FUMES plays like the car combat adventure I never knew I wanted

by

In more formal professional writing, I typically avoid using “cool” as an adjective. However, after experiencing the FUMES demo at February 2025’s Steam Next Fest, I find myself struggling to express it any other way: FUMES is exceptionally impressive, even when its physics can be frustrating and result in you falling from a colossal robot spewing cars and firing lasers, necessitating another climb.

During the demonstration, I didn’t quite grasp the essence of FUMES. It seems to me that you are a mercenary in the style of Mad Max, as suggested by the customized death cars, noteworthy license plate “Not M4x”, and your readiness to confront a formidable desert adversary often avoided by others. Your vehicle-mounted machine gun and shotgun hint at a level of courage that sets you apart from many.

In the FUMES demo, as well as likely in the entire game, there are two distinct sections: an exploration phase, where you traverse randomly generated post-apocalyptic landscapes while engaging squads of adversaries in their customized vehicles. These action-packed moments are thrilling. The sensation of urgency while driving in FUMES is palpable, as though your car could roll over at any moment if you take sharp turns – and it often does – due to the high speed at which you drive with little concern for obstacles around you. Fortunately, damage occurs only when an opponent fires at or rams into your vehicle with a buzzsaw, not when you collide with objects yourself.

In combat within FUMES, skirmishes unfold similarly to aerial dogfights on the ground. You strategize to separate your objective from the group, chase, retreat, and seize any opportunity for victory before your vehicle is reduced to debris. Remarkably entertaining, even with just fundamental moves like accelerating, primary attack, and secondary attack, the chaos of multiple cars colliding and causing simultaneous explosions adds to the excitement. Once you acquire additional components, you can customize almost every aspect of your car, ranging from the suspension to the choice of outlandish weapons for the next battle.

Just as vital as weapons are, focusing on enhancing your car’s practical aspects can prove equally beneficial. In the game FUMES, you’re sent into massive, often mobile structures for a sabotage mission, similar to an action game, but you’re not a person – you’re a car. This unique spin breathes new life into old concepts, making them feel modern. Basic tasks like flipping switches and dodging lethal traps become more challenging when you’re moving the wrong way on a conveyor belt. However, this setup has its drawbacks as the default car handling is less than ideal, making it easy to overcorrect or lose control after braking, causing you to fall off ledges. Despite these challenges, the motivation to improve your car’s performance keeps you engaged in every aspect of FUMES.

The FUMES demo is available on Steam for free, and the game is planned for early access “soon.”

Read More

2025-03-04 18:06