A moment, a Split/Second...

just a quick blogservation of my first impressions of Split/Second. I haven't played it much yet myself, but am currently sat at SUFFUR's watching Suf and Xandu trying out the online experience and having difficulty being able to get into a game together.

There is no lobby system, you can pick a public match which will put you into a game much like quick match does in Burnout. 9 times out of 10 the game you are placed into is full, no room to invite your friends or your Xbox live party. 

The other option is to pick a private match, this is a friends only option, you can not get random people joining your game, so if it is just you and one friend, the other opposition is AI or non-existent. 

I really like the look of Split/Second, I enjoyed the events I have tried and although I haven't found MY car, and I am still getting used to the handling and don't know any of the tracks or power plays, I like the game, and know I will enjoy the offline game when I get it home.

Other than there being no boost, the other major thing missing, the thing that may stop Split/Second from topping Burnout Revenge as my go to arcade racing title, is the online system.

I don't understand why more games don't have Burnouts (and by Burnouts I really mean Burnout 3 and Burnout Revenge) online lobby system. A system which allows you to name your room, Burnout 3 style. That lets you pick whose room you want to join, allows you to join a room with space for your friends to join you, or to host a game with your friends and have others join you randomly. 

Now that online gaming is such an important part of what makes or breaks a game, I don't understand why so many games seem to have systems which don't allow you to play with your friends easily... surely that is the whole point of online gaming???

From what I have seen so far, blur has Split/Second beat when it comes to online racing action and ease of gaming with your friends.... having said that tho, now that Suf, Xandu and trigs have finally found a game with room for all 3 of them, it sounds like they are having a blast!!!