An intense romp

Infliction: Extended Cut
Sony PlayStation 4
TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge
Sony PlayStation 4
Touring Karts
PlayStation VR

Infliction: Extended Cut is an horror title from independent developer Caustic Reality that’s not afraid to show its sources of inspiration. From its dark, depressing setting to its grim tale of family disputes, alcoholism, and abuse, there isn’t much new in the grounds that Infliction covers. That said, the paths it treads wind up worth taking, even if they do get a bit rocky from time to time. In this regard, it’s thankfully propelled by its competent defense of the argument that pain is felt in far worse ways when coming from loved ones as opposed to total strangers.

In Infliction: Extended Cut, players follow the story of a husband needing to return to his home to find a plane ticket his wife left behind. The setup is perfect, allowing gamers to become acquainted with the typical-’80s setting, not to mention the immensely interactive interface. What initially starts as a mundane trek through a dimly illuminated home turns into something far more sinister, as the setting warps into something that’s not quite right. Lights flicker on and off, whispers echo in the shadows, and movements appear stalked amid rattling in the darkness.

Clearly, Infliction: Extended Cut is at its best when it wraps gamers up in frightful anticipation. Its premise might not be revolutionary, but its intense atmosphere, introduced in its excellent opening parts, holds up well. The lived-in feeling the house gives off adds a familiar sense of horror to it as it is slowly unwrapped in distorted fashion, and the art and environmental story pieces found along the way can be unsettling. Even better, its sound design is top-notch, and the oppressive silence it uses, when punctuated by ghastly moans or tearful audio recordings, can be unnerving.

Make no mistake. Infliction: Extended Cut is far from flawless. It shows its indie roots on occasion, particularly in the death cuts it winds up repeating. And as if to add insult to injury, these are unskippable, invariably serving as transitions from one set of objectives to another. Whereas the animations hold interest at first, they do wear out their welcome soon enough; the novelty has most definitely worn off by the third or fourth instance they’re repeated. Gamers can stand to watch the same spirit rip out their heart only so many times before the moment loses shock value and instead becomes a source of irritation.

Another big issue is in how Infliction: Extended Cut presents itself as a series of glorified fetch quests, if nothing else an unnatural design decision in the face of its haunting atmosphere. Instead of letting gamers explore the house freely and taking in its oppressive air, it pushes them ever forward, encouraging them to rush ahead and, in the process, rendering immaterial much of the tension it hitherto built with care. Which is just too bad, because its best moments are when it’s most quiet, when it envelops itself in darkness and places the unknown just out of reach.

Infliction: Extended Cut ends up being a mixed bag. Its opening sequences are strong, but instead of building momentum and ramping up in intensity from then on, it eases up on the tension. Still and all, it provides more hits than misses. For all its stumbles, it succeeds in ingraining itself as an intense romp through a haunted homestead. In the final analysis, it proves its worth; it may not deliver the brand of horror with the consistency veterans of the genre expect, but it nonetheless manages to leave most other gamers with cold sweats they’re not likely to get over anytime soon.

THE GOOD:

Decent title from a one-man operation

Sterling atmosphere and sound design

Interesting set pieces that provide the backdrop for decent scares

THE BAD:

Fairly short experience overall

Haunting look and feel conflict heavily with progression mechanics

Relies on fairly repetitive moments that feel more like padding than progress

RATING: 7.5/10

POSTSCRIPT: The Isle of Man TT has rightly been counted among the most dangerous races in the world. As an annual spectacle, it has no peer; held at the Snaefell Mountain Course, some 60 kilometers of public roads closed by an Act of Tynwald precisely for the purpose, it’s a set of time trials across race classes that dares to push the boundaries of how fast man can go in a motorcycle. It has been around since 1907, and, notwithstanding all the deaths that have occurred over time, it figures to continue for the foreseeable future. Not this year, though, and with reason; quarantine and social distancing measures aimed at containing the new coronavirus pandemic have led to the cancellation of its 2020 staging originally scheduled in late May and running through the middle of June.

In this regard, adrenaline junkies looking for a suitable alternative can do worse than turn to TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge. The PS4 offering from Paris, France-based Kylotonn Entertainment certainly tries to stay faithful to its real-life version, with 25 riders and 38 machines on tap to recreate the experience of negotiating all 264 bends of the course. The rendition is painstakingly done on a 1:1 scale, and gamers are required to go through the entire length, over 20 minutes or so, at speeds of up to 320 kilometers per hour, for the race proper.

The good news is that TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge’s controls are intuitive and easy to master. The bad news is that the course itself isn’t. Practice sessions (make that lots of practice sessions) are required, during which chunks of the layout can be memorized — first for survival, and then for success. As an aside, it boasts of a Career Mode that has gamers entering fictional races across the United Kingdom. The purpose is clear: repetition breeds familiarity and, hopefully, intuition, particularly with the interface and mechanics. In this regard, it doesn’t help that the artificial intelligence barely provides incentive; it’s either easily beaten as an opponent or infallible, and thus proves lacking or frustrating, or both, as an appetizer to the main dish. Indeed, multiplayer online races are where the meat can be found.

All told, the value of TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge depends on gamer preferences. If the intent is to experience the iconic race short of actually being in the British Dependency, then it’s a steal at $59.99. Casual gamers on the lookout for a quick arcade run would do well to look elsewhere, however. It’s not for the faint of heart or for those with short attention spans. It’s akin to a hothouse flower that asks for much with the promise of more. Invest time in it, and it will deliver. Benefits by way of extreme eye candy abound, from the starting line at TT Grandstand on Glencrutchery Road, along such villages as Braddan and Greeba, through countryside glens, to the highest point 422 meters above sea level, and then descending to the residential outskirts of Douglas for the finish.

THE GOOD:

A faithful recreation of the famed Snaefell Mountain Course

Excellent audio-visual presentation

Poetry in motion

THE BAD:

Extremely difficult to get the hang of, let alone master

AI is either very easy or very hard to beat

RATING: 7.5/10

THE LAST WORD: Touring Karts, from developer Ivanovich Games based out of Barcelona, Spain, tries to fill a void on the PlayStation VR. While seemingly absent competition as just the second kart racing game to be offered for the headset, it aims to please all the same. No less than 22 tracks and 30 fully customizable vehicles are on offer, with clearly defined objectives bent on moving the proceedings along at a heady pace. The animated look and humorous take on developments complement the simple, if engrossing, gameplay.

As with any other PS VR title, Touring Karts delivers much of the enjoyment in the way it presents the competition. Handling is quick and responsive regardless of choice of apparatus, and the visuals and sounds prove appropriately immersive. Up to eight players online can race, with nary any discernible lags. Meanwhile, all the little touches are appreciated; from busy backgrounds to obviously trivial but nonetheless fun options on tap, it aims to go the extra mile. The intent is to win, of course, but the extra effort in making the journey worthwhile becomes crucial to highlighting the destination.

There are certainly better racers in the market. But VR racers? Touring Karts takes the cake. It’s right at the $19.99 sweet spot for wacky combinations of power-ups and non-stop action. And trophy hunters will be glad to note that it’s generous in its supply of easily attainable achievements — in other words, exactly what is needed by way of incentive to stay home in the time of COVID-19.

THE GOOD:

Various VR and non-VR gameplay alternatives on tap

Superb handling

Excellent customization options

Online matches across platforms easy to set up

THE BAD:

Evident lack of visual sharpness

Audio mix could be better

Best taken in spurts

RATING: 7.5/10