that there’s more than enough here to warrant your time and appreciation.