New Screamer Gameplay Footage Will Change How You See ‘Right-Stick’ Drifting
Screamer is making a long-awaited comeback with a reboot that promises a unique approach to drifting, vibrant anime-inspired visuals, and fresh gameplay mechanics.
Image credit: Screamer Gameplay & First Impressions - Drifting with the RIGHT Stick ??? - YouTube
After nearly 30 years without a new entry, the series looks ready to reclaim its place among top arcade racers.
That means we haven’t had a proper taste of fresh tire smoke from Screamer for almost 30 years – until now!
Though the reboot isn’t due until next year, we already have our first ‘real-world’ look at the pre-alpha action:
Although the reboot maintains the core racing principles from the original games, it’s clear that it now has a much stronger focus on drifting through the twisty sections.
The Milestone team doubled down on the drifting approach, too. Unlike most games, where you steer with the left analog stick, Screamer lets you control your slides with the right stick (as seen previously in Inertial Drift), allowing for precision and a learning curve that comes with it.
Image credit: Screamer Gameplay & First Impressions - Drifting with the RIGHT Stick ??? - YouTube
Its visuals bring futuristic Initial D-style visuals, which are far more noticeable than before, complemented by “epic sounding vehicles,” and the reviewer expects the multiplayer mode to be “absolutely insane” when it arrives.
It’ll introduce unique characters with an in-depth story mode, each with their own custom car designs and vibes, similar to what we’ve seen with the Tokyo Xtreme Racer reboot, plus a range of boosts and attack abilities shown in the video.
Image credit: Screamer Gameplay & First Impressions - Drifting with the RIGHT Stick ??? - YouTube
Each new video drop makes the game look even better, and it’s giving off strong Need For Speed and Ridge Racer vibes. Following the recent uncertainties surrounding the NFS series, it may be the perfect timing for Screamer’s comeback.
Screamer’s reboot is set to launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC in 2026. You can add it to your Steam wishlist to stay updated.
Image credit: Screamer Gameplay & First Impressions - Drifting with the RIGHT Stick ??? - YouTube
The last true ‘Screamer’ game was ‘Screamer 2’ in 1996, which introduced drifting physics and tire smoke to the series for the first time. Screamer Rally followed shortly after in 1997, continuing with similar sideways antics.
However, the 2000 release, Screamer 4×4, went completely off track (excuse the pun), instead delivering a purely off-roading-focused snoozefest.
Here’s the series evolution summed up in a couple of minutes:
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Bill is a writer and photographer who has been part of the Drifted team since 2015. His work extends to various print and online publications, including Wangan Warriors.
As part of the King of Nations team, he traveled extensively for several years, capturing top-tier international drift events worldwide. His hands-on experience, including rebuilding his own Nissan Silvia S15 drift car, gives him unique insights into drift car building and global drift culture.
When not behind the lens or keyboard, Bill can be found browsing classifieds for his next JDM project or shredding virtual tires on popular simulators like Assetto Corsa, CarX, and Forza.
You can learn more about Bill’s story here or follow his socials on X (formerly Twitter), Flickr, Facebook, and Instagram.
