DESCRIPTION

Combat racing — it's the wave of the future and the future is now! The year is 2408 and the most popular sport in the world takes place on four purpose-built racetracks around the globe and on Mars. The only people who don't like combat racers are combat racers — up to 19 rivals in any given race. Using power-ups, stealth technology, turbo boosters, intelligent missiles and more, these futuristic Dethkarz go bumper-to-bumper at breakneck speed with malevolent arsenals.

A dozen racetracks, three each at four locations, set the scene for pulse-pounding, fusion-powered intense combat racing. Located at Metro City, The Pole, Grand Keys and The Red Planet, each venue has short, medium and long track circuits. Races in Metro City take place among towering skyscrapers, The Pole features cliffs of ice among the frozen wasteland of Antartica and the super-rich vacation spot of the Grand Keys boasts undersea tunnels, islands and bridges. Racing gets out-of-this-world, literally, at the far reaches of outer space on the Mars track, a lethal combination of alien landscapes, volcanoes and deadly atmospheres.

In Dethkarz, you select any of 12 vehicles to race, each with unique combat, speed and handling capabilities. Cars are governed by six characteristics (difficulty, speed, acceleration, handling, weapon and armor) and all have either automatic or manual transmissions. There are four types of cars (Astor, Blitzwagon, Hyperon and Anassi) with three classes in each: starting Platinum, intermediate Iridium and ultimate Titanium.

Dethkarz is designed to expand as you advance. At the start of championship mode, the key to unlocking new cars and tracks, you have access only to Platinum Class cars and can only participate in the first of eight Race Corps championship seasons, the Pep Cup. Through qualifying and earning points by finishing in the top five positions in each race, advancement to tougher, longer seasons and better cars is achieved. Other modes of play include arcade, time trial and multiplayer.

In addition to four racing teams (Speedar Group, RKA-1 Collective, New Empire Racers and Team Kibachi) consisting of five drivers and cars that compete in each race, Dethkarz features nine power-ups ranging from heat seeking missiles and shields to nitro-boosts and bombs. Complementing the power-up weaponry are the two major types of firepower found on the cars, plasma cannons and pulse lasers, both of which can be recharged.

Dethkarz supports multiplayer action for up to eight combatants over a LAN or the Internet and two over modem or serial connection. The game also offers the option of 3D acceleration and force feedback controllers along with steering wheel, joystick, keyboard or gamepad input. Other options include easy, normal or hard difficulty settings, ghost car setups in time trial mode and choice of combat or non-combat racing.

Step into the future of auto racing — buckle in and hold on tight as you take it to the limit in Dethkarz! ~ Michael L. House, All Game Guide