Back in July, I wrote something about Screamer, an anime-inspired arcade racer with a unique twist. And I said then that I may have found a replacement for one of my favorite racing games, Split/Second. After spending some time with a preview build, I think I was right. This could be an incredible racing game.screamer takes a bit of time to get used toBefore I fired up the game, I was sent an explainer video to describe Screamer’s gameplay. And I am so glad I watched it because I’ve never seen a twin stick racer before. Yes, you will need to make use of both sticks (or keys) to move your car. You steer with the left stick and drift with the right stick. I tried the game using the WASD and arrow keys first to see how it would feel, and it’s doable. But this is definitely a game meant to be played with a controller.In the preview build I played, I didn’t get to get into the game’s narrative. Just the races. Which I actually appreciate. Hook me in with the gameplay first, and I’ll want to pay attention to your story. Fortunately, once you get a handle on handling the car, the game flows well. You have access to a boost, shifting gears, a shield and your strike. All of which are displayed at the top of the screen.The game employs a system called “sync,” which is what you build up to perform those four tasks. It’s both actively and passively built up. Actions you take in-game will give you a boost in building it. For example, the cars in Screamer have a semi-automatic transmission. So, you can shift up in-game, and if you tap the L1 button at the right time, you get what the game calls an “active shift.”The preview stated this was a pre-alpha build, but honestly, I couldn’t tell. The game is beautiful and runs great on my laptop. It looks smooth and didn’t experience any frame rate issues.THIS REALLY COULD FILL THE SPLIT/SECOND VOID FOR MEIt remains to be seen how the narrative fits into the gameplay mechanics and how the strike system feels in the middle of that as well. However, at the very least, the racing aspect of the game works well, and that’s what’s most essential and what will keep people coming back. I’m excited to see more in the future as the game continues to evolve. Screamer is planned for a release in 2026.The post Screamer Is One of the Most Interesting Racing Games I’ve Ever Played (Preview) appeared first on VICE.