Speed Balancer

2 comments on “Speed Balancer”

1. Okay, credit where it’s due. This car, mixed up my brain good. No, seriously, usually I rely on the camera to help how the car turns, but once I had to see it for myself, I was familiar enough with 4-wheel steering. Actually, is not even close. It’s technically that, except the rear ones steer the sae way as the front in the same perspective, which makes you think, how can it turn like that? Simple. One way to make a clear comparison, imagine the buggy chassis is the turret, one that points forwards all the time in a camera perspective (like in familiar tank games) and the wheels are the actual body/tracks of a tank. It’s damn fast, but controls averagely. But except, it controls mighty fine too, once you get accustomed to how this car works.

   And people say Humma/Rotor is quirky, or other custom cars like drifty slidy ones such as Zettari and Super Feria, but nothing like this. This is unique in it’s own right. Outstanding job.

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2. That’s a curious one. When you read the description and see “single-direction, 4-wheel steering system”, obvious first thought is a crabbing mess. Couldn’t be further from the truth actually, but first things first.

   It’s a buggy. Enough said. Being a repaint, all the major features of the base remain intact and give a good impression. What Speed Balancer improves upon is the paintjob, offering very detailed, clean and high quality texture. Shiny details compose well with base grey, and – when you take into account all the shading around faux vents and such – make the body look like a properly made diecast, not an RC made out of plastic. Top notch.

   Before we head into the race, a word about stats. Even the parameter pars in car selection indicate it’s hella fast, beyond what a Semi-Pro shoud be able to achieve. And yes, top speed is enormous for that rating at whopping 63 kph – but don’t say it’s OP just yet, because we’re racing. And as soon as you reach the first corner, it becomes clear why top speed is so high – and why acceleration isn’t too shabby at all.

   Steering racks move exactly like they should. The crabbing I mentioned earlier is never a thing. Once you get past initial uneasy feeling of the front not pointing exactly where you’re going, you’ll start to really enjoy the 4-wheel steering for what it is. End result of what I can only assume was an extensive balancing effort is a system that gives you exactly the amount of turn you need. At low speed you can tapsteer to tiptoe through tight sections, and it’ll work well enough; at midrange it’ll be manoeuverable while still accelerating, thanks to lack of sideways friction on drive axles; finally, at high speed it’ll turn in properly without dropping too much speed. Add a suspension that works brilliantly on bumps and provides full power pretty much anywhere you go, and you’re left with a great ATV racer.

   How is that not OP then? Well, Re-Volt is a vehicular combat game. And combat is where, to be frank, Speed Balancer sucks. At 1.8 kg it’s not exactly a lightweight, yes – but it’s still incredibly vulnerable to touches and weapon hits. One tap from an opponent and you’re going sideways, and – by the way – that very same steering system you liked so much makes it impossible to use beneficial oversteer to straighten the car out, since there is none available. One hit from as much as a water balloon, and you’re flying off track without any control over the car – only way to go back is a quick reset. Landings might also end with a flip or worse, since the weight balance seems to be shifted slightly to the front and causes the car to bounce back improperly when regaining contact.

   Overall, Speed Balancer one of the best quirky cars I’ve come across in the game to date. It’s incredibly fun to drive, seems to be accesible to low skill players thanks to superb traction and great balance of steering, while still requiring work to master all of its features. I love it.

   Pros:
   – Incredible HQ visuals with lots of details that still fit into the base game
   – MARVELOUS execution of the general idea behind the car, with steering system offering exactly what driver expects from it
   – Well working suspension making it easier to maintain speed on loose surface, like a buggy should be
   – Params play a major role in the car’s balance instead of just being done to rating’s theoretical rackets…

   Cons:
   – … but at first glance they seem excessive relative to rating, which may scare someone off
   – Some benefits of 2-wheel steering are lost due to the very nature of the car, making it absolutely imperative to adjust the whole driving style to it
   – Exceptional vulnerability to any kinds of hits
   – No allusions or easter eggs related to crabs anywhere on the car, smh

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