Fatal Inertia - Xbox 360

Through harsh environments spanning dense rainforests, immense glacier fields and canyons of razor-sharp rock, there's little room for error as the drivers reach speeds of over 500mph. But Fatal Inertia is not merely a test of speed. The brave men and women who compete risk their lives in combat involving unconventional weapons the likes of which the world hasn't yet seen. At such incredible speeds, combat can often result in disaster. And so the scene is set for Koei's Fatal Inertia. Not a warrior in sight in this futuristic racer, powered by the Unreal Engine, no less.

In the middle of the 22nd century, a handful of immense corporations control virtually all the business, politics and entertainment on the planet. Beyond the limits of concrete and burning rubber, there is a new sport. A mixture of street racing, rally, and demolition derby, Fatal Inertia is a full-of-beans, gravity-defying racer. Gravity plays a major part in all racing games, but when you're hovering metres above the landscape at a lunatic speed, the big 'G' assumes a hyper-importance. In Fatal Inertia, the closer you are to the ground, the faster you go: and the closer you get to the surface, the nearer you are to pranging your vehicle.

Players can customise their machines in a manner similar to the way street racers a la Need For Speed, Juiced et al modify their vehicles, but with the added attraction of futuristic weapons and hardware available. Unconventional weapons that manipulate speed, time and force can be used to create a variety of physics-based effects on opposing race craft.

Game modes are plentiful: Training and Quick Race is where you should start if you want to make the most of Fatal Inertia. Then it's onto Knockout, Combat Race, Velocity, Magnet Mayhem and Time Trial. Career Mode and Multiplayer are the main attractions, with a facility for up to eight players racing online. more