Redout 2 review – The TRUE WipEout & F-Zero successor?

In my in-depth Redout 2 review, I try (and sometimes fail) to tame the absurd speeds of this F-Zero-esque anti-grav racer from 34BigGames.

They say nostalgia is a powerful drug and yet there has to be more reason why many of us gravitate towards older games. Pioneering titles that kept us hopelessly hooked despite being limited to a mere fraction of today’s processing capabilities.

Note: This is the script from my YouTube video, just in case you would prefer to read it. Click play above to watch or click here.

Looking to take you back to a time of iconic space-age racers such as WipEout, F-Zero, Star Wars Episode 1: Racer and a lesser-known gem on the OG Xbox called Quantum Redshift, we have Redout 2 from Italian independent developer 34BigGames and published by Saber Interactive of SnowRunner fame.

Basically, Redout 2 is an anti-gravity racer set in a future where Tron, speed and the Pantone colour chart have had a baby that can move as fast as Sonic the Hedgehog.

However, in the future it seems there are current-day touches such as cherry blossom trees, snow-capped mountains and Egyptian statues, all strewn across each of the 10 locations to make things more relatable.

As with most racing games, the aim is to come first – whether that is in terms of your lap time, against opponents or your score. The better you do, the more medals you get. The more medals you get, the faster you can unlock upgrades and progress to the big leagues.

Now before I delve into the nitty gritty, Redout 2 is available on PC via the Steam and Epic Game stores, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Series X, Series S and, at a later unconfirmed date, Nintendo Switch.

Redout 2 review: The basics

Now just like its predecessor and F-Zero, Redout 2 (and its predecessor from 2016) is weaponless. This means speed is everything – no cheeky long-range spiny shell tactics here. And by speed I mean hundreds of miles an hour, blink and you miss it, horizon-catching haste. Where reactions, timing and commitment are everything.

Though I do enjoy the wider gameplay opportunities and pretty explosions afforded by weapons, Redout 2 has a nifty control system that, once used to, is as satisfying. The issue is much like that of a real pilot – there is a lot to worry about simultaneously.

The left joystick steers each of the 12 hoverships on offer, while the right joystick strafes you left and right and also controls pitch. Pointing down for a steep descent is not just faster – sometimes it is the only way to stop yourself from going into orbit. The screen gets all angry during these moments.

Then there is the air brake, which helps you get round tighter corners, although the use of both joysticks can be enough. The system is reminiscent of Pacer from 2020 albeit with more of a feeling that you can avoid smacking into the barriers.

Complicating matters further are the two boost systems. Hyperboost recharges slowly, takes a second to kick in and can cause damage yet is especially speedy. The other boost is instant-on and off and can also cause damage to your hovership during prolonged use.

To be competitive you absolutely need to master both – especially as an early speed tutorial requires it. Combining both blur-inducers can give you a big lead. Overdo it though and you will be picking bits of spaceship off the track for days.

What about things to do?

In terms of things to do in Redout 2, well, there is an arcade mode, online multiplayer for up to 12 players and a career mode with more than 250 events. Completing each one earns you up to four stars.

You can get three stars from first place, two from second, one from third and nothing below that. Plus one bonus star for completing a certain challenge such as crossing the line beyond a certain speed or finish a certain distance ahead of your opponents.

With a whopping 1,439 stars to earn across five leagues, ranging from entry-level Trials to the top-flight SRRL Invitational, and 36 unique racetracks (all available in reverse for a total of 72 layouts), you can see that Redout 2 is positively intergalactic in its size.

And that ignores the fact there is a Season Challenge, which is ‘coming soon’ at the time of making this review, and something called Community. Not the TV show with Alison Brie.

Sometimes you get competitions with multiple events within them such as boss fights, arena and time attack but the premise of being fastest rarely changes. Truth be told, a hint of repetition does appear sometimes but nothing too drastic.

Can I customise my hovership?

Further adding depth to Redout 2 are the hoverships themselves. Each of the 12 base ships can be equipped with parts to improve their durability, stability, steer, strafe, thrust and top speed. In doing so, you can take on earlier challenges with greater ease and compete in tougher events.

With that said, there is a points system for performance so you cannot simply slap on all the best gear and expect them to let you in. Nor can you compete in higher leagues with some go-faster stripes and a bad spoiler sellotaped to the back.

It is also very much possible to tweak the way your trusty space-age steed looks. A spoiler, jet engine, auxiliary, power unit, flaps, power cells and tip let you add that personal touch.

