Welcome to another Spontaneous Sunday! This week I have played Hydro Thunder Hurricane (2010, Vector Unit, Xbox 360). This is one of the free games available through Xbox Live this month. Just a quick disclaimer about Spontaneous Sunday: as I'm now approaching the end of my final MA module, I'm going to be doing Spontaneous Sundays less frequently so I can focus on other work. I'll basically be doing one as and when I have time to rather than trying to do one each week. With that said, lets begin!
"Hydro Thunder Hurricane is a boat racing video game developed by Vector Unit and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Arcade. The game was released on July 28, 2010 as part of Microsoft's Xbox Live Summer of Arcade promotion. It is the sequel to Hydro Thunder, originally an arcade game and part of the Thunder series. Gameplay in Hurricane involves players selecting one of nine boats to race through over-the-top scenarios."
- Wikipedia on Hydro Thunder Hurricane
What do I expect from the game?
I had not heard of Hydro Thunder Hurricane until just a few hours before I played it, so I am a complete newcomer to the game, but it didn't take long for my expectations to begin to form. The game's description and screenshots on its Xbox store page suggest a fast-paced arcade racing game that offers a variety of futuristic super-boats and themed levels.
I expect that the core gameplay will be fairly simple, and will consist of navigating tracks in a range of different boats, probably with different stats and strengths. I expect that the core mechanics and systems will be fairly typical of the arcade racing genre, such as speed boosts, hidden shortcuts and a handful of different game modes that generally center on going as fast as possible! I expect the gameplay to be very high-energy, and I think that this will also carry through into the UI, visuals, music and sound effects.
As an Xbox Live Arcade game that comes in at less than 500MB, I expect that the amount of content on offer will be limited, and the game will re-use the track environments with different game modes or rule sets to add variety. I expect that it will be a high-energy and entertaining casual racing game. I expect the game's strengths to be its fast-paced gameplay, its high level of energy and the design of the boats and environments.
First Impressions - What do I think of the game in its first few minutes?
Just as I expected, the game begins with immediate energy. The start screen appears with a robotic-sounding voice loudly proclaiming the game's title, followed by an up-tempo electronic soundtrack with synths and heavy drums. The start screen displays the game's logo over a backdrop of a tropical 3D environment with boats racing past.
The main menu is simple but visually appealing and has a good layout and flow. It features options for Single Player and Multiplayer, aswell as Leaderboards, Achievements, DLC and a very informative Help menu. Selecting each option sees the camera pan to a different area of the 3D environment. I appreciate main menus that incorporate 3D environments in this way as it allows the player to feel immersed in the game world moreso than if it was just options on a 2D background. It also allows the game to show off its environments and graphics - which, from the looks of the main menu, are pretty decent! The main menu environment is nice and bright and the fact that there are boats racing around is a nice touch. The water physics look very promising, however the environment could have benefited from having a bit more life breathed into through more animated/moving elements, such as the leaves on the palm trees swaying in the breeze, clouds in the sky moving and so on.
I selected Single Player, which displays 4 game modes: Race, Ring Master, Gauntlet and Championship. Race was only the option that was unlocked so I chose that and began my first race on the track called "Lake Powell" in a boat called "Vector" (presumably after the game's developers, Vector Unit), as these are the only options available from the start. The race is preceded by a quick run-down of how the Boost system works: the player must collect Boost pickups which allow them to use a speed boost or jump over obstacles or other boats. The first race is a sprints from a set start and end point rather than multiple laps around the same circuit (though lap-based races do appear later on). The first race took me through a pretty action-packed and varied course of valleys, tunnels and industrial waterways in a desert setting. It's a pretty lively environment with moving elements such as wind turbines and falling rocks, aswell as jumps and destructible obstacles that can be smashed through. The race had 16 competitors, which made for a really frantic and busy free-for-all competition. I came in first at 2 minutes 23 seconds, followed 4 seconds later by the AI in 2nd.
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| The game's first track - Lake Powell. |
This level is a pretty strong start for the game. The environment is exciting and varied enough to grab the attention, but is a fairly familiar setting that is not overly complicated so as a beginner the player doesn't feel overwhelmed, and can learn the ropes easily. Seeing as I quite easily came first in my first attempt, I am hoping that this is just a case of the game "going easy" on me, and not that its this easy throughout. After finishing, I was awared a lot of stuff including 500 Credits, a new game mode for the track, a new track and a new boat. This is a decent reward for a little two minute race! This suggests to me that the game's input-and-reward cycle will be fast, with rewards coming often. This is in-keeping with the casual arcade nature of the game.
After two races, I had unlocked at least one track on each of the four game modes, which I thought was pretty decent because it allows the player to quickly experience a bit of all that the game has to offer from an early stage, while still withholding enough to encourage extended play. While having only one track and one game mode available from the start may seem too limiting, it is actually a smart move because it forces the player to play that track first, allowing the developers to herd the player through their first experience of the game on the developer's terms, making for a more effective introduction. However, there was also only one colour scheme available for the starting boat, which is limiting in a bad way. Boat colour is purely cosmetic and doesn't affect gameplay, so there would have been no harm in offering more colours and allowing players more choice and ownership of their first experience in the game.
