Rev's Boxart
Rev is a racing/third person shooter game for PS3, PSN, and Facebook, developed by Empire Of Gold. It was released in turn 11.
Gameplay[]
The game sees the player participating in several street races, chase scenes involving criminals/cops, and occasionally stepping out of the car to take part in shootouts, played in a third-person view. The first half of the game is your standard drag race/lap race through city streets where K is aiming to win the races. The driving mechanics depend on which car K has, and there's 16 cars he can acquire throughout the entire game. K can have Jaysun make adjustments to his car, and change aspects of it to change how it handles.
During the second half of the game, Jaysun is killed and the game shifts to be a racing game where your goal is to outrun cops. The damage system is far more vital here, and there are many more obstacles to avoid. K has the ability to shoot his gun out the window during these segments as well. There are 4 instances during the second half of the game where K leaves his car and the game shifts to a third-person shooter style, where the player can take cover, and has to kill either cops or the loan shark's thugs.
The shooting mechanics are basic, and K only gets 2 guns throughout the entire game. He has a pistol, and later, a sub-machine gun. The shooting segments never exceed around 4 minutes each.
Facebook Version[]
The Facebook version is played in a 2.5D graphical style. The story remains largely the same, the only major difference being the exclusion of the Jaysun character all together (K can get his car upgraded at a garage, however). The story is told through comicbook-style graphic panels. The shooting segments are restricted to simply popping out of cover and shooting enemies. The Facebook version is free to play, with optional bonus cars and guns available via microtransactions. There is no multiplayer in the Facebook version, but players can send their best times on tracks to their friends, and challenge them to beat it.
Single Player Game Modes[]
- Campaign - Experience K's rise to infamy as he deals with dirty cops and tries to pay back a loan.
- Shooting Gallery - Hone K's skills as a shooter and practice on either dummy targets or real enemies
- Time Trial - Race through any of the levels, trying to attain the fastest time possible
Multiplayer Game Modes[]
The multiplayer requires an online pass code.
- Race - Race across one of the many tracks, lap-based, try to beat your frieds!
- Drag Race - Point A to point B, first one there wins!
- Deathmatch - Like race, but drivers can shoot guns. Be the last man standing to win.
- Shooter Deathmatch - No racing, just shooting! Kill as many enemies as possible!
Multiplayer Maps[]
There are 7 multiplayer maps total for racing modes, and 2 for shooting. They are as follows:
Racing[]
Racing maps are either drag races, point A to point B, or a street race, which sees players doing laps around a track (3, 5, or 7).
- Leviathan - A street racing map with the area consisting of large, skyscraper-like buildings and rich neighborhoods. This is a straight forward track with only a few twists and turns, however, traffic is a large factor.
- Destiny - A drag race map that runs parallel to a boardwalk and beach, characterized by the setting sun playing off the reflection of the water. Halfway through the map it begins raining.
- Badlands - A desert-like area that's done in a drag race style, with the map populated by cactuses, lots of hills, and occasional lizards.
- Home - K's neighborhood. A run-down street racing map, similar to a ghetto. Buildings are decorated with graffiti, illuminated by street lights. The map is set at night.
- Jaysun's Run - Jaysun's track, consisting of an area running through backstreets and tight alleys. This map is set in the early morning, and is a street racing map.
- Showdown - A drag racing map set in congruent parking garages. The track takes the racer up the levels, and then the racer goes over a jump, taking them from one parking garage to the next. The race then goes down the second garage. This map is set during the day, with a storm brewing.
- Difference - A drag racing map taking players throughout a variety of locales, including a shopping mall, through a corporate building, through a ghetto-like area, and finally racing through a pier. This map is set during the evening, while raining.
Shooting[]
Shooting maps are played in third person, and players use the shooting mechanics present in the single player. There are 6 weapons total. A 9mm pistol, dual berettas, a double-barrel shotgun, a pump-action shotgun, an M16 assault rifle, and a rocket launcher. Weapons are found throughout the map, as opposed to creating a loadout. All players start with a 9mm pistol.
- Parking Garage - Players have access to 2 levels of a parking garage, and can use cars to take cover. The only light provided is that from occasional overhead lightbulbs. This is a fairly small map.
- Wide Open - Players do combat in a large outdoor area, and can take cover behind benches, walls, buildings, and cars. This is a large map. It's set at dusk. As the map progresses, AI-Controlled law enforcement will occasionally enter the area and become a second enemy to players.
Story[]
K is a down-on-his-luck racer who was famous in the past, but is now a drunk. When his past (namely, a loan shark) comes knocking, looking to collect a large debt, K must step back into the driver's seat and race.
