Trailblazers Reviews
Trailblazers isn't a bad game at all, it just doesn't do anything to make me ever want to go back to it. The multiplayer portion of the game does not have enough players to get into matches consistently (or ever, in my case) leaving the lacklustre single player content. There's also the local multiplayer but, just like the single-player content, you and your friends will get bored relatively quickly. To top everything off, the price of the game is far too high for what you are getting, making it difficult to convince anyone you know to pick it up.
A variable frame rate is an out and out killer for any racing game, and despite Trailblazers' clear potential it's impossible to see past that. The overall concept, of merging F-Zero and Splatoon, is a fantastic idea, but perhaps it needed a bit longer in development in order for it to be fully realised.
With a community of people playing the game as intended I think Trailblazers could have had potential to be quite interesting. If you’re able to play with friends you can begin to see what the goals were and it is at least a different way to race. Unfortunately, as a single-player experience it is hard to feel the teamwork vibe working with bots and that makes for a pretty bland driving experience. Despite looking great and having a cool soundtrack there’s no escaping the somewhat ho-hum results in a typical race in Trailblazers.
Trailblazers incorporates some fun ideas, like painting the road to create boost strips, but fails to deliver in the controls department. It’s worth considering if you’re looking for something else that isn’t Mario Kart 8 Deluxe – but it’s nowhere near as fun.
"On the right track, but it's missing players and technical polish."
Review in Finnish | Read full review
Taking what made Splatoon so popular and combining it with level design of F-Zero makes it sound like a dream, but it, unfortunately, misses the mark. With a bit of AI tweaking and varied weapons, this could be a much better experience. For now the splash of colour won't hold your interest.
Trailblazers isn't a bad racing title. Despite some floaty controls, the actual racing is fine, and the painting and team mechanics are interesting. The modes are also good, but the lack of a community means that local multiplayer is your only other option once you consume all of the single-player stuff. You'll wish the developers did something more interesting with the concept, as it feels untapped. For that, Trailblazers is only recommended for those who have already checked out other racing titles first.
Trailblazers has plenty of charm and style with its gimmick of painting your way to victory, but it barely crosses the finish line thanks to its uneven AI, sloppy handling and lackluster multiplayer.
Some performance issues aside, this remains an engaging, and rather different, racing game that just about overcomes its problems to offer some good old fashioned fun.
Gameplay-wise, Trailblazers kicks off on all cylinders in a wonderful first impression. However, it drags on its way to the finish line, which is why a driver might prefer some company to keep them entertained along the way.
Trailblazers is has well defined visuals and plays great, with an interesting mechanic that unfortunately doesn't support the weight of a full game. Had the paint mechanic been merely one element in a grander design, things may have turned out differently. As it is, Trailblazers stands as a great proof of concept for what may hopefully evolve into a deeper title in later releases down the road.
Has the making of a decent meta game but fails to follow up on the framework
Trailblazers is a fun arcade racing game – from its varied modes to the solid presentation and unique gameplay, the formula for success is definitely there. However, a relatively high price, inconsistent AI and barren multiplayer prevent this title from reaching the podium.
Dynamically future racing with track painting offers unique experience, although with some flaws.
Review in Slovak | Read full review
Trailblazers is a race-and-paint game for children. With its smooth, consistent gameplay and simplistic challenges, a group of toddlers could be content for hours. Just don't be surprised when the 12 year old is reaching for Grand Theft Auto instead.
Trailblazers is an enjoyable racer with a very cool colour mechanic and a stellar throwback presentation that's highly reminiscent of the Dreamcast era.
Trailblazers is an amazing driving game that uses colors to bring something different to the driving genre. It's a pity that the multiplayer of this mix of Splatoon and F-Zero only allows 4 simultaneous players.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Trailblazers comes recommended, but with the qualifier that you may want to wait for a few more patches to drop, first.
Overall, Trailblazers is a great little racer and one I aim to come back to in the near future.