Garwoofoo

It doesn't look like it (at least not in Time Trial mode - haven't looked at Arcade yet). There's a set configuration for each trial that's shown before you begin.

Like most roguelikes, it's going to take a lot of runs to unlock the kind of permanent upgrades that make the whole thing manageable. You unlock racing styles, "favours" (bonuses) and permanent upgrades for each of the vehicles that carry over between runs, plus you can add to your pool of unlockable parts for purchase during the runs themselves. The logbook is quite daunting in terms of all the stuff there is to get.

The actual races don't seem to care what position you finish in, though, as long as you don't die. It's the Elimination races that can kick you out on your arse, and they can mostly be avoided on the map if that's not your thing.

Yes. That's just the tutorial race, and pretty heavily scripted. (It's well done, though, I didn't really think much of it at the time and it's got three grown men arguing over whether it was pre-planned or not, so it definitely did its job). I think the same thing happens to everyone.

The actual roguelike campaign mode, though, doesn't seem to be like that at all. I've only got up to the end of the qualifiers, but it ends in a head-to-head against an iconic Star Wars character (which makes a change from all the Glup Shittos up to that point) and I was quite cocky about it, thought I'd get another scripted narrow win… sadly I got absolutely humiliated by the guy who roared off into the distance immediately, and I failed my campaign as a result. That'll teach me.

There seems to be a lot of game here though. Loads and loads of unlocks, a big campaign mode, a whole ton of different time trials (there are about ten lots of these, including a dedicated pod racing section), an arcade mode and then a multiplayer section with its own progression and set of dedicated unlocks. Now if I could only stop driving straight into rock walls on Jakku….

I’ve played a bit too and it does seem really good. It really captures that Star Wars thing of everything mechanical feeling like a complete hunk of junk - the extended startup sequence, the sounds, the second and incredibly dangerous boost mechanic which feels like someone literally strapped an extra rocket onto your speeder - which isn’t something that the games usually go for. It’s very fast and I fear my old man reflexes won’t be up to the task but I’m having fun so far.

That's Cai's part 1 finished. Full of confidence, I jumped straight into part 2 and got absolutely battered in the first fight. Ouch. I'm not sure if completing the other routes as well will help me (I thought the teams only came together in part 3), or if it's simply a case of using what I've learned to build stronger teams for the other characters, but I've gone running back to part 1 with my tail between my legs.

Onto Theodora next I think, she seems like the most plot-heavy of all the characters. I might take a little break for a while though, it's going to be very easy to burn out on this game because it is very long and sometimes quite repetitive.