After two races, I had unlocked at least one track on each of the four game modes, which I thought was pretty decent because it allows the player to quickly experience a bit of all that the game has to offer from an early stage, while still withholding enough to encourage extended play. While having only one track and one game mode available from the start may seem too limiting, it is actually a smart move because it forces the player to play that track first, allowing the developers to herd the player through their first experience of the game on the developer's terms, making for a more effective introduction. However, there was also only one colour scheme available for the starting boat, which is limiting in a bad way. Boat colour is purely cosmetic and doesn't affect gameplay, so there would have been no harm in offering more colours and allowing players more choice and ownership of their first experience in the game.
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| The game offers an informative "How To Play" menu. |
What do I like about the game?
I played Hydro Thunder for about 3 hours and in that time I played quite a lot of races across many tracks, game modes and boats. The game definitely has a lot going for it, and my time playing it was enjoyable. The game's main positive points are its enjoyable gameplay, its varied game modes, boats and levels, and the way in which it perfectly suits the XBLA platform on which it was released.
The action really does come thick and fast in Hydro Thunder. One of the game's strongest elements is simply its core gameplay. Theres rarely a dull moment as theres always powerups to be collecting, jumps to be made or environmental elements to be smashed. The game offers frantic races and a variety of game modes that are diverse enough to allow extended play without becoming bored. The Boost mechanic is definitely the game's core mechanic (besides the basic driving mechanic) and it is pivotal to success in the game. The player has to manage their Boost levels by collecting Boost on the track and using it tactically. The game's level of challenge is also pretty well-balanced. The first few available levels are Novice difficulty, but the player soon unlocks Pro level races and eventually Expert level. The more difficult levels are unlocked at just the right time for the challenge to be consistent and remain engaging. A lot of thought and iteration must have gone into perfecting the pace of the game's difficulty curve, and Hydro Thunder is a better game for it.
The game is also pretty rewarding. The player frequently unlock more tracks, boats, game modes and difficulty levels, so there is never a discouraging lull between rewards and it doesn't feel like a grind. This also means that there is almost always something new to do. Though the rewards come quickly, the game cannot be said to be over-generous because there are also special skins for the boats that are unlocked for completing specific challenges. This means that, while rewards are frequent, the game still holds some of its cards to its chest. The reward system incentivises extended play, while the special challenges (such as collecting all 10 hidden collectables in a certain track) call for the player to alter their play style and approach levels in a different way than the game modes themselves demand.
The game modes are sufficiently varied. The Races are either sprints from a start point to a finish point, or 3 lap circuits depending on which track you are playing. The Ring Master game mode requires the player to go through a series of rings on the track as quickly as possible and calls for some really skillful driving. The chaotic Gauntlet game mode adds lots of explosive barrels to the water which have to be avoided. Finally, the Championship game mode combines the other 3 game modes in a series of challenges. Each game mode requires both speed and careful driving in varied measures. The designers have made very good use of the 8 tracks on offer. By offering several different game modes and difficulty levels on each track, the designers did a good job of adding diversity and longevity to the game without overstretching the level design resources or inflating the game's file size with too many levels. There's even support for up to 4-player local multiplayer, aswell as online multiplayer. This obviously adds a whole new level of content and possibilities to the game. I am a big supporter of local multiplayer so this was a winner in my opinion.
The variety of boats on offer is also a positive point. There are 9 boats available which are gradually unlocked as the player advances through the game, all of which have vastly different and unique designs. They also have different stats which give them strenghts and weaknesses and mean that they suit different game modes and play styles. The differences in the way that each boat operates brings some really meaningful variety between each boat, and the player will likely find a favourite that is most suited to their play style or the needs of each particular game mode.
The game boasts good art and design throughout. There's some really memorable and characterful levels on offer. To name just a few, there is "Monster Island" which features sea monsters and pre-historic creatures in an ancient ruined island setting, "Storming Asgard" which is a sprint through arctic waters filled with set pieces and figures from Nordic mythology, and "Tsunami Bowl" which is influenced by real-world motorsport tracks in Japan. Every map features interactible elements, destructible environments and impressive set pieces, such as the sea monster and giant rock man seen in the images below.
Another one of Hydro Thunder's strengths is the fact that it has really pinpointed its niche and audience perfectly. The game is pretty much perfect for the XBLA platform on which it was released; it's all-action and casual gameplay, well-balanced amount of content and small file size make it a great game for those who seek an arcade-like experience in their games. Hydro Thunder Hurricane basically embodies the spirit of the XBLA platform. It also appeals to its target audience very well. The game's main target audience is presumably fans of the original game and fans of arcade-like games in general, and its Xbox store page suits this audience well. As a knock-on effect, the game's simple premise, over-the-top action and lack of offensive content also makes it accessible to casual gamers and young gamers. Additionally, the high-energy nature and simple enjoyability of the game, aswell as the memorable tracks, should allow the game to command a decent amount of word-of-mouth exposure.
