On occasion, a game can seize your attention in an unexpected way, revealing itself as something you’ve been unknowingly longing for. The upcoming PS5 racing game, Screamer, developed by the hardworking Italian studio Milestone and inspired by anime, is precisely that kind of game.
This game is a follow-up to an iconic PC arcade racer from 1995, known for pushing the boundaries of high-end graphics cards at that time. With arcade racers becoming increasingly difficult to market in 2025, due to their declining popularity, the developers have had to come up with innovative ideas to stand out.

The outcome is an energetic and distinct racing game, blending elements from Street Fighter and Ridge Racer, offering one of our most engaging hands-on sessions ever experienced privately at Gamescom. Upon meeting the team that day, we expressed our belief that they are creating something extraordinary.
The fundamental principles consist of a story-driven approach, an art style reminiscent of anime, and a distinctive gaming mechanism. Although we haven’t delved into the plot yet, it’s clear that the latter two elements will undoubtedly make this game noticeable.
In this game, you’ll find a racetrack-focused experience, meaning it lacks an open world environment compared to titles such as The Crew Motorfest and Forza Horizon 5 on the PS5, making it distinct from them.
Indeed, what truly stands out is the gameplay: you manipulate the right joystick to drift, giving you control over the exact angle of your slide. You can also fine-tune your position on the road using the left joystick. As you progress, you’ll need to factor in braking as well, introducing an exhilarating challenge that widens the skill gap.
The mechanics involve more than just basic operations. There’s an engaging gear shift mechanism, reminiscent of the active reload in Gears of War, where you need to perform quick taps on the gear shifts as your rev meter hits its maximum. Perfect timing for these taps rewards you with a boost.
As a gamer, I’d say: “My power bar is divided into a series of squares. Once I fill it up, I can trade it for a speed burst! Each time I use the boost, I fill a different meter that can be saved for either a defensive shield or an aggressive ram attack. With this ram attack, I can knock out my opponents!
In this uniquely designed racer, a thrilling battle of pull and resistance unfolds: rapidly fill your boost meter for quick speed surges and simultaneously strengthen your defensive and offensive assets. Resource management takes on paramount importance when leading, as your tactics shift from offense to defense. This game offers an impressively balanced system of risk and reward.
In this setup, an ultra boost feature provides an exhilarating experience as it allows you to reach astonishing velocities, significantly outpacing competitors. Yet, be cautious; colliding with an obstacle or another competitor while in this enhanced mode could lead to a self-inflicted knockout, potentially erasing all your accumulated efforts.
The tracks themselves are truly amazing: one transports you into a bustling Tokyo-esque metropolis illuminated by neon lights, featuring enormous advertisements and towering skyscrapers. Other tracks offer a grittier feel, like a busy seaport.
Initially, we had apprehensions that the early trailers lacked a distinctive style. However, this most recent version seems notably anime-like to us. Although we might prefer the visual style to be even more reminiscent of the 90s, as the current look is somewhat cleaner than we’d prefer for better embodiment of its 90s influences.
We also appreciate the character portraits, despite their designs being somewhat typical. Each character owns a distinctive vehicle, and Milestone ensures that these vehicles follow real-world rules while being purely fictional. The specific type of car you see in action will give away if it’s using a V8 engine, as they leverage their understanding of simulations to make this fantastical racing world feel more grounded.
As I started playing, it took me a little while to grasp the game’s direction, but once I did, I found myself utterly captivated by it. The developer mentioned that the mechanics would be gradually introduced as the story unfolds, which made me feel like I was diving headfirst into the deep end. However, even at this early stage, it’s clear that with careful balance, this game has the potential to become an intensely competitive online experience.
Given the scarcity of arcade-style racing games available today, it’s definitely worth checking out due to its innovative and fresh mechanics, which are not only unique but also appear to be intelligently and meticulously crafted.
In simpler terms, it seems the team exhibited strong confidence in their game, and we believe this self-assurance is justified. However, there are concerns about the single-player storyline’s level of engagement and interest. Yet, the core racing gameplay, based on our playtime, is outstanding. We recommend adding this game to your wishlist.
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2025-08-26 22:07