Distance (video game)

Distance is a 2018 science fiction racing game by Refract Studios for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation consoles. Following a crowdfunding campaign and an early access launch in 2014, it was released in September 2018 for Windows and in July 2024 for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4.

Gameplay

Distance is an atmospheric racing platformer where the player controls a futuristic vehicle through a neon, Cyberpunk like world. The game features mechanics such as jumping, flying, wall riding and boosting, and doing these actions causes the player's car to heat up. If the car is too overheated, it will reach critical levels and explode. To cool the car back to normal temperatures, the player has to drive through a checkpoint, which can be found throughout a level. There are multiple courses that feature obstacles such as saws, lasers, and collapsing roads that destroys the player's car on collision. Distance has a multiplayer mode where players can race against other players in courses online, and an Arcade time trial mode where players can speedrun individual levels as quickly as possible and compete in the leaderboards. Additionally, the game also includes an in-built level editor that allows players to create their own unique levels.

Development and release

Distance was developed by Refract Studios, founded by former DigiPen Institute of Technology students in Seattle. The game is as a spiritual successor to Nitronic Rush, a student project developed at DigiPen and released in 2011, which intellectual property is owned by DigiPen. In October 2012, Refract launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign seeking $125,000 for Distance. It features the addition of a multiplayer mode compared to Nitronic Rush.

The game was released into early access via Steam on December 9, 2014. A PlayStation 4 version was announced on December 2, 2014, and showcased at PlayStation Experience 2015 with PlayStation VR on December 4, 2015. Distance was fully released for Windows on September 18, 2018. PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 versions were released on July 19, 2024.

Reception

The PC version of Distance received "mixed or average" reviews according to review aggregation website Metacritic. Reviewing the early access version in September 2017, Ali Jones of PCGamesN found the multiplayer to be the best part due to the availability of thousands of courses. Upon release in September 2018, Gamekult noted the delayed development and found it to be an exhilarating racing game.