Airframe Ultra Feels Like Akira The Game, Complete With The Pipe Welding Street Brawlers 1
Image: Akupara Games

Do you like Akira? Mad Max? Cyberpunk? I hope you said yes to all of those, because you are in for an absolute treat today with the release of Airframe Ultra, a fast-paced death racer that takes you through a dangerous city on a dystopian future Earth, enhanced massively by the phenomenal art direction that looks as if pulled straight off the PS1.

Take your seat in an aftermarket Airframe, a futuristic hoverbike capable of intense speeds and ridiculous, life-threatening stunts. With great speed comes great responsibility, however; pushing your frame to its limit or missing a crucial corner can (and will, at least once) end both it and you, which isn't ideal if you are aiming to win.

The way the frame handles and the speed you have to control actually opens up quite a bit of room for skill expression, since the frame isn't a classic race car; it handles differently than you would expect, very much like the craft in WipEout. It glides and skims along surfaces with little resistance, so you constantly need to account for that lack of friction. I felt that the way the frame handles is almost perfect, as it felt distinct and fresh compared to many other racing games – even the aforementioned WipEout.

The really interesting part about Airframe Ultra, however, is the direct (and often quite funny) player-vs-player combat (which slightly reminded me of Gang Beasts, for some reason). Unlike some racers, where items can simply be thrown, Airframe Ultra has you get your hands a little bit dirtier, allowing you to actually hop off your vehicle and use weapons, Road Rash-style, such as hulking guns and classic baseball bats (or even just your bare hands and feet) to pummel your enemies.

Now you are obviously going to want to look the coolest when winning (or chewing the dirt) in these street brawls, right? You can customise everything from your helmet to your colours and frame, unlocking more outfits by racing, winning, and gaining infamy on the streets of Megacity West.

If you are a fan of Akira specifically, then I would highly recommend checking out Aiframe Ultra on Steam today, or even just giving the demo a go for free, as it seems highly inspired by the series but in such a tasteful way, carving out its own world at the same time.