At the beginning of the game, K is pessimistic, and his only friend, a young kid named Jaysun, helps him get settled back in. K races on the streets against other street racers for the first several races, eventually earning enough to pay back the loan shark.
During the second half of the game, Jaysun is killed and K is forced to run from the loan sharks and police. K takes them halfway across the company before coming face-to-face with them. K is chased by them through a large skyscraper building, and in the end, crashes out one of the windows. His car falls at least 40 feet, and lands, mangled and on fire. The loan shark and police speculate about his death. A post-credits scene reveals K climbing out of the car, but his entire right arm and left leg are gone and his face is charred.
Sales/Post Release[]
Rev debuted at #5 on the charts, selling almost 500,000 copies in its first turn.
Kickstart Pack[]
The Kickstart Pack was revealed in Gamer Edge Magazine, set to be released in turn 13. It was later delayed to turn 14. It features 2 new racing maps, 1 new shooter map, 3 new cars, and 3 new weapons for the multiplayer portion of Rev. The pack will also feature 4 new songs that will automatically be integrated into the campaign and multiplayer modes. The Kickstart Pack injects Rev with 2 new racing multiplayer tracks, 1 new shooting multiplayer map, 3 new cars for single player and multiplayer, 3 new weapons for online shooting multiplayer, and 4 new music tracks for use in both online and offline play!
The new multiplayer tracks are as follows:
Hollow - Race through housing developments, with lots of sharp turns and debris to potentially avert your shortcuts! This is a racing track.
Relic - Take a drive through an underground archaeology dig site! Tight corridors and sharp turns make this track difficult to maneuver! Do you risk going through an abandoned mining shaft to gain the advantage? This is a drag racing track.
Shooting Map: Relic - Shoot it out in an underground archaeology dig site! Based on the drag race map, there's tight cover points and narrow corridors. Do you risk escaping into the mine shafts? Halfway through the map, a fourth of the map collapses and is inaccessible for the rest of the game.
New Cars: B901 Banger - A truck that's taken a beating, but can dish one out even better! This is a blue pick up truck with the paint chipping off, but it does massive damage to other vehicles.
XY Infinity - A luxurious sports car, available in red and yellow, it resembles something out of a sci fi movie. Fast, but has trouble with handling.
The Chugger - An old, used fix-er-uper. She can't move as fast as the other cars, but boy can she sustain the damage!
New Weapons: Semi-Auto Shotgun - This bad boy will destroy all in your path, but they need to be very close!
Dual Uzi's - These dual machine pistols have an extremely high rate of fire, but their accuracy is far from perfect.
Machete - The first melee weapon in Rev, if you get hit with the machete, you're dead, but you have to get in close to use it!
New Music Tracks:
"Kickstart My Heart" - Motley Crue
"One More Lie" - Aranda
"Ropes" - In Flames
"Made Of Scars" - Stone Sour
The DLC pack was released for free.
Overdrive Pack[]
The Overdrive Pack was released in turn 20. It adds three new tracks, and one shooting map to the game. It was released for free. The new maps are as follows:
Jaysun's Grave - Race around, and through, the cemetary where Jaysun is buried. Features lots of obstacles in the forms of a hearse and headstones. This is a street race track.
Home - Home is a foreboding, creepy dirt road surrounding a scary-looking farmhouse. During the last lap, screams can be heard from inside the house, and a man will emerge from the door wielding a chainsaw. The track features tight turns and curves, waving through the barn. This is a street race track.
Metal Injection - Race through an auto shop, cut through an alley into a corporate office, and be the first to crash through a fast food restaurant! Metal injection is the map for you if you're craving speed. This is a drag racing track.
And the new shooting level is as follows:
Home - Duke it out in the creepy setting of Home! Based on the track, halfway through the map, the killer will emerge from his house wielding a chainsaw. He will pursue players, and if he reaches you, you're instantly dead. He can be killed, but it takes an enormous amount of ammo and teamwork. If the players kill the killer, two more emerge from the house, identical to the first. If the players manage to kill these 2, they will unlock a trophy, followed by a victory screen for all players.
