TheOverclocker Issue 42 | Page 35

the rocket on the back of your car generating maximum boost you can indeed fly around the map . The boost is used fairly quickly whether you ’ re on the ground or in the air , with a full charge netting you only a few seconds of use before it is fully depleted .
An alternative to getting high speed without using boost is dodging - repeatedly dodging forwards while driving in the same direction will ultimately get you to the same speed as boost , although it will take longer and you don ’ t have as much control over your car . Likewise , repeated bicycle kicks while reversing will get you the same speed in reverse , although it ’ s worth noting that this is the only way to move at high speed in reverse . Boost can only move your car forwards .
There are a plethora of tricks to master , with built in tutorials teaching you most of the basics . Others will need to be learnt on your own , such as the “ half flip ” which allows you to go from flat out in reverse to facing the correct direction without having to come to a stop .
Another you ’ ll need to learn early on is the use of the handbrake . It may seem a strange addition in a game that ’ s based in a large field , but the cars have a fairly wide turning radius , and the handbrake can swing you around much quicker . Coming down from an aerial shot at a bad angle ( such as sideways ) can often be fixed while mid-air , but if you can ’ t correct it in time it means that your car will grind to a complete halt . Holding down handbrake as you land will allow you to slide back into the correct direction with minimal speed loss .
Crashing into an opponent with enough speed will demolish their car , causing them to respawn after a few seconds in one of their own corners of the map . This is a neat tactic for removing defenders if there are too many for you to score .
Even without enough speed , bumping into them will nudge them out of the way , either causing them to miss the shot they ’ re about to take or the block they ’ re about to perform . One of the most entertaining “ achievements ” the game has to offer is called the pool shot , where score by knocking an opponent into the ball which then passes the goal line .
The game will take you many hundreds of hours to master , but at no point does it feel laborious . Much like a proper soccer , rugby or cricket game , no two matches are alike and each is as exciting as the next .
Progression is tracked on a global , multiplatform leader board ( the game has complete cross-platform compatibility , meaning that you may find yourself against a console player without ever knowing ), although other than progressing through the ranks it does nothing to
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