Phantom Spark has just dropped on the PS5 and I got to take my colorful insectoid racing ship through all the tracks on all the domains and knock out a few challenge stages along the way. I had honestly forgotten how much I miss the WipOut games on the PlayStation; it’s been 12 years since the last one and with no hopes of a new one we thankfully have Phantom Spark to quench that need for speed with one of the most engaging anti-grav racing games I’ve played in years…on any system.
There is no denying the basic similarities to the Wipeout franchise with twisty tracks and wedge-shaped racers, but that’s where it ends. Phantom Spark is a skills-based racing game, one that demands patience and plenty of trial and error, much like those licensing tests in Gran Turismo. There are three domains, each with their own champion that you must work your way through a twisty path of racing events and periodic skill challenges.
There are ten races in each domain and each race has its own track with a special name and theme, almost becoming a character in the event. You’ll become very familiar with each track as you run them multiple times in your quest for perfection and race XP used to unlock new domains. Your goal is to establish a level 3 link with each track by hitting certain milestones, the first of which is to merely run the track. Once you have set an initial time you will then race against that ghost and the track champion and repeat this cycle for each race in each domain.
After a few races you will unlock a challenge that will task you with learning some new skill like braking or drifting then drill those skills into you with short but challenging time trials like learning the proper apex of a turn – an 11 second trial. Whether racing ghosts or attempting to complete a challenge you can instantly reset back to the starting line with a simple button tap. We’re talking lightning-fast, which makes it all that much easier to bail on an event when you know you screwed up…and you know. We’re talking races where momentum is everything and a single bump on the side rail will send your opponent screaming past you.
Visually, Phantom Spark is pretty unique, a mix of gothic columns and arches with cobblestone pathways that somehow twist and turn their way into something that looks like a Roman Rainbow Road. Various surface elements are introduced like grass to slow you down and water to speed you up, and there are plenty of turbo pads and gates to get you to blinding speeds, but the framerate is flawless throughout, which translates into some super-responsive controls offering precision control of your racer.
The presentation is simple with a thin story of you facing off against these three champions, but the whole tone of the story is more like an episode of Speed Racer. There are fun story panels and witty banter with various characters that will share racing tips and commentary. The soundtrack is best described as hypnotic, perfectly suited to this style of racing where you are going to be hearing the same songs over and over.
An initial pass through the single-player content will takes only a few hours, but locking down a level 3 link for even a few of these tracks can take hours. You also have ten color schemes to unlock for your ship, purely cosmetic. There are no upgrades or parts to improve your ship. This game is all about the skill of the person holding the controller, and when you think you have the skills you can head online to complete for top spots on the leaderboards. Those of you with friends and spare controllers can enjoy some competitive couch racing with local split-screen action.
Phantom Spark is a futuristic fever dream loaded with fantastical worlds that are home to some of the best feeling arcade racing I’ve experienced in years. This is the perfect combination of Gran Turismo and Wipeout. The game demands perfection and for some reason I am compelled to play for 20+ minutes to “win” a 3-minute race and do it happily. As I write this review, I only have one track out of 30 locked at level 3. I can’t imagine how long it’s going to take me to get them all, but it’s going to be one incredible ride.
