ONRUSH is the newest game from the Codemaster’s stable and it’s from the minds of the former Evolution Studios devs. It is an unconventional racer, in that 12 human players don’t race point-to-point but instead are put into teams of 6 vs 6 and compete in a number of events with an addition of 12 AI players, giving a total of 24 racers in each race.
Although ONRUSH is a multiplayer focused game, there is a singleplayer campaign of sorts, which pits you against 23 AI racers, but can be played in online co-op mode too. There are twelve tracks, four game modes and eight vehicles to choose from. Tracks are a mix of beachheads, industrial areas, snow-covered mountain tops and forest locations. Each has their own style, several traversable routes and can be drastically different to drive on depending if it’s day, night, raining or snowing. Each variation affects your vehicle handling and track vision.
Rolling With The Stampede
ONRUSH encourages you to go fast at all times and cause as much destruction to the other team as possible.To help you do this, there are a total of 24 cars on the track at any one time. The rolling mass of high-speed metal, is a mix of 12 easily tackled feeder cars and bikes, which will give a speed boost when attacked. The other cars are made up of real life players, which are tougher and depending on their choice of vehicle, you could take them down with a well placed shunt or get demolished by an attacking opponent.
If you get taken out, you will be teleported into the middle of pack, allowing you to get straight back into the action. If you fall behind, you will again be teleported back into the middle of the pack. This is not about taking the fastest racing or being ahead of everyone. Fun is had when you are wheel to wheel with other vehicles, taking them down, running them off the track or crushing the from above.
A Touch Of Class
Another way ONRUSH is different to other racers, comes in the form of the small, but diverse set of cars. There are four types of vehicles, with bikes, cars, buggies and trucks, each with two variants. These are akin to classes in your traditional FPS, as all come with a specific job that can benefit your team or hinder the opposition. There are a number of pros and cons to each vehicle. The Blade is a motorbike class. They are small and nimble, but can get taken out by the bigger opponents, while one of the pros comes in the form of their RUSH attack. Blades leave a trail of fire and destruction behind you, destroying your opponents in an instant.
Another example is with the Dynamo, who’s RUSH acts as a supply class and supplies nearby teammates with added boost for a limited time. RUSH mode is earned by filling your boost meter over a period of time. Earn boost by taking jumps, pulling off stunts and taking out opponents.
A good team has a mix of vehicles and knows the ideal time to unleash their RUSH to take out enemies and win the mode. Vehicles (along with your character) can be customised with unlockable skins, moves and stunts from loot boxes. These are won by playing more races and leveling up your profile. There are currently no pay-to-win options or paid loot boxes and are easily obtained after completing several races.
Game Modes
There are 4 game modes currently for ONRUSH. Some are based on traditional racing modes and some can be likened to those from a shooter.
Overdrive
Is a pure ‘Boost to Win’ onslaught until the very end. Get boost any way you can, as quickly as possible and burn it up even quicker. You gain boost by performing tricks, destroying vehicles or avoiding crashing yourself. Each round can be swung with a simple use of the boost mechanic, as it will give bonus points. The more boost you earn in a race will eventually accumulate into a RUSH mode, which is a vehicle specific super attack. RUSH mode can be used in all game modes, but in Overdrive, RUSH multiples your points total, allowing you to win a round faster.
Countdown
This a timed race through gates against a decreasing clock. Hitting the gates will add precious seconds to your teams time, keeping you in the game. Winning this event needs team participation, as the more team cars that hit time gates, the more likely your team will win. Causing your opponents to miss gates, allows your team to get ahead. The gates are randomly generated, so they may not follow an ideal racing line.
Lockdown
Similar to a king of the hill mode, a moving target area appears on the map. You and your team are tasked to take control of this target. If you are the majority holder of the target, you win the round. Once you win the round limit, you win the mode.
Switch
This mode is like a game of last man standing. Everyone starts on bikes and have three lives or “SWITCHES”. You are initially tasked with surviving as long as possible. When you get eliminated from one vehicle class, you move up the next heavier class until you lose all three switches. Then you are tasked to eliminating the opposition. The first team to lose all of their switches, loses.
Make Some Noise
ONRUSH has a booming soundtrack with a mix of rock, electronica, drum & bass and jazz. Unlike other soundtracks, it does not play track after track. Instead, depending on the situation in the race, the soundtrack will pick up tempo and slow down in the less chaotic parts. Tracks will be remixed with engine sounds and other tracks, to make an awesome soundtrack.
Worth Another Lap?
So is ONRUSH is something to check out? For sure it is. Giving a fresh take on the racing genre, it has turned the traditional rules of racing on its head. The action is fun and the visuals are sleek. This arcade racer is full of nail-biting twists, especially with the element of teamwork changing each race. Depending on your vehicle choice and how your team handles your opponents, wins aren’t always guaranteed, as smart racing and co-operation can turn any game mode incoming loss into a last second win. You’ll easily find yourself playing “one more game”, as you see the hours pass by.
ONRUSH is available for PS4 and Xbox One right now.
