A Nightmarish Future Where Survival Is Won One Wreck At A Time
The iconic, somewhat controversial Carmageddon has never cared much for rules, fairness, or clean racing lines. In fact, it’s not really cared for much at all.
What Carmageddon: Rogue Shift does, however, is give that trademark vehicular chaos a grim new purpose. Set in a ruined future where civilisation only survives by hiding from the streets after dark, Rogue Shift reframes destruction racing as humanity’s last desperate gamble, rather than mindless carnage.
The result is a roguelite reinvention that feels surprisingly focused. Still brutal, still anarchic, but now Carmageddon is driven by progression, choice and a constant sense that every run might be the one that finally gets you closer to escape. Might.
A World Trapped In Darkness
It’s been a while since we’ve played a Carmageddon (Max Damage back in 2016, in fact), but Rogue Shift drops players into a bleak, post-collapse future where cities become death zones once the sun sets. By night, the streets belong to the Wasted, grotesque remnants of humanity twisted by long-term exposure to MiVis; a synthetic food substitute introduced during global shortages. What began as survival has become mutation, and the result is a relentless tide of hostile creatures that flood the roads as darkness falls.
The only way out of this endless night is the Carmageddon itself. These destruction races aren’t entertainment anymore – they are trials. Win, and you gain power, reputation and the parts needed to push further. Lose, and another driver takes your place. You’ll nearly always lose.
Whilst the narrative hook of Carmageddon: Rogue Shift is reasonably slight, one that you’ll rarely stumble upon during gameplay, it quietly underpins everything you do, without ever getting in the way of the action.
A Roguelite Campaign Built On Choice And Risk
Rather than a linear campaign, Carmageddon Rogue Shift uses a branching, node-based structure, with every run charting a different course through events, shops, elite challenges, boss encounters and the odd scavenging of resources. And that means you’ll be constantly making decisions: do you chase bigger rewards at a higher risk, or play it safe and keep your vehicle intact for later encounters.
Events are swift, over in mere minutes, but range from standard destruction races to Elite encounters, which throw tougher enemies and more punishing conditions into the mix. Boss events sit at the top of the food chain, demanding you overcome heavily armed, brutally resilient opponents before progressing further. These are set-up with a comicbook style cutscene, that whilst nice, do begin to outstay their welcome the more runs you partake in.
All this comes with the background of dynamic weather and the shifting of time-of-day, adding to the unpredictability. Night races feel markedly more dangerous, as visibility drops, ambushes are harder to spot, and the Wasted become far more aggressive. You can be sure that in Rogue Shift, no two runs will ever feel the same, and that randomness is core to the game’s appeal.
Vehicles With Identity, Not Just Stats
A big part of that variety comes from the wide selection of vehicles, each with distinct handling traits, drivetrain types and starting loadouts. These aren’t minor differences either – every stat noticeably affects how a run unfolds.
Unlocked as you play, some vehicles excel at ramming and close-quarters combat, whilst others favour speed and evasion. Of course, certain builds lean heavily into ranged weaponry and so choosing the right vehicle for your playstyle becomes just as important as upgrading it mid-run.
Taking in runs of Rogue Shift, learning the intricacies of each vehicle is good fun too, and so whether you continue to race with the default Eagle GT muscle car, or ramp things up to the likes of the Warhog or nippy (sometimes too nippy) Firecracker, you’ll notice big differences throughout. Each of those comes with its own selection of weapons and perks too.
Combat Racing Refined And Relentless
It’s in the moment-to-moment gameplay where Rogue Shift really shines. The driving feels weighty and aggressive, with metal-on-metal impacts delivering real force. Side-bashing rivals fast becomes a necessity, as does boosting through enemy packs and smashing opponents into scenery. All feel satisfyingly destructive.
Combat is layered on top through a broad range of weapon types, from close-range tools to long-distance firepower, all of which can be upgraded and modified over time; machine guns, shotguns, laserguns, missile launchers and the like. Combined with dozens of perks that allow for powerful synergies, this is a game that encourages experimentation and build-crafting rather than sticking to a single safe approach.
