Fast & Furious 6

It's a slight surprise to discover that 'they' are still making Fast & Furious films.

It's no surprise, however, to discover there's a tie-in game for the latest instalment of Vin Diesel's action franchise.

This time around, though, it's not as bad as you'd probably think. Or expect. That's because Gameloft has done away with the whole stealing cars angle and replaced it with street races.

In this clearly OutRun- and Burnout-inspired title, you step behind the wheel of the cars from the movie and race as one of the many characters.

Beating down the competition

As you no doubt would have guessed, you travel all over the world in this game, meaning you'll be driving past landmarks aplenty just to prove where you are. But that's largely irrelevant, as it'll all be hurtling past you as you fight off your opponents via the Burnout-esque takedowns.

It isn't just races you'll have to take foes out in, as you'll also be going up against opponents and even the police in Drift challenges, Head-to-Head races, "Collector" missions, and destruction-fuelled Beat em' All stages.

Because your car automatically accelerates, the levels are deceptively simple here. You're responsible for steering and braking, though you can also use boost to get ahead of the competition.

To drift, you press a button while turning, meaning you don't have to fiddle with the brakes in the process.

Turbo boost

Despite this simple setup, Fast & Furious 6 does boast some depth thanks to car upgrades earned and purchased through races.

By tweaking your motor at opportune moments, you'll end up with a car that handles better, has a stronger boost, and more efficient brakes. For a Java game, this kind of upgrade path is wonderfully complex.

Fast & Furious 6 isn't a half-arsed attempt to satiate petrolheads. Instead, it's a considered game that's a fair bit of fun, even if repetition creeps in after a while.

Fast & Furious 6

Gameloft has created a solid and fun Java racing game here. While there is depth, it's not enough to make the joy last for that long, mind
Score
Vaughn Highfield
Vaughn Highfield
Quite possibly the tallest man in games, Vaughn has been enamoured with video games from a young age. However, it wasn't until he spent some time writing for the student newspaper that he realised he had a knack for talking people's ears off about his favourite pastime. Since then, he's been forging a path to the career he loves... even if it doesn't love him back.