The Walking Dead[]
In turn 21, it was announced that Rev would be receiving its first paid DLC in the form of an expansion pack known as The Walking Dead. As the name suggests, The Walking Dead is a crossover between Rev and The Walking Dead. Rev: The Walking Dead is the biggest expansion to Rev yet, with the great reception that the multiplayer map "Home" received from the pack before, The Walking Dead adds the same type of horror and scares Rev fans are after! In the new complete "The Walking Dead" campaign, players will control K and Jaysun as the zombie apocalypse ensues. The story begins when K and Jaysun are practicing racing, and the infected attack. Together, they begin rallying survivors, but their attempts prove futile as the undead reign hell on the city. Deciding to run to the country side, K and Jaysun eventually meet up with a man named Morales, who's lost his family. Morales joins the group, and they continue to push towards the edge of the city, having to fight through looters, and the undead, to reach it. In the climax, as they reach the edge of the city, Morales snaps and kills Jaysun, causing K to crash the car. K emerges from the burning car, heavily wounded. A wall of zombies is approaching him. K picks up his gun, and the player kills as many of the zombies as they can, before being devoured. The Walking Dead campaign has been completely reworked from the original game, allowing for an open world game. Players are given checkpoints to complete missions, but can also drive around. If the player helps a stranger, they may be rewarded with ammo or gas for the car, or they may be attacked. Players can choose to help or kill survivors, looting them if they wish. Zombies also populate the city, and if the player kills several of them, they'll be less prominent in the later levels of the game. Jaysun, while not directly controllable, can be sent on scavenging missions in between missions, as can Morales when he joins. The zombies move slowly, but are usually seen in herds, and can be deadly if underestimated. K can now leave the car at will, and when he does, the game plays identical to Rev's shooting missions. The Walking Dead introduces several new weapons: .357 Revolver - Powerful, but only holds 6 shots Double Barrel Shotgun - The most powerful shotgun, but has a long reload time, and only holds 2 shells Machete - Hack through the undead! Machine Pistol - Effective in small bursts, but low damage Equalizer - A powerful handgun,but only holds 1 bullet. Instantly kills, however. In addition, K receives one new car. During the whole campaign, K can only have 2 different cars. The new car is a banger that can mow down zombies, but doesn't move too fast. The other is the car K starts with in the original Rev, which moves fast but can't take much damage. Cars cannot be upgraded in The Walking Dead. A hooded man can be found in various places around the city, and this is where K can sell, trade, and buy his weapons. The Equalizer, however, can only be attained by killing a survivor known as "X", who runs a gang of looters. Killing him will give K the Equalizer, and severely limit the number of looters. X can only be killed starting from the second-to-last mission, and is a sidequest. Aside from Morales, no characters from the Walking Dead comic or TV show appear. However, Shane and Rick are mentioned by Morales, and easter eggs refer to the characters of Daryl, Merle, and Tyrese.
Rev 1.5[]
A large patch came out for Rev in turn 42. It was not previously announced, and as such, took a bit for players to realize it had been released. Various graphical glitches were fixed, alternate paint schemes for a few vehicles ('81 XF Zoom, Elevation Z, and the Rusher) were added in, along with five new music tracks:
"All Rise" - Woverwar
"Can You Feel My Heart" - Bring Me The Horzion
"Tough Guy" - Celldweller
"Coming Down" - Five Finger Death Punch
"The Blister Exists" - Slipknot
Soundtrack[]
The game features a tense, electronic track as the menu music. The soundtrack is a blend of predominantly hard rock music with occasional industrial/electronic elements. During racing, the following tracks cycle:
"Last Of The Real" - Stone Sour
"Shallow Bay" - Breaking Benjamin
"Villify" - Device
"Levitate (Rock Mix)" - Hollywood Undead
"Soundtrack (Meteora Demo)" - Linkin Park
"Not That Beautiful" - Papa Roach
"Lies Greed Misery" - Linkin Park
"Whisper" - Evanescence
"Lhabia" - Deftones
"Let The Madness Begin" - Fozzy
Players can also play their own music through their console. (PS3/PSN Only).
After players beat the game, the following tracks are unlocked and added to the cycle:
"Down Through The Ages" - All That Remains
"First Time" - Finger Eleven
"Sad But True" - Metallica
"Bones" - Young Guns
"Bring It" - Trapt
"Kickstart My Heart" - Motley Crue*
"One More Lie" - Aranda*
"Ropes" - In Flames*
"Made Of Scars" - Stone Sour*
"All Rise" - Woverwar**
"Can You Feel My Heart" - Bring Me The Horzion**
"Tough Guy" - Celldweller**
"Coming Down" - Five Finger Death Punch**
"The Blister Exists" - Slipknot**
- = Part of the Kickstart DLC Pack
- = Free, part of the Rev 1.5 Patch.
Pre-Release/Reveal[]
The game was revealed in a live q-and-a session on Empire Of Gold's twitter in turn 9. All known details were revealed. The game was also prescreened with IGN, who had this to say:
IGN
"Even though this game doesn't innovate when it comes to racing, the gritty, industrial style, hard rock music, tense chases, and occasional gunplay make this a versatile, dark package."
