An interesting anime arcade racer is right around the corner, but it’s the fact the devs are returning to a 30-year-old franchise that has my attention

Can’t say I didn’t roll my eyes reading the Steam page blurb for Screamer: “High-octane action and anime aesthetics collide in this arcade racing game, featuring fighting mechanics and a storyline that hits hard.” But the name—boy, that rings a bell. Even racing game enthusiasts might not appreciate just how long Milestone has been in the business. The Italian game developer’s story goes all the way back to 1994, making it the same age as me. And now they are returning to their roots, at least as far as the franchise of choice is concerned.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrw05Bxoa9A We’re both still going strong, Milestone and I. They are primarily known for the annual MotoGP releases these days, but they’ve kept themselves busy with an additional release or two each year alongside those. From the WRC franchise to branded arcade titles like 2021’s Hot Wheels Unleashed and its 2023 sequel, they have an impressive portfolio. (I, meanwhile, continue to put out a steady stream of bemused snark, which is almost as good.) Now, Milestone’s oldest franchise is coming back to the fore with an interesting mix of old and new in the form of Screamer, an arcade racer with anime aesthetics and an unusual departure from their previous output. I will definitely be watching with interest, if only because the third entry in the series, 1997’s Screamer Rally, is a core memory for me, as one of the very first games I ever played. They say you never forget your first, but I can’t quite recall which game kickstarted my love of the medium—I remember playing the original Prince of Persia, a forgotten puzzle game called Rings of the Magi, and Monolith’s horror shooter Blood as some of the earliest games I launched via DOS prompts.https://youtu.be/oNaXtGTiQUM?si=Q4fQBQMaS0f-ewq-&t=23 Screamer Rally was right alongside those firsts for me, and I actually picked it back up a few years ago for a lark because I could never beat it as a kid. Four leagues of successive difficulties, with extra tracks and faster AI layered atop the existing challenge, and a genuine rally-like control scheme that forced you to drift around corners somewhat precisely. This time, on the more stable side of thirty, I won fairly easily. With multiple track surfaces, cars with different characteristics, and many options to tinker with your car before the race (hint: the Arizona desert handles very much like snow!), Screamer Rally makes for a pretty good outing for 1997. As is often the case with old games, it’s the soundtrack that stands the test of time best, with its fascinating mix of goa and acid trance inspirations making it a good “holy crap, a deadline is approaching, better lock in but without a knot in the stomach” playlist to put on. Make no mistake, the new Screamer has nothing to do with the old one. But it brought back some nice memories by its mere existence, and for that, I’m thankful. The post An interesting anime arcade racer is right around the corner, but it’s the fact the devs are returning to a 30-year-old franchise that has my attention appeared first on Destructoid.

Mar 23, 2026 - 05:22

Can’t say I didn’t roll my eyes reading the Steam page blurb for Screamer: “High-octane action and anime aesthetics collide in this arcade racing game, featuring fighting mechanics and a storyline that hits hard.” But the name—boy, that rings a bell.

Even racing game enthusiasts might not appreciate just how long Milestone has been in the business. The Italian game developer’s story goes all the way back to 1994, making it the same age as me. And now they are returning to their roots, at least as far as the franchise of choice is concerned.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wrw05Bxoa9A We’re both still going strong, Milestone and I. They are primarily known for the annual MotoGP releases these days, but they’ve kept themselves busy with an additional release or two each year alongside those. From the WRC franchise to branded arcade titles like 2021’s Hot Wheels Unleashed and its 2023 sequel, they have an impressive portfolio. (I, meanwhile, continue to put out a steady stream of bemused snark, which is almost as good.)

Now, Milestone’s oldest franchise is coming back to the fore with an interesting mix of old and new in the form of Screamer, an arcade racer with anime aesthetics and an unusual departure from their previous output. I will definitely be watching with interest, if only because the third entry in the series, 1997’s Screamer Rally, is a core memory for me, as one of the very first games I ever played.

They say you never forget your first, but I can’t quite recall which game kickstarted my love of the medium—I remember playing the original Prince of Persia, a forgotten puzzle game called Rings of the Magi, and Monolith’s horror shooter Blood as some of the earliest games I launched via DOS prompts.

https://youtu.be/oNaXtGTiQUM?si=Q4fQBQMaS0f-ewq-&t=23 Screamer Rally was right alongside those firsts for me, and I actually picked it back up a few years ago for a lark because I could never beat it as a kid. Four leagues of successive difficulties, with extra tracks and faster AI layered atop the existing challenge, and a genuine rally-like control scheme that forced you to drift around corners somewhat precisely. This time, on the more stable side of thirty, I won fairly easily.

With multiple track surfaces, cars with different characteristics, and many options to tinker with your car before the race (hint: the Arizona desert handles very much like snow!), Screamer Rally makes for a pretty good outing for 1997.

As is often the case with old games, it’s the soundtrack that stands the test of time best, with its fascinating mix of goa and acid trance inspirations making it a good “holy crap, a deadline is approaching, better lock in but without a knot in the stomach” playlist to put on.

Make no mistake, the new Screamer has nothing to do with the old one. But it brought back some nice memories by its mere existence, and for that, I’m thankful.

The post An interesting anime arcade racer is right around the corner, but it’s the fact the devs are returning to a 30-year-old franchise that has my attention appeared first on Destructoid.

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