Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights – PS5 Review

Arcade racers feel like an endangered species at times. Any that do release seem to come from indie developers. Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights is one such game. Coming from Gunpowder games, the neon-soaked, custom car racer tries to look the part but it lacks on-track excitement and variety.

The racing in Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights is fairly standard arcade stuff. All races take place around a handful of circuits. They’re always three-lap affairs but at least the tracks vary. The opener is wide and with forgiving turns. It really allows for top speeds and overtakes. As the campaign progresses, there’s more twists and technical sections that push on your car control.

It’s not exactly complex. Throughout the lap, there are power-ups and weapons to pick up. These are plentiful and most of them are purposeful. I’ll gladly take a speed boost over firepower but the latter can eliminate the competition fairly well. The aggression of the AI opponents are passive on the default circuit. Admittedly, the only weapon to worry about is the death laser that seems to target the lead vehicle. I’ve been struck by that a few times and, whilst you can guard against it with repairs, it will, at best, leave your vehicle in rough shape.

With just 15 races to plough through, the campaign is short-lived. Each cup contains three races and you’re given points for your performance. All races operate with the same race to the finish so there’s no other race types to freshen the structure up. On the one hand, it doesn’t outstay its welcome but it does show its hand early and often. I can’t say it brings anything new to the table and the racing feels stale from the outset. There is an expert tour that runs the same events with more aggressive opposition. It’s not a big change and doesn’t seem all that compelling.

There’s seven tracks on offer but the reverse versions double the count to fourteen. Cars fare much better with twenty available to unlock. The custom parts are slim pickings. Most categories will have just a couple of options to choose from. The outlier being wheel rims that contain dozens of types to choose from. I know they’re only cosmetic but, for a game hinting at car tuner culture, it seems underwhelming.

At least it’s something and it does provide the opportunity to tweak their vehicle’s look. I find the roster of cars to be fairly balanced. Some of them have very obvious compromises. I’ve opted for something more well-rounded but there are races where my top speed or control would be lacking. Still, as an arcade effort, you’re often at the mercy of power-ups. Car performance can certainly put you back in the mix but luck does come into it.

The controls are easy to grasp. Triggers handle the accelerator and brake whilst X initiates your drifts. Circle uses whatever power up you have on hand. All cars are equipped with basic guns that have two modes of firing. Your basic option allows to fire a three-shot volley at whoever’s in front of you. You can also line up a more concentrated effort that is more effective at dealing damage. Both are limited in their usage so I’ve really had to pick my shots. Handling seems fine but can struggle in narrow lanes.

There is an online component that functions a lot like quick race. I’ve entered into some ranked races but I’m not facing real people.   Leaderboards are populated but it seems to fill in lobbies with bots.  These bots match the difficulty of the expert campaign so at least these races can be competitive.  There is a progression to it as you gain points to eventually level up in rank.   It perhaps has more to offer than the single player options but even this lacks any new modes of interesting ways to play.

The performance is not smooth. There’s a lot of neon effects and colourful scenery to display and that does result in an inconsistent framerate. If there’s a lot of surrounding chaos, it can take a further hit. I wouldn’t call it unplayable but it’s noticeably lacking. Honestly, I find it a touch harsh to look at. It’s not the sharpest fidelity but the visuals can often look blown out. The muddied clarity of the image doesn’t help matters. That’s not to say it’s difficult to follow but I would’ve preferred something cleaner.

The soundtrack is at least competent and can get the heart racing. It doesn’t overshadow the action but it does set a tempo. It can sound very generic but the rest of the visuals and sound effects do effectively portray the mayhem. If it was all a little tidier, I’d be happy with the presentation. As it is, things are too scrappy and not entirely cohesive.

I don’t think Cyber Clutch: Hot Import Nights offers much beyond a busy, futuristic aesthetic. The customisation is surprisingly weak and the campaign is a very short jaunt. I do feel the online component gives you more capable competition but it’s hard to know if the community will really stick around for it. As an arcade racer, it’s very slight and my excitement ran dry very quickly.