We enjoyed Inertial Drift when it originally released back in 2020 for the PS4, and we’re happy to declare that it can still be a deliciously addictive arcade racer here in 2022. Inertial Drift: Twilight Rivals Edition is an enhanced PS5 port (or DLC pack, if you’re still on PS4), which throws in fresh content like more tracks, cars, and even a new story mode to conquer. All told, it’s a fairly meaty expansion, adding welcome value to an already stylish package.
The title’s twin-stick driving system can take a little getting used to, but it’s satisfyingly slick once you’ve got the muscle memory down (and you’ve memorised the tracks). This ain’t an easy game by any means — it’s actually pretty damn hard at times — but it does successfully coax that ‘one more go’ mentality as you begin to shave seconds off your lap times.
But if you didn’t fall for the core concept the first time around, Twilight Rivals probably won’t win you over. The drift-’em-up still struggles to convey the sense that you’re in a race against a real opponent — even the new campaign’s one-on-one duels feel more like time trials against ghost data. The clock is your true enemy here, and that never changes, regardless of the mode you’re playing.
As a result, the experience as a whole can come off as a bit shallow, but at least it’s pretty. The game’s gorgeous cel-shaded cars and atmospheric environments do a lot of heavy lifting when the actual racing starts to drag. If you can work yourself into the zone and you’re prepared for an often stiff challenge, Twilight Rivals is simply more of what Inertial Drift does well.