What do I not like?
Hydro Thunder is undoubtedly a very well-rounded game, and only has a handful of minor downsides, specifically the repetitive music, the re-use of levels and the haphazard order of the unlocks.
The music is good and it definitely suits the game's aesthetic and high-energy vibe, but it becomes repetitive after a while and it is constantly playing. There are no times when it ceases - not even on the pause menu or the main menu. The energy that the music brings to the game is good, but having the occasional break from it would be welcome. For example, if the high-energy music was only used in the levels, it would make the use of music more tactical and the action more impactful, while the menu's lack of music would allow the player to take a break.
Hydro Thunder re-uses 8 tracks in a number of game modes. This yields both good and bad results. The good results are that the re-use of tracks challenges the designers to create tracks that are multi-faceted and give way to varied goals and mechanics, which likely makes for a better game with more replayability. It also ensures the environment artists workload and the game's file size are kept under control. The downside, however, is that the tracks will eventually become a little bit repetitive. During the late-game, the player might find themselves becoming bored of the core 8 tracks. Luckily, there is a DLC that adds some more tracks, so late-game players who are invested in the game can get more content.
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| Ring Master on Lake Powell. |
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| Gauntlet on Monster Island. |
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| Ring Master on Tsunami Bowl. |
The variety of boats on offer is also a positive point. There are 9 boats available which are gradually unlocked as the player advances through the game, all of which have vastly different and unique designs. They also have different stats which give them strenghts and weaknesses and mean that they suit different game modes and play styles. The differences in the way that each boat operates brings some really meaningful variety between each boat, and the player will likely find a favourite that is most suited to their play style or the needs of each particular game mode.
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| Each boat has different stats that affect their strengths and weaknesses. |
Another one of Hydro Thunder's strengths is the fact that it has really pinpointed its niche and audience perfectly. The game is pretty much perfect for the XBLA platform on which it was released; it's all-action and casual gameplay, well-balanced amount of content and small file size make it a great game for those who seek an arcade-like experience in their games. Hydro Thunder Hurricane basically embodies the spirit of the XBLA platform. It also appeals to its target audience very well. The game's main target audience is presumably fans of the original game and fans of arcade-like games in general, and its Xbox store page suits this audience well. As a knock-on effect, the game's simple premise, over-the-top action and lack of offensive content also makes it accessible to casual gamers and young gamers. Additionally, the high-energy nature and simple enjoyability of the game, aswell as the memorable tracks, should allow the game to command a decent amount of word-of-mouth exposure.
What do I not like?
Hydro Thunder is undoubtedly a very well-rounded game, and only has a handful of minor downsides, specifically the repetitive music, the re-use of levels and the haphazard order of the unlocks.
The music is good and it definitely suits the game's aesthetic and high-energy vibe, but it becomes repetitive after a while and it is constantly playing. There are no times when it ceases - not even on the pause menu or the main menu. The energy that the music brings to the game is good, but having the occasional break from it would be welcome. For example, if the high-energy music was only used in the levels, it would make the use of music more tactical and the action more impactful, while the menu's lack of music would allow the player to take a break.
Hydro Thunder re-uses 8 tracks in a number of game modes. This yields both good and bad results. The good results are that the re-use of tracks challenges the designers to create tracks that are multi-faceted and give way to varied goals and mechanics, which likely makes for a better game with more replayability. It also ensures the environment artists workload and the game's file size are kept under control. The downside, however, is that the tracks will eventually become a little bit repetitive. During the late-game, the player might find themselves becoming bored of the core 8 tracks. Luckily, there is a DLC that adds some more tracks, so late-game players who are invested in the game can get more content.
The final negative point is that the new tracks, game modes and boats are unlocked in quite a sporadic order. Each track and boat is unlocked after a certain amount of overall score is reached, and the order of the scores isn't in any clear pattern. This means that the sequence of unlocks feels pretty random, and its not very clear to the player exactly how far into the game they are. The order of unlocking should have been a bit more methodical so as to not become confusing, such as unlocking tracks and game modes sequentially. A more methodical approach would also make the player's long-term goals more clear.
Final Thoughts
Hydro Thunder Hurricane is a very enjoyable arcade racer with a unique concept, entertaining and high-energy gameplay, varied vehicles and game modes, and some very nicely designed tracks and environments. On top of this, the game seats itself very nicely in its niche as an XBLA title and tailors well to its audience. The game's small number of minor issues such as repetitive music and sporadic order of unlocks are easily forgiven as the positives vastly outweigh the negatives.
Arcade racers are a genre of game that I don't claim to have a huge amount of experience with, but I think I'd be hard-pressed to find another thats as enjoyable, well-rounded and nicely designed as Hydro Thunder Hurricane. I'll definitely be playing it again soon!
Arcade racers are a genre of game that I don't claim to have a huge amount of experience with, but I think I'd be hard-pressed to find another thats as enjoyable, well-rounded and nicely designed as Hydro Thunder Hurricane. I'll definitely be playing it again soon!
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