With great graphics, outrageous cars, and a fast-paced story line, “Split Second” is one wild ride. This racing game was developed by Black Rock Studios and released by Disney Interactive in 2010.

“Split Second” is set in a present-day urban area where a fictional reality TV series called “Split Second” has taken the world by storm. The player must complete a collection of races and other events, called episodes, to unlock cars, race tracks, and the next episode. The tracks, though, are only one of the defining parts of the game.

There are 15 race tracks to be unlocked, ranging from a nuclear power plant to an airport, each with stunning realism and graphics. The tracks, also called circuits, are fairly easy to learn, but players may be disappointed when they cannot set the difficulty level or number of laps.

But for what “Split Second” lacks in its environment and races, it makes up for with its amazing car lineup. Without any downloadable content the player can unlock 27 cars ranging from a 4x4 to a lightweight-racing car. Each looks as if Black Rock took its sweet time designing them due to the extreme detail. Each car is also unique in its handling, speed, and strength, so there will always be a car to suit your driving style.

Game physics are another detail “Split Second” does well. Every jump, drift, and overtake gives the game a realistic but forgiving feel. When you spin out or crash, the physics will sometimes let you live through a crash that would destroy the car in seconds. This creates an epic moment in the race where you and your friends have a heart attack about what “pro skills” you have.

But “Split Second” is not just a pure racing game. As they drift, jump, and escape close calls, players build up energy. This energy can be used to blow up buildings, open shortcuts, and even change the track. All this destruction can take out opponents and help you gain positions. This helps at times, but when an opponent blows up a bridge causing you to crash, you’ll quickly become acquainted with the restart button.

With all its jumps, explosions, and close calls, “Split Second” is a hilarious game to play with friends via the split-screen feature or online. The final verdict: this game deserves a 9 out of 10. While its graphics, game play, and career mode are all outstanding, it lacks the free roam other modern video games achieve.