Hi-octane chaos. Smooth performance, graphic immersion and an almost total absence of storyline depth. In short, a pure shooter. No, WAIT... That can be a GOOD thing! For those who just want to strap in and blast away, this may just be your fix . Think: Twisted Metal meets Mech Warrior, only with hover-tanks. All murder, no meaning. In game terms, "control "breaks down into two types: Your tank (i.e.its thrusters and weapons), and the battlezone around you (i.e. everything else). The trick to success, is in keeping enough distance to plan your skirmishes(staying IN control), without getting pinned down and blasted by your opponents(LOSING control). For those who just like blasting (and don't mind dying) HAVE AT IT! For those who like WINNING, a little more tactical savvy is required. In this game, winners are like wolves.Waiting for the best opportunity to attack.
Or perhaps more like sharks, allowing your enemies to weaken each other, only to zoom in at the crucial moment for a feeding frenzy. There are numerous ways and various arenas( Deathmatch, Deathzone, "Carry the Ball", Blackout) in which to do this, and only numerous bloodbaths (and a regrettable amount of cheap deaths) can teach them. Other spice-ups include jump-pads, trapdoors, and trigger-able turrets (a real love-hate thing since, once you trigger them, you TOO are fair game for them). I found the control scheme adequate if adrenaline-deficient. Front/Side thrusters are great for close-quarters dodging, as well as for beating a well-timed retreat. Steering ,and slow directional movement is achieved with the analog stick. While this seems sluggish, it affords the upside of fine control necessary when trying to grab power-ups. I give the weapons only so-so(yawn) marks. At this writing, I had not unlocked a lot of what might , or might NOT be an awesome arsenal. The enemies' weapons seemed to hit a LOT harder than mine. Time , and more unlocks, will tell. Bear in mind, THESE ARE HOVERCRAFT. That means a totally fun ride, complete with periods of flight and plenty of lateral drift! In terms of overall enjoyment, it's tough to beat diving, guns blazing, over a cliff into a swarm of surprised enemies, wasting them, and thrusting away unscathed...Maybe someday, I'll actually DO that.