Animated Film[]
An animated film was released alongside the film. The film was entitled "Rev: Origins" and features anime-styled visuals. The story highlights K back in his heyday as a street racer, showing the dark side of his past, including how he fell into debt, and the horrible things he did. The film was released on DVD/Blu-Ray in turn 11. It has a runtime of 58 minutes. Special features on the disc include a special documentary of the making of Rev, three tracks off the soundtrack, and an exclusive wallpaper.
Plot[]
In the beginning of the film, K is racing aganst several other street racers. He beats them all by a landslide, and collects his winnings. Not long after, police attempt to arrest K at the race site, but his bodyguards kill the cops. Then, one of the bodyguards turns on K, shooting him and leaving with K's winnings. K awakens and stitches his wound, before setting out to kill the man who betrayed him. He finds the man's wife and threatens her, but she doesn't give him any information. K leaves her alive, and instead takes out a large loan. He buys a new car, and several guns.
K then sets out looking for information on the bodyguard, eventually stumbling upon his name. K hunts him down and beats the man to a pulp. The man laughs as he bleeds, claiming he turned K into a monster. The man then reveals he's an undercover cop (a dirty one, letting fellow officers be killed). Several officers burst into the room K and the bodyguard are in, and attempt to apprehend K. K manages to take them all out without killing them, but the bodyguard attempts to escape. K shoots one of his legs off with a shotgun. K then puts a bullet in his head, before leaving the building. He looks very messed up, bleeding all over, and heavily bruised.
Reviews[]
The reviews for Rev have been positive, with reviewers citing the racing mechanics and story as both unique, but familiar to fans of the genre. Reviewers praised the way the gameplay evolved with the story, constantly keeping things fresh. The shooting segments and multiplayer were met with lukewarm to mixed reviews, but overall, the game was well-received.
IGN
"Rev presents a very unique twist on the racing genre. The first half of the game is your standard stret racing fare, while the second half presents you with shootouts, chase sequences with epic action moments, and a hell of a lot of plot twists. The story is a well-thought out tale of vengeance. The shooting segments are barebones, but good enough to evenly break up the pace. The online is alright, fun for the races, but the single player is what shines. While the game isn't bug free, it's certainly an entertaining racing experience." OVERALL SCORE: 8/10
GAMESPOT
"While Rev isn't going to win any fans in the shooting department, the racing segments are sheer fun. It's a blast to play through. The variety of missions, races, cars, etc keep everything fresh. K is an interesting protagonist with more than a few skeletons in his closet. Overall, Rev is an enjoyable racing experience that any fan should pick up. Just don't expect the shooting segments to satisfy. They come off as more filler than anything else. Don't even bother with the online, it's barren and lacks the punch of the campaign. But this is a racing experience not to be missed." OVERALL SCORE: 8/10
GAMETRAILERS
"It's odd when a racing game employs characteristics from so many different genres, and does so while making them interesting. Granted, the shooting sections are nowhere near as fleshed out as the racing portions, but they're quite interesting. Even the shooting mode online works somewhat well. This is a quite enjoyable game that shooting, and racing fans, will enjoy. The online's rather lacking as far as quality, but there's a definitive uniqueness to the campaign, and it's good. Very good." OVERALL SCORE: 8.5/10
Facebook Version[]
The reception to the Facebook version of the game has been mixed to good, with reviewers citing the fact that the whole game is free as a plus, but the races are "far less fun than on the consoles, and the shooting is downright pitiful." The game received an overall score of 5.5/10.
Kickstart Pack[]
The Kickstart Pack was received favorably, with reviewers citing the new cars, tracks, and maps all as being on par with, or better than, the ones that shipped with the game. Criticism was aimed at the large, mandatory file download, however. But overall, the DLC was well received. The deathmatch shooting maps were met with lukewarm response, however. OVERALL SCORE: 7/10
Overdrive Pack[]
The Overdrive Pack received an average to positive reception. Much praise was given to the map Home, both its racing and shooting versions, for adding a new horror-like layer. The reception to the other maps was more on the average side. OVERALL SCORE: 7/10
The Walking Dead[]
The Walking Dead is the best-received Rev DLC yet. Critics praised the story, though some felt it bordered on campy at times. The reworked shooting system received praise, as did the realistic apocalypse scenario. However, the ending was criticized for being too similar to Lost Sanity 's DLC Echoes' ending. The notable lack of characters/events/mentions from The Walking Dead was also criticized, and reviewers questioned why Empire Of Gold forked out the money to use the name when there's so little mentions. Regardless, the DLC was praised overall. OVERALLM SCORE: 8.2/10
Awards[]
During the firstVideo Game Awards Show , Rev received the award for Best Racing Game and nominated for Best PS3 Game and Best Multiplayer. The Walking Dead DLC was nominated for Best DLC.