One of Screamer’s defining, but ultimately divisive, features is its twin-stick control scheme.
Similar to Inertial Drift, the left stick steers the car in Milestone’s anime-inspired racer, while the right stick controls the drift angle. It may not feel intuitive at first, but it’s intentionally integral to the experience.
“We didn’t want to go with a system reminiscent of modern arcade racers,” Game Director Federico Cardini told Traxion last year ahead of the game’s launch.
“We wanted something that gave more control over the drifting and steering. Otherwise, everything on top of that wouldn’t work.”
Screamer’s unusual control scheme is combined with an intricate combat system, where players fill up energy bars in their vehicle’s Echo System to take out rivals or activate shields to defend attacks.
However, a surprise update released today has added a single-stick control option, mapping the steering and drifting to the left stick only.
Presumably in response to feedback from some players who found it too intimidating, Milestone says the new control option is intended to make the game “more approachable for newcomers.” The twin-stick control scheme is still enabled by default, however, and remains the “recommended” way to experience Screamer.
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