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One of my favorite racing games of two years ago was Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged. It brought so many additions to the formula and proved that Milestone is at the top of its game when it comes to delivering racing experiences. Now, I got the chance to try Screamer before its 2026 launch, and I’m convinced that this is one of the most interactive and arcade-y racing games out there, and one I can’t wait to see once it is fully revived.
Twin-Stick Racing
It is worth noting that, although I only played a preview build of Screamer, it already featured many systems and vehicles that convinced me this was not just a run-of-the-mill racer. In this preview, I was able to pick between two types of races, leaders and members; the former had fewer racers, while the latter had more. Additionally, there were several tracks to try, each providing a distinct challenge in terms of layout and terrain.
Once I picked a character and their vehicle, I noticed that Screamer was unlike anything I had played before. For starters, it is a twin-stick racing game. Yes. I know how weird that might sound, but it is much better than I thought. For starters, your left stick controls your front wheels and the overall movement of the vehicle, while the right stick is in charge of your back wheels, which help you drift. It took me a while to get used to it, especially since I’m accustomed to a button performing the drift function for me. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see how intuitive and engaging this system was. It requires a lot of practice, though, but it is a mechanic I liked, as it provides a high skill ceiling that we rarely see in racing games.
Never a Dull Moment
The best way to describe Screamer is how it blends the arcade feel of a Mario Kart-like game with your usual Forza-type of races, in the sense that they feel more grounded. For starters, there aren’t power-ups or flying box gloves at all. Instead, you have two bars at the top that you can activate with L1 and R1. The left function allows you to shift gears. If you do it manually, your vehicle will receive a speed boost; however, if you miss it, the game will automatically do it, albeit with no boost at all. After filling up the bar, you’ll be able to activate a boost. When activating it, a timed prompt appears that you must hit to receive an even faster boost.
The right bar gives you a shield and strike function. The first allows you to protect your vehicle against attacks, while the second one lets you obliterate any car that crosses your way. It had some Burnout feel to it, and I’m glad to see vehicular destruction in a modern racing game, which, frankly, has been absent for a while.
While that’s as far as the preview build went in terms of gameplay, I was pleasantly surprised. Often, racing games tend to stick to the formula that Nintendo has pushed to the market. Fortunately, times are changing with games such as Sonic Racing: CrossWorld and now the upcoming Screamer. Hopefully, we’ll learn more about this bombastic racing title because it is one I am eager to try again due to its character designs, vehicular mayhem, and intricate drifting mechanics.
