Games
Want to get ahead of the pack in Codemasters’ brand-new racer, Onrush? We spoke to the game’s director, Paul Rustchynsky, to get some hot tips straight from the source.
You might be used to Codemasters’ glut of serious racing titles, from F1 to DiRT, but they know how to let loose, too. Onrush, the latest game from the studio, is pure unadulterated evidence that the team can get away from the toils of creating a realistic racer, and deliver something that’s like almost nothing else out there. Forget racing around a track; part of Onrush is that you need to smash up your foes – and that’s just the start.
With the finish line in sight for Onrush – it’s out later this week – we caught up with the game’s director, Paul Rustchynsky, for a few tips on how you can dominate your rivals once you’ve strapped into the vehicle of your choice. Read on and take these points to heart...
Hey Paul! Talk to us about the tracks: how many are in the game and what should players know about them to get ahead of the competition?
There are 12 unique tracks in Onrush which cover a wide variety of different environments from sand dunes to golf courses. Each of them has a distinct visual appearance. However, what you’ll notice with every track is that they all have multiple routes.
There’s opportunity to get big air, to evade the opposition, and to try and take your opponents down. So you really want to be scoping out your environment to find the best possible opportunity at any given moment.
What’s the sneakiest shortcut you guys can give us?
Because you’re not racing to be at the front of the pack, we really allow players to cut corners, with no penalties or restrictions for doing so! So shortcuts are used all of the time in Onrush.
One of the shortcuts I use all the time is on Blast Pit. When you’re heading down into the pit itself, you go off a 200ft [61m] drop – but instead of going down the hill, if you veer to the left you can essentially cut the entire corner. That can be very useful in getting you back in the pack if you’re falling behind, or can get you ahead of everyone so you can use your Rush ability to devastate everyone behind you.
Get a taste of Onrush's high-octane action in the trailer below:
It’s not all about shortcuts though; it’s about taking down your opponents too. What kind of strategies can you give us to help with that?
There are dozens of strategies you can adopt, and they vary based on the track you’re on and the vehicle you’re using. For example: with the bikes you never really want to go head-to-head in a collision. You ideally want to be on the straight and flat, and you want to be avoiding the bigger vehicles where possible. However, the bikes are fantastic for attacking in the air. As an Outlaw or Blade, you want to be getting as much height as possible, because when you hit boost you’ll be able to target the vehicles below and get a crushing takedown on them.
Obviously there are lots of abilities across the range of vehicles. You’ll want to learn each of those individually to work out the best way to utilise them. For example: the Blade’s Rush ultimate is the firewall ability, which lays down a burning trail behind you. So with that particular ability, you’ll want to get ahead of the pack and lay down that firewall to cut off players and hopefully take them down.
So there’s a lot to learn! But the basics of takedowns are if you hit someone with the front of your vehicle, you’re more often than not going to find yourself in a commanding position.
Let’s talk game modes: we’ve seen Overdrive focuses on earning and spending boost, what tips would you give for that mode?
Overdrive is all about expending boost to score points for your team. In Overdrive you have to look for every opportunity to earn boost, and we have a number of ways to do so. There are obviously the basic methods, such as taking down the opposition, smashing fodder and hitting tombstones. There are also more subtle methods, too. Near misses with the environment, going for huge jumps; triggering barrel rolls and pulling off tricks on bikes are just some of the ways you can maximise how much boost you earn during a game.
The key to Overdrive is to always be seeking your next hit of boost. Your team-mates can also play a big part in that. If you stay close to them you’ll earn more boost and some vehicle classes will even drop boost behind them. So it’s always good to pay attention to the classes your team-mates have opted for, because they can assist you massively!
How about Countdown? We know the clock is ticking down, but what sort of strategy should players aim for?
Countdown is an interesting one in terms of strategy. You obviously want to try and hit as many gates as you can, because every gate you hit earns time for your team and stops the timer running out. But one of the most important things you can do in Countdown is prevent the other team from going through the gates. You can of course push your opponents away from the gates using your abilities, but ultimately, the best way to disrupt the other team is by taking them down. The moment you take down a rival, they’re going to miss three or four gates, which is a huge chunk of time for their team. Unlike other modes where you have more of a free reign on track, in Countdown you know where your opponents will be going. Everyone is trying to hit the gates.
