Screamer is one of the rarest propositions in modern video games—something that feels genuinely new. Combining high intensity racing with an anime-inspired story mode, Screamer transforms tearing up the tarmac into a gripping, multi-arc, multi-character adventure.

In Screamer’s less-than-optimistic vision of the future, climate change has ravaged Earth. While the ultra-rich race to colonize outer space, most humans are left behind, scrabbling to earn a living any way they can. For many, the only way to survive is to break the law—and for those gifted behind the wheel, a planet-spanning illegal street racing tournament offers an answer. Dubbed the Screamer tournament,  there is $10 billion dollars in prize money on the line, motivating the world’s best racers to converge on Neo Rey city.

If you want a shot at winning the $10 billion, then consider this guide your shonen training arc. There are a lot of interwoven systems at work in Screamer, ensuring that each new race feels equal parts nerve-wracking and fun. Luckily, you won’t be braving the neon-drenched streets of Neo Rey empty-handed, as this guide will arm you with every bit of knowledge that you need in order to skid your way to victory. Don your helmet, dim the lights, and start the ignition, as we’ll soon have you quipping and drifting along with Crunchyroll’s spikey-haired best.

 

Get a shift on

Unlike most arcade racers, you’re rewarded for shifting gears manually in Screamer. Gear shifts here are made using Active Shift, a system inspired by Gears of War’s beloved active reload system. As you accelerate, a well-timed tap of the Left Bumper in Screamer sees you shift smoothly into the next gear.

Not only is it hugely satisfying to do, but pulling off a successful Active Shift also rewards you with a small speed boost and a bit of Sync—more on that later.

While you can technically let Screamer shift gears for you automatically, these shifts are far slower than Active Shifts, keeping you in a lower gear for much longer than necessary while also failing to reward you with that much-needed Sync or speed boost—so get in the habit of tapping that bumper! As you take on a troupe of J-pop singers and even a sunglasses-donning Corgi on the mean streets of Neo Rey, Active Shifts will be the key to leaving your increasingly oddball opponents choking on your virtual dust.

 

Twin-stick drifts? In this economy?

While the left analog stick steers much as you’d expect, Screamer is one of the rare racers to utilise twin-stick drifts.  As you tackle a tight turn, initiate a drift by tilting the right stick in the direction you want to skid in, sending your car screeching suddenly around the corner. 

Since they're assigned to an analog stick, drifts are both far more precise (and far more sensitive) than you  might expect, so gentle movements are crucial. Tiny flicks pre-turn is the smart move, as the further you tilt the stick, the harder the drift and the tighter the angle. Much like any gameplay mechanic worth its salt, it takes a lot of practice to get into the groove of Screamer’s drifts—but once you settle into its rhythm, you’ll soon be cornering with the best of them.

 

Wahoo?

What would a racing game be without a cheeky pre-match boost? Much like Mario Kart, Screamer has a pre-starting line boost, known here as the Perfect Launch. As you rev up your engine before the race, a button prompt will flash. Tap the Left Bumper as the race announcer screams “Burn!” and you’ll ensure that your race gets off to a screaming start.

 

Everything but the kitchen Sync

In this futuristic racer you have more than just petrol and gears on your side—you’re also armed with a  trusty Sync meter. As mentioned, good driving helps build up your Sync meter faster, with perfectly timed Active Shifts giving you a little boost. So, what is a Sync meter? Great question! 

Sync can be used for either shielding or boosting, with both abilities pooling from the same bar. 

Boosts in Screamer function closer to a short powerup than an immediate speed burst. Once you have amassed one full bar of Sync, hold down the boost button until an on-screen prompt appears. Once you see that, release it and your vehicle will be propelled forward in a burst of speed that continues for a few seconds. How long that boost lasts depends on how well you time your release. A normal boost lasts around three seconds, whereas if you manage to release the button prompt perfectly in time (releasing in the smaller yellow zone of the button prompt) you can enjoy a boost that lasts for five seconds.

Shielding does exactly what it says on the tin, allowing you to protect yourself from a deadly ram attack from other racers for five seconds. In a nice touch, successfully shielding an attack rewards you by refunding the bar of Sync you just spent, allowing you to boost your way to safety or even shield again if you’re under relentless attack. It’s worth noting that shields have a one second cooldown however, leaving you briefly vulnerable—so be sure to get yourself away from other racers once your shield begins to wane.

It’s worth noting that while a tiny bit of Sync builds up passively, it’s incredibly slow—so you’ll want to do everything you can to increase it. Snaking your opponents also helps to build up Sync, so try to combine that with Active Shifts and smooth drifting to keep your speed up and that Sync bar rising.

 

Entropy

Sync is vital to speed and racing, but Entropy is what you’ll need when things get hairy. Entropy is how you fight back, launching brutal attacks against your troublesome rivals. Entropy costs Sync, and allows you to transform your car into a glowing battering ram and launch directly into an opponent, causing them to explode into tiny smithereens. Strikes essentially turn your boosts into a deadly weapon, turning your slick-looking ride into a deadly missile. Awesome.

Once you’ve maxed out your Entropy Gauge, you can put your car into Overdrive, pressing both analog sticks in to turn your HUD purple and ignite your car in a burst of flames. Much like consuming a Star in Mario Kart, Overdrive sends you hurtling across the tarmac at the highest speed possible, allowing you to KO players on contact while doubling the length of your shield. Pro tip: Use this when all your opponents are close by, allowing you to take out multiple rivals in one deadly flame-licked swoop. Glorious.
 

Team tactics 

In Screamer, competitors enter the tourney as teams, racing together to take down groups of rivals. Swapping between the perspectives of the various racing teams over the course of the campaign, players uncover each driver's unique motivations for entering the tournament—and the bitter rivalries between competing outfits. While you’ll take part in your fair share of solo races, Team Races force you to compete (and win) as a trio. These tense encounters bring the dynamic of the static storyboards to the racetrack.

While being the first one over the finish line is enough to secure your podium finish in other modes, Team Races require a team point total in order to claim victory. Luckily, it doesn’t matter if some of your teammates lag behind—as long as they make up for it by taking out other opponents. With each KO rewarding points, balancing speedy lap times with clever shielding and ruthless Knockouts is the best overall way to ensure victory.

Screamer is available now on the Epic Games Store.