Cyber Clutch is one of the latest futuristic racing games from Lion Castle B.V. There’s nothing like the thrill of a good racer. The lights go green, your thumb hovers on the trigger, and suddenly you’re thrown backwards as your car goes forward at breakneck speed, leaving common sense in the dust. That’s the magic games like Wipeout and F-Zero gave us, and it’s what Cyber Clutch clearly wants to recapture on the PS5.
And to be fair, on first impression, you’ll think they’ve cracked it. The opening lap seduces you in like a beautiful bride on your wedding day — neon tracks, thumping beats, and cars that look like they were designed by the same crowd who do the concept art for Tokyo auto shows. But, as I know all too well, often when the honeymoon ends, you are left wanting more than just style over substance.
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: this game is gorgeous. Cyber Clutch is the type of title that’ll make your mates go “what’s that you’re playing?” when they walk past the television. The tracks weave through glowing cityscapes, futuristic skylines, and tunnels lit up like a rave back in the good old days. It ran pretty perfectly performance-wise, with no stutters, no load times worth mentioning, just pure spectacle.
Are you up for a ride?
The haptics on the DualSense add to the experience, too. Every bump, knock, and crash rattles through the controller with satisfying heft. The presentation as a whole is great.
So far, so good. But good things must come to an end. Once you look past the neon, Cyber Clutch starts showing its flaws.
The handling, for one, is all over the shop. One race, your car can feel like it’s glued to the road, and the next it’s skidding around corners like Bambi on ice. It’s inconsistent and, worse, unpredictable. It makes mastering a track nigh on impossible.
The AI does not help matters. Sometimes they’re pottering along like they’re on the way to Sunday mass. Other times, they’re rubber-banding so aggressively you’d swear they’ve become possessed. Losing because you made a mistake is fine. Losing because the game refuses to let you win is a different story. That is the kind of thing that makes you think twice before joining the starting grid again.
Career mode, meanwhile, is pretty dull. You’ve got your series of events, a few unlocks, and some cosmetic upgrades to unlock, but there’s no spark to it. No story, no inventive challenges, no reason to keep grinding except to unlock another shiny coat of paint. There really is no hook to bring you back wanting more.
Start Your Engines
Multiplayer should be the saving grace for every racing game. Racing against real people adds that unpredictability and satisfaction that you can’t get from beating AI. When it works, it’s great. Trading paint with a stranger, cutting them off on the final bend, and boosting over the finish line is where Cyber Clutch shines brightest. However, the matchmaking is hit-and-miss at times. The servers sometimes stutter just when you’re finding your groove. The handling is still an issue, but it feels fairer because everyone has the same issue.
Another plus is the Audio. The soundtrack complements the visuals. Synth tracks that harken back to the good old days in a nightclub or blasting out of a lad’s souped-up hatchback in a car park. It really does add to the atmosphere, it does give an old school Wipeout vibe
Top Gear or Dodgy Gear?
Underneath the shiny visuals and basslines, Cyber Clutch feels like a game that hasn’t picked a lane (pun intended). Is it a fun, pick-up-and-play arcade racer? Or is it trying to be a more technical game for the hardcore audience? It doesn’t fully feel like either, and as a result, you feel short-changed either way
For casual players, the inconsistent handling and dodgy AI will grate quickly. For the hardcore crowd, the barely-there nature of career mode won’t be enough to satisfy you. The lack of consistency when it comes to matchmaking and the lag issues these make Multiplayer a little difficult to recommend.
It’s not all doom and gloom. The game has undoubted moments of greatness. Nailing a perfect drift, chaining it into a boost, and snatching victory on the line is exhilarating. When it all comes together, you can see the potential in this game; with a few developer patches, this could prove to be a sleeper hit.
Cyber Clutch is the gaming equivalent of a Love Island contestant; great to look at, but lacking real substance.
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