ONRUSH Review

If you own a PlayStation 4, you probably played Driveclub when it debuted on the platform or one of the 3 Motorstorm games on the PS3. Unfortunately, the developer of those titles, Evolution Studios, was shut down by PlayStation in 2016. It was a sad time as I particularly enjoyed those titles for what they were. A little over a month later, Codemasters announced that it had acquired the former PlayStation studio, and they were back in business. I had always been more of a fan of Motorstorm than I was of Driveclub, as I like arcade racers more than simulation racers. That’s why I was so excited to hear that this team was developing a brand-new IP called ONRUSH.

A New Type of Racing Game

ONRUSH has been described as a racing game by many outlets since its introduction to the public, but labeling it as such overlooks its unique qualities. Yes, you are going around a track in two and four-wheeled vehicles, but there are no finish lines or checkered flags. It’s a hybrid of styles we haven’t seen before in a driving game. The developers were influenced by popular franchises such as Burnout, their own MotorStorm, and even Overwatch’s class system. Despite these apparent influences, Codemasters has created something unique and fun.

Team-Based Racing

At its heart, ONRUSH is a vehicular combat game where you’re traveling around a track in a team of six, working to take down opponents and accomplish different goals depending on what game mode you’re playing. Overdrive is the staple of the game. This mode features two teams of six competing in eight different vehicle classes. You can gain the victory by getting your team to 10000 points. You earn points by chaining together boost multipliers. This is accomplished by taking out weak fodder vehicles, wrecking opponents, hitting jumps, performing tricks (if you’re on a bike), and other vehicle-specific actions. After you’ve depleted enough boost, your Rush Meter hits 100%, and you can unleash your Rush ability that shoots you forward and gives you a bonus ability tied to your vehicle class.

Race Types

The rest of the game modes included in the game are pretty straightforward but equally enjoyable. The first one is Countdown, where you must race through gates to add time to your team’s constantly counting down meter. The first team to deplete their countdown loses. It’s frantic action as you’re trying to race through the gates and keep your opponent away from them. Lockdown is next, and this is a simple King of the Hill mode where your team has to hold an area for 5 seconds. This is harder than it seems, as the area constantly moves, and the other team is trying to knock you out. The last game mode to talk about is Switch. This is a survival game mode where you can only switch vehicles a limited number of times. The goal is to eliminate the opposing team before they eliminate your team. I love the variety of game modes, and I feel there’s something here for everyone.

Gameplay

One of the things I love most about ONRUSH is how it keeps everybody in the pack together at all times. It’s impossible to fall behind the pack, as the game will shoot you back into it if you get too far away. This keeps a level playing field between novice and veteran racers alike. Usually, I’m not too fond of this type of feature, but it works in a game with no real finish line. Controlling your car is as simple. You need only a few buttons to control your car, such as the boost and rush buttons. Each vehicle feels slightly different, with a wide range of shapes, sizes, and types. The smaller cars are easier to take out, while the bigger ones are more formidable foes. The cool thing to me was that you’re given a good amount of control in the air, which allows you to exert some downward force and crush an opponent driving under you.

Cars & Abilities

The size of the car isn’t the only thing that sets each vehicle apart. That’s probably the slightest difference. Each car has different roles and abilities that make it fun to play. Dynamo is used in a support role. It can drop boost packs and use its Rush to give an extra boost to teammates in close proximity to extend their multipliers. A vehicle like Blade, a motorcycle, is good for Countdown because it leaves a fire trail behind it during its Rush ability and is agile enough to hit the gates quickly and easily. Other vehicles shield your teammates, improve your in-air magnetism, or drain your opponent’s boost. There’s a lot of strategy involved in choosing your vehicle; selecting the wrong one can mean a loss for your team.

Campaign

The primary mode I played was the single-player campaign, which awards you stars for challenges and winning game modes. It teaches you a great deal about the game and how each vehicle class is beneficial in different situations. Everything is explained in great detail, with videos for each vehicle and each game mode. I had a lot of fun with this single-player mode, and it’ll take you quite a while to complete it, but the bread and butter of this game is when you take it online to play with friends.

Online

One of the great things about ONRUSH is that you can be tactical with this game without ever having to say a word. Tons of visual cues allow you to create a game plan on the fly with anybody on your team. Using your class abilities with other people online can make your squad dominant in a hurry if everybody is on the same page. Conversely, you can have a difficult time if your team doesn’t use their abilities to their full extent. The good thing is that the game is easy to pick up and play, so everyone seems to understand their role.

Loot Boxes

There are loot boxes in this game. This is a deal breaker for many people, but it shouldn’t be here. There are no microtransactions. You simply obtain a new loot box every time you level up. Each box you open gives you three different items. These items can be anything from paint jobs, gear, tombstone emojis you leave after you die, or avatars. It’s an excellent way to give you some new cosmetic items while making you earn them.

Presentation

The presentation in ONRUSH is top-notch. I was impressed with the visuals that pop up no matter which of the 12 tracks I’m driving on. There are so many colorful landscapes with incredible atmospheres and beautiful lighting. There were many random settings like forests, a dam, the Northern Lights, and more. On top of the visuals, I thought the audio in this game was some of the best I’ve ever heard. The music was very up-tempo and got me excited to play the game. It sounded fantastic in 7.1 surround sound and effectively utilized every speaker. You could hear every crunch and crash, and it felt like I was in the thick of it.

Final Thoughts

ONRUSH is among the most interesting new driving games to hit the market in years. I had a great time trying to take out the other team in this game’s different game modes. Codemasters has once again proven why they are one of the best racing/driving game developers on the planet with an innovative new take on car combat that I’ll keep returning to for a long time.