Enemies behave differently too. Some rush the pack, others hang back and unload from afar, while elite foes and bosses demand full mastery of driving, positioning and firepower. The chaos rarely feels random – it feels earned.
Beatcoins, Credits And Progress That Matters
As with others in the ‘rogue’ genre, progression is split, and in Rogue Shift that is between Beatcoins and standard Credits; the balance between the two works extremely well. Beatcoins act as the permanent currency, unlocking new vehicles, skills, perks and long-term bonuses via a deep catalogue that steadily expands your options.
Credits, meanwhile, are earned and spent during individual runs. These are used for immediate upgrades, repairs, weapon swaps and powerful consumables like Golden Tickets, which allow you to jump straight back into the action after failure. It’s a way of keeping tension high without making death feel overly punishing.
You will fail in Rogue Shift, but even the shortest of runs contribute meaningfully, reinforcing that sense of forward momentum essential to any good roguelite.
Achievements That Feed Back Into The Game
One of Rogue Shift’s smartest ideas is how it integrates Xbox and in-game achievements directly into progression. Unlocking achievements and earning Gamerscore doesn’t just serve as the usual badge of honour and bragging rights. Here, it actively adds bonuses to the game itself, such as increased Beatcoin gains going forward.
It’s a small touch, but one that makes achievements feel genuinely worthwhile, encouraging experimentation with different vehicles, builds and playstyles rather than sticking to a single optimal path.
The Wasted And The Threat Of Nightfall
While rival racers and gangs provide constant opposition, the real wildcard is the Wasted themselves. Individually they’re manageable, but in large numbers they become genuinely dangerous, capable of swarming vehicles and tearing you apart if you get boxed in.
Special variants add further danger, introducing explosive attacks, ranged threats and sudden ambushes that tend to appear deeper into runs and later at night. These moments create spikes of panic and intensity that keep you alert, even during runs that initially feel comfortable. It’s here where your boost becomes vital, building as you race, always on hand to help power you through even the biggest of swarms. Failing that, call on your swift respawn.
Performance That Never Buckles Under Pressure
Technically, Carmageddon: Rogue Shift is impressively solid. Across our time with the game, we’ve not encountered a single instance of lag, slowdown or stuttering, even when the screen is filled with enemies, explosions and debris. And believe us, this is a game that becomes absolutely chaotic at times, leaving you to close your eyes and hope for the best, as you power through a host of explosions and Wasted swarms, crossing fingers and hoping for the best. It’s here where things can go wrong, leaving you to draw on those respawns instead of struggling to point your vehicle in the right direction again.
A Solo Experience That Leaves You Wanting More
For the good, and occasional brilliance, of Carmageddon: Rogue Shift, one notable absence is any form of online or multiplayer support. Given the roguelite structure, that omission is understandable, but it still feels like a missed opportunity by those at 34BigThings.
Carmageddon’s brand of chaos feels made for shared carnage, and tackling elite events or branching runs alongside friends could have been something special. Even just taking to the tracks and battling others would have brought something new to proceedings.
As it stands, Rogue Shift is a strictly solo affair. It works well in that context, but the lack of online play does leave a lingering sense of what might have been.
A Brutal, Rewarding Evolution Of Carmageddon
Carmageddon: Rogue Shift is unapologetically a roguelite, and with that comes the usual repetition and grind. But that grind feels purposeful, layered with smart systems that reward racing, persistence, experimentation and the odd bit of skill.
With a strong setting, varied vehicles, weapons and perks, some meaningful progression and rock-solid performance, Rogue Shift succeeds in modernising Carmageddon; and it does so without losing its soul.
Carmaggedon: Rogue Shift is chaotic, challenging and consistently fun – and that’s despite the absence of online play.
Important Links
Exclusive Interview: How 34BigThings Is Reclaiming The Infamous Carmageddon Legacy With Rogue Shift – https://www.thexboxhub.com/exclusive-interview-how-34bigthings-is-reclaiming-the-infamous-carmageddon-legacy-with-rogue-shift/
Buy from the Xbox Store – https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/games/store/carmageddon-rogue-shift/9NV9DZSP9Q88/0010
