As genre-fusions go, mixing the early-90s arcade racer with a dating sim has to be one of the most unexpected. But that’s exactly what RedDeerGames have done with Nirvana Pilot Yume, finding room to squash in some retrowave anime influences too as it launches on Xbox.
Nirvana Pilot Yume is out now on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and, thanks to a previous release, on Nintendo Switch.
There’s so much that’s intriguing about Nirvana Pilot Yume that we barely know where to start. It’s 3080 and you are Eye Adalaine, a retired co-pilot of Ultrathought Spaceships. You were once best-in-class, but an accident sent you reeling, and now Yume, an ambitious pilot is looking to get you back in the race. So far, so ‘retired cop with one last case’.
But Ultrathought Spaceships are not your conventional racers. These are ships that are capable of breaking the Speed of Light barrier, and they are the glue that’s holding the various nations of the world together. Everyone gathers together for the Great Ultrathought Race of the Universe (GURU, nice), and it’s a unifying event.
This is where the first half of Nirvana Pilot Yume’s gameplay kicks in. There are 11 races to participate in, and a trophy to grab at the end of them all. RedDeerGames are at pains to point out that their references are racing games circa ‘93, which we think means F-Zero and Wipeout, particularly as Nirvana Pilot Yume comes furnished with a fantastic metalwave soundtrack from Retröxx.
The sport is an emotional one, which invites the second half of Yume’s gameplay. There is a dating simulator that plays out in the downtime between races, and RedDeerGames are not afraid to push the boundaries of how dating simulators are portrayed. Not only is there a far-future, sci-fi backdrop to the relationships, but they are aimed at 18+, so it doesn’t shirk from the sexual side of Ultrathought racing.
Features include:
- 12 story events with multiple paths and 4 different story endings
- Sexy scenes not just for the sake of it, they are part of a story!
- 10+1 space races set in retro-themed, low poly environments with a gameplay inspired to a 1993 classic games
- For space racers: jump in the Arcade mode and train your Nirvana Pilot reflexes!
- Crazy metalwave soundtrack by Retröxx
We’re well on board. These kinds of genre fusions are always intriguing, and so much thought and artistry has gone into creating this world that we’re eager to see how it plays out. It certainly gives a new meaning to speed-dating and we’ll find out how it all plays once our full review goes live.
Nirvana Pilot Yume is out now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S and starts at £6.69 from the Xbox Store. Just be aware it’s listed under the Creators Collection so may not come with achievements. It’s also out on Switch.
Game Description:
Nirvana Pilot Yume is the cure for your ‘80s sci-fi anime nostalgia. Turn on the neon lights and raise the volume of the synthwave soundtrack: welcome to 3080. The barrier of the Speed of Light has been broken, and the Atanasij Power Engines allow spaceships to travel at Ultrathought speed. War is just a memory, and interplanetary disputes are now settled in the G.U.R.U. (Great Ultrathought Race of the Universe), where selected pilots of each Orbital City compete in enormous interplanetary circuits. A ‚Pilot’ and an ‚Eye’ are required to drive the Ultrathought Spaceships: during the Nirvana Sync, they experience a strong, intimate bond and they can drive the ship as if they were a single organism. You are the legendary Eye Aldaine, now retired and fallen in disgrace after a tragic accident. Yume is a young and ambitious girl who wants to become a Nirvana Pilot at all costs. Breaking into your life, she asks your help to master the incredible speed of the Ultra-Engine. Your choices and your piloting skills will define your destiny. Will you be able to win back your place among the best pilots of Alba Proxima?
