The thrill of a highway run is usually all about the rush of whizzing past what you feel is standstill traffic, weaving in and out at speeds that are way above the limit. You would think a sudden stop would be just as brutal, but it just resets you back, as if the universe is telling you, ‘Go again.’
Lanesplit on paper feels like a pretty good endless racing game that matches the speed and intensity of dodging traffic on the road as the music kicks in, but after playing it, it does make me want something more, something that could make it stand out more.
Presentation
Once you load into one of its three levels, whether it is on Dry condition or Wets, and your character straddles onto a bike, they peel off from the parking bay. It’s only you and the bike as the music gradually builds up, the Drum N Bass soundtrack welcoming you as the speed rises and the traffic is picking up steam, it goes as loud as both the wind and the sound of the engine, for as long as you want it to. 
The atmosphere itself does sell the game in how it looks, despite how the graphics does look rather flat at times, probably on purpose to make the riding part feel as quick, though during my time in more higher levels of traffic, no matter which map, does experience some hitching that could break a run most of the time, it perhaps streaming a bit too much traffic for my CPU to handle but it does lead to more intense moment where I tried to save a run when I lost control in a fraction of a section.
The soundtrack is perhaps the star of the show, or rather the game. The loading screen music brings you into a sense of lull that perhaps acts as the starter course, as once you hop into one of these metal beasts, that DnB kicks in, and you’re in second heaven at times. The Rush Hour awaits, and it does have a nice touch when you slow down too much or crash, the music just stops, like finishing Hotline Miami, and it just cuts out, after which is seeing how much you scored, and how you could have scored more if you hadn’t crashed.
Another misfire that I feel could be improved upon is the UI, which looks bland and could have used some styling that could make it stand out, like its closest car-related rival, perhaps the still-in-development Nightrunners, and that also has this sort of UI, but frames it in a way that feels more alive.
Gameplay![]()
The handling of the bikes varies from its shape and size, as they would, but it helps sell the notion that even a bike that kinda looks like a Honda Mio could breeze past traffic without any issues, the rush of adrenaline flowing as the score ticks on higher. It handles well on both gamepad and keyboard, a solid plus since this is just about finding the right spot to slot your motorcycle and what better tool for it than the arrow keys sometimes.
And while the rush of racing against traffic, dodging danger, is fun, I do feel there should be more impact for when you mess up, as in some instances a crash would have a fade-to-black, but some bumps just knock our rider back a few notches, and that’s it. I’m not advocating for something visceral like getting flung onto the pavement or something, but a knock-down of our character, then walking back to our bike a la Road Rash would be enough to sell the notion that you crashed hard, of the sort, anyway.
The gameplay mode also feels it needs more substance, like there is the Rush Hour mode (with max traffic and chaos) and Zen mode (just vibe with the DnB soundtrack), but besides racing with your homies in multiplayer, there’s not much to do here, gameplay-wise. Like, the core loop is fun, but it’s not really a long-haul type of game once you unlock all the bikes or become the top rider in the world. Like having rivals on the road in single player could add to the immersion, I feel, because the most fun I had was racing with friends.
Content![]()
As mentioned, there isn’t that much to do besides trying to unlock all the bikes and go as high as you want on the scoreboard and either racing it solo or with a bunch of friends. And while a bit bare at this version of the game (so far), I reckon it just needs some updates, and it could be quite a sleeper hit. Like, I do get the appeal of racing games like this, but it needs substance to make it more engaging, like newer bikes or more maps to explore, to make sure the players are engaged to check back once in a while.
Personal Enjoyment![]()
I’m a bit impartial with this one. I actually like the core gameplay loop due to it being similar to games I’ve played as a teen on a tiny android phone, sans the banging soundtrack and loosely based on random indonesian streets, but I get the appeal of a highway rush game like this, considering its 4-wheel counterparts (both free as a mod and even a paid game) are widely popular, so there will be expectations for this one that I feel Lanesplit might not able to fulfill it.
Could it be better? Yeah, but with the right price and the right friends, I think it would be fun to have a race together for a few hours.
Verdict![]()
Lanesplit is a pretty good racer that’s all about threading the needle and racking up the points to get towards better machines and more points. A bit bare on the content, perhaps, but if there is enough support from now, I could see it going far. But for now, enjoy the DnB soundtrack and off you go.
Played on PC, the game was provided by the developer.
Lanesplit
A pretty good racer that’s all about threading the needle and racking up the points to get towards better machines and more points. A bit bare on the content, perhaps;
- Presentation 8
- Gameplay 6
- Content 7
- Personal Enjoyment 7