Distance (video game)

Distance is a 2018 racing game by Refract Studios for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation consoles. Following a crowdfunding campaign and an early access launch in 2014, it was released in September 2018 and is scheduled for release on PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 in July 2024.

Distance
Steam coverart
Developer(s)	Refract Studios
Publisher(s)	Refract Studios
Director(s)	Jordan Hemenway
Engine	Unity
Platform(s)	Windows PlayStation 4 PlayStation 5
Release	September 18, 2018 July 19, 2024 (PlayStation)
Genre(s)	Racing
Mode(s)	Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay

Distance is a racing game where the player controls a vehicle with the ability to fly.^[1] Courses feature obstacles like gaps or saws.

Development and release

Distance was developed by Refract Studios, founded by former DigiPen Institute of Technology students in Seattle.^[2] The game is as a spiritual successor to Nitronic Rush, a student project developed at DigiPen and released in 2011, which intellectual property is owned by DigiPen.^[3] In October 2012, Refract launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign seeking $125,000 for Distance.^[4] It features the addition of a multiplayer mode compared to Nitronic Rush.^[3]

The game was released into early access via Steam on December 9, 2014. A PlayStation 4 version was announced on December 2, 2014 and showcased at PlayStation Experience 2015 with PlayStation VR on December 4, 2015.^[5][6] Distance was fully released for Windows on September 18, 2018.^[7] PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 versions are scheduled for July 19, 2024.^[8]

Reception

Aggregate score

Aggregator	Score
Metacritic	74/100[9]

Review scores

Publication	Score
Gamekult	7/10[10]
CD-Action	5/10[11]

Reception

The PC version of Distance received "mixed or