Street Trace: NYC

"Street Trace: NYC, where did you go wrong? Hoverboards, combat, angsty riders, and a cabal-ruined New York City should at least make for an amusing game. Instead it's dreadfully boring. It could be the poor board handling or the limited locals. I might fault the game's scope: three tournaments and a time trial (which has you either collecting flags, shooting targets, or both). It would also be nice if boards could grind more than very obvious rails. Perhaps that's the main problem. Your flailing character doesn't behave like a skateboarder or a snowboarder. The only "tricks" at your disposal are a few grinds and a flip (Woo!). I know this isn't Pro Hoverboarder, but it never actually feels like you're in control of a hoverboard. You could be in a spacecraft, on foot, or in a go-kart. And well, if you can't make hoverboards interesting in a hoverboard game, that's sort of a problem."

"It's a cruel way to start a review, and we're sure that the character artist/ modeller is a frightfully nice chap who can turn out delightful work with the right tools, brief and budget, but the wider point is that this unsuccessful grasping at imagined street culture cool continues through every aspect of the game. The game's visual framework is ugly, off-putting, lacking in any shade of authenticity or soul and the game is all the weaker for it."

"Street Trace: NYC provides a few moments of multiplayer amusement, but it doesn't have enough going for it to be compelling for long."