Monster Racing League – Steam Review

Overview – developed and published by Flightless Limited, Monster Racing League is a unique racing title where the cars drive themselves, but the players control boosts and attacks. Take on players all over the world in chaotic multiplayer races, blowing up opponents, collecting points and unlocking new monsters to customise. This title is available exclusively for the Steam platform, with a link to the game available at the bottom of this review.

Disclaimer: before I get into the review, I would like to thank Flightless Limited for providing the copy of Monster Racing League used for this piece, via the Keymailer service. The provision of this software has not influenced the contents of this review, all thoughts and opinions contained within are my own.

Now with the introductions out of the way, let’s get into the review. There is no story to this title, so I will be skipping that segment and moving straight into discussing the gameplay.

Gameplay – Monster Racing League can be best described as an auto racer with combat. This is due to the unique gameplay mechanics, where the player doesn’t drive the car, but controls the monster driver abilities and speed boosts. The cars will automatically follow a preset track, jostling with other racers and the player is able to use abilities to try and knock them back, blow them up and overtake them. But be careful as the abilities need to be charged up.

Abilities aren’t the only way that players can get ahead in races however, as there is a boost system that lets players charge up Nitro to blast ahead. The nitro starts off full at the start of the race, letting all competitors blast off when the flag is dropped, but this can run out quick. But there are ways to refill this speed boost and take pole position, with extra boost given for hitting opponents with abilities and by hitting boost pads.

Then there are the alternate routes for the tracks. In most of the race courses, the player is able to go off the beaten track, exploring alternate paths that can give them a chance to get ahead. These secondary routes can be pressing the direction they branch off into, turning off and often crashing through a fence or barrier to get to them. This adds a little variety to the racing as players can experiment with the different options in races.

The format for racing is as simple as it gets, just drive from the start to the end and be first. Although the races are randomised, with different lap counts and cups for the player to play through. The tracks are separated into cups, alongside individual tracks that are available in all of the gameplay modes. Speaking of game modes, there are three modes that players are able to play in this release, with online and offline gameplay options.

Here is a quick breakdown of the game modes that players are able to take part when playing Monster Racing League;

• Online Multiplayer – take on other players in fast paced races to earn points, experience and in game currency. The races, cups and challenges are randomised for each match, with the player who scores the most points being declared the winner.
• Party Play – form a party with friends and take part in private races, letting the host select the track, laps and more, with reduced reward payouts. There is also the option for the party to challenge other online users, providing full rewards.
• Practice – play through the different courses and cups, with AI bots that are separated into three difficulty classes. Take the time to practice offline and build up your skills, while also earning reduced rewards.

When a race has been completed, the player will earn in game rewards based on their performance and the mode they are playing. The rewards that players can earn are experience points that level up the race pass, new characters cosmetics and more. Then we have the Knucklebones, the in-game currency that players can earn to buy upgrades, new weapon abilities and more. These upgrades can be mixed and matched between races.

The player is able to change the monster they use between sessions, letting them try out all of the different abilities that they use. This makes for an experience that is ever changing, with players being able to mix up their approach to the races and keep the gameplay fresh over time. There is also a paid premium pass, that provides more content to unlock, alongside paid DLC packs, but these don’t impact the overall gameplay experience.

Last we have the customisation system, where monsters can be personalised, changing their features like their eyes, nose, etc. there is also a costume feature, where players can mix up their looks to add a bit more personality to their racer, using the different parts they unlock and/or buy from the DLC shop. Then there is the color changing options, where players are able to change the palette for their driver and car.

Now, with the gameplay covered, it is time to cover the other aspects of this release, starting with the controls.

Controls – this title is unique in gameplay and unique in terms of controls too. The standard set up for this title uses a keyboard, with the direction keys controlling the nitro, brake and switching paths. Then the abilities that can be used to battle are tied to the number keys, with a cooldown between uses. This is a comfortable layout, which works well and is easy to pick up and play, but there is also partial controller support for those who prefer it.

Difficulty – there is no real difficulty to this game as the majority of the action is player VS player, with the races being fairly short and ending quite quickly. The short burst style of gameplay can feel a little unfair, with a player dropping from first to last in a matter of seconds. However, all players are on an even playing field throughout, as there is a solid balance of gameplay and power-ups, with practice being a path to success.

Presentation – the visual style of Monster Racing League has a very cutesy look to it, with the bobble-headed racers, colourful race tracks and silly physics used for explosions. The game performs very well, with the action going at an excellent pace. There are ocassional slowdowns during play, but these are often due to online connection. The sound for this title is perfect, with solid audio that has a good weight to it and music that fits the visual style.

Final Thoughts – I wasn’t sure what to expect from this, as I have never seen or played a title like this before. I can say with no reservation that this is a great game, the action is fun, the racing is chaotic and there is a good amount of depth to the experience. Everyone can get involved with this, have a fun time and all for the low price of $0. There is an optional premium pass and DLC, offering a lot of extra cosmetics for those who want to pay.

I am very happy to recommend this title to everyone, as it is a fun and addictive title that can be played alone, with friends or against the world. I had a lot of fun with this title and I can’t wait to share it with others, get a group together and blast them away for hours on end. There was one issue that I had with this title, the reliance of online play and a lack of single player experience, as the online play is not for everyone’s taste.

In the end, I give Monster Racing League a final score of 4/5. This is an excellent racing title, with free entry to the game and unique gameplay that can keep players coming back for more, offering a lot of content for free, as well as optional paid cosmetic content. If you want to check the title out for yourself, a link to the game is below.

Link to Steam version (HERE)