Especially as there are more than 50 liveries to unlock and not that many fewer paintjobs – all pretty varied in style. Suffice to say, you can make some bad-ass looking hoverships if you put the time into unlocking things.

Ship parts and aesthetic upgrades are not the only things you unlock along your galactic journey, there are also extra trials such as ship power, advanced boosting and rewind. Useful things to know because this game rarely goes easy on you, and also you are given some good upgrades.

Redout 2: More difficult than Redout 1?

Yes, like Redout 1 the difficulty level is steep. The speeds are higher than most games and the track widths thin, meaning in the early days it will feel like a pinball simulator (though less than in Redout 1). Brushing the edge makes you lose speed, which leads to the AI vanishing into the distance.

Then there is the fact the lowest difficulty level, ‘chill’, is actually not especially chill for a newbie. And the default one above is pretty similar. Go beyond that and, well, the margin of error is dangerously slim. Plus there can be some random spikes in AI pace from time to time.

Fortunately Redout 2 is pretty generous on the assisted controls front. So if you are finding it all too much, crank up the assistance on a particular element such as pitch, strafe and steer.

Or if you want maximum control of your anti-grav-mobile, disable it all. Just don’t come running to me when you crash. Constantly.

Assists or not, another layer of difficulty comes from the circuits themselves. The lava-riddled mines, for instance, sometimes take the outside barrier away or task you with obscenely large jumps where you basically need to land on a postage stamp.

That is not so easy if new to the circuit, have taken a slightly bad line because you were doing 900mph or cannot see the landing because of the close-up third-person view – one of three available.

Circuit challenges

Other more subtle challenges present themselves such as your engines overheating when near lava or reduced grip on ice, which makes little sense when hovering above it but anyway. Underwater, meanwhile, keeps your boosters cooler so you can use them for longer.

The difference in how your anti-grav machine feels in these moments does not differ much, but it is enough to add depth and variation to the racing.

You also have to use the D-pad or equivalent to rotate your ship to land at the right angle, emphasizing the fact that having the brain of a jet pilot can be beneficial. There is just so much going on and so fast.

At least Redout 2 is not entirely unfair as, bar in some events such as time trial, there is a rewind feature. Press B on Xbox or equivalent and you can rewind time to a place before things went pear shaped.

The time you can go back is generous and therefore helps reduce frustration. It is odd, then, that the game stays quiet about its existence for as long as it does.

So is Redout 2 worth the money?

Now it is no secret that there are a few racers of this type in existence, including the aforementioned Pacer and some other projects. However, Redout 2 feels more balanced, more complete and there is more to keep you hooked.

Honestly, a combination of the ship unlocks, the slow acquisition of parts, livery customisation, purity of racing and mostly splendid track design keeps you hooked.

Your attempt to do a lap without scraping the paintwork may seem insurmountable and yet with effort you really do notice a piloting improvement. And that proves immensely satisfying, especially as the superior yellow and purple upgrades help level the playing field.

That and the fact Redout 2, though visually busy, is such a pleasure to blast through. Going underwater in the Mariana Trench, jumping past spooky ash statues and watching beautiful trees pass you by – it is clear the devs worked hard on the aesthetics.

I can only imagine that this game in VR would dominate all senses. Including your ears as there are some decent beats that, sadly, I cannot play for copyright reasons.

As for general performance, my PC specs listed (see here) had little trouble running a steady 60 frames per second at 4K. I dropped shadows and anti-aliasing a bit for some of the busier scenes due to recording 4K at the same time.

What about the negatives?

One negative I noticed is that I was unable to join an online game using the unranked multiplayer option. It kept searching for ten minutes before I gave up. Hopefully when ranked unlocks I will have better luck as online racing would add a great deal of entertainment and longevity.

There is also the current issue of speed races. The faster you go, the more points you get per second. Except despite a lot of effort it is easy to struggle to even get bronze, making you feel like you do not know how to play the game and it can really hamper your progress.

Excessive speed in short bursts as opposed to a good average seems to be the answer, but this is never really explained and most players will find the time investment to succeed too much. A reduction in difficulty or the easier acquisition of points would go a long way.

Ultimately, succumb to the lightning-fast racing and Redout 2 can keep you busy for an eternity. The steep learning curve and slow progress may not be everyone’s cup of futuristic Earl Grey, but there is a surprisingly deep and refreshingly nostalgic experience to be had.

And that is it for this video, thank you for watching. Let me know what you think of Redout 2 in the YouTube video comments.