Powerdrome is a fun futuristic racer with a great premise, marred by very bad mouse-based controls. Guide your sleek new racing machine round one of half a dozen tracks on different planets, overtaking experienced competitors by flying to the left, right or even over and under them, while staying within the walls of the track. The vehicles are finely tunable to suit your driving taste and the different tracks' styles. A variable amount of self-centring can be chosen at the expense of speed to aid you in getting round the corners. Different filters for different atmospheres which may need changing in the event of a storm. Steering left and right isn't so bad, but the craft has a tendency to pitch like a toy boat in a thunderstorm. The mouse control is not at all smooth, and you can easily spend the whole lap bouncing between floor and ceiling like a demented dolphin. Overall, the game looks good, graphics are smooth and fast, but the controls make this game just too damn hard to master. Especially to keep the right height at high speeds is nearly impossible. Those with the patience to learn the game will be rewarded with a fine racing experience, but don't even try unless you consider yourself an expert at this type of game. For a more accessible game, try Power Drift or Purple Saturn Day instead. Reviewed by: Underdogs |