Get a Grip on Gripshift

Every once in a while, a game appears on the Xbox Live
Arcade that is genuinely worth our time/money/Microsoft Points. Last
Wednesday’s release Gripshift is one of those games.

Much like the recent Live Arcade game Exit, Gripshift began
its life as a PSP game. It was perfect for the platform- the load times were
short, the graphics were fluid, and the gameplay was varied.  Gripshift jumped onto the PS3 with slightly
mixed results- the track editor was scrapped, and the game would suffer from an
occasional screen tear. A patch would later fix the screen tear issue and
shorten load times. (So if you bought the game at launch, delete and
redownload). But how does the game fare on the 360?

Every race has three elements- beating the prescribed time,
collecting all the stars, and grabbing the elusive Gripshift logo. Players
can’t usually meet all three challenges on a single run. Luckily, the races are
short and varied enough to make replays a diversion rather than monotony. Where
Gripshift excels is in its track design- levels are imaginative, and ramp up in
challenge gradually. Completing challenges opens new levels and unlocks cars
and skins. What’s great about the game is that players always have something to
shoot for- this is what makes the title so compelling.

What’s also impressive is the integration of the different
challenges. While beating the clock involves normal racing gameplay, collecting
the logos adds a bit of a puzzle element to the game. Players will have to
analyze the level flyby to plan their attack and create a trajectory. Some of
these puzzles are wickedly amusing.  

Graphics are fluid with no problems in lag, framerate or
screen tearing. Gripshift’s music falls into the electronic/house variety, and
fits the gameplay perfectly.

Notably absent are any additions from the PS3 versions. What
this title could have offered was a track editor that offered players the
ability to trade their creations across Xbox Live. We certainly hope developers
Sidhe are listening to this request; we’ll bank 400 points away for this
pipedream.

We wholeheartedly recommend this game to 360 owners and well
as any PS3 users who haven’t downloaded the game. $10 is a small price for this
slice of gaming heaven.