If you’re smart and use the track layout to your advantage it will pay off big in Countdown. For example, skipping a gate to gain the advantage over your opponent is often a worthwhile risk to take, as it could result in a couple of takedowns and win a round for your team.
You can of course play Countdown like a standard racer and simply hit all the gates, but the quickest way to success is to work out how you can take out your opponents.
What about Switch? It sounds like surviving is the main element, but what tips would you give to a complete beginner playing it for the first time?
For a complete beginner, survival is definitely the key. That means trying to find the routes with as few people as possible. Obviously, the game is built around The Stampede system and keeping everyone together, so it can be difficult to get away, which is why you need to be on the lookout for shortcuts in order to keep your distance.
When you’re in a smaller vehicle you definitely want to use the narrow paths to your advantage in order to survive for as long as possible.
And Lockdown? King of the Hill-type games are always sweaty, but what would you advise to a player to help keep their cool?
Lockdown is probably the most chaotic mode in Onrush as everyone in the game is trying to get into the zone at the same time!
Choosing the ideal time to strike is crucial in Lockdown. If you just dive in to the zone and hope for the best you’re probably not going to last long. You want to try and work with your team so you have people outside the zone stopping people getting in and then using the most applicable vehicle class inside the zone.
For example: bikes aren’t too good at surviving in the zone itself, but they’re great at keeping people out of the zone. For those trying to capture the zone, a bigger vehicle such as the Titan or the Enforcer normally fares best. Those vehicles can normally withstand a number of hits.
Get the lowdown on Onrush's game modes here:
Talk to us about the vehicle classes: what tips would you give to players first starting out?
Each of the eight distinct vehicle classes has their own unique strengths, weaknesses and a load of abilities, too. For newcomers I’d recommend sticking to vehicles that are easier to handle and allow you to drive around the track naturally. Also, don’t worry about the abilities too much initially! I’d go with something like the Vortex, which is a good all-round vehicle. It’s very agile, good on all surfaces and decent in the air.
If you’re a newbie: don’t focus on combat. Focus on surviving above all else. Taking down some fodder and sticking with your team-mates is the best way to survive. Familiarise yourself with how each vehicle handles, figure out your way around some of the tracks and learn the basics of each game mode. Then you can start engaging with all the abilities to make sure you get the most out of each vehicle and start to use them to your advantage. You want to focus on using your boost and Rush effectively across all vehicles.
What’s the most ideal team composition? Would you say there’s an ideal class for beginners starting out?
I don’t think there is one ideal team composition really. I think it varies across all the modes, tracks and weather conditions. Ideally, you want to be mixing and matching based on your current circumstances.
I think you always need a balance. I don’t think there’s ever a situation where you all go for one vehicle class – if you do, you’ll definitely be at a disadvantage. The classes are essentially split into attack, defence and support, and I think you need a mixture in every team. You need someone to distribute boost, someone to defend your team and someone to go on the offensive and attack your opponents. Aside from in Switch, you can also react on the fly to the conditions and scenario of the game and mix things up if your current line up isn’t working.
What kind of abilities are on offer and when’s best to use them?
Every vehicle has a special ability, a Rush ability and a Rush ultimate. Each of them is quite distinct and offers varied in-play usage.
How you use each ability will depend on your vehicle class. If you’re going supportive or defensive your abilities will significantly aid your team-mates. If you’re more attack-minded your abilities will help you take down your opponents.
As for the best time to use them – that varies based on the mode, the track and the conditions. Obviously, in a mode like Overdrive it’s best to have Rush ready to use at the start of a round to give your team an instant advantage, but it can also be used to close out a tight round. So it all depends on the unique scenario a player finds themselves in.
And finally, what’s the one top tip you’d give to anyone playing Onrush?
Don’t treat Onrush like a racer. Don’t look for the apex or the racing line. You need to look at a track in a completely different way when you play it. Look for opportunities. Look for the jumps, look for the shortcuts and pay attention to what’s happening around you. Onrush is a team-based objective racer, so you need to dive in with a change of mindset.
Onrush is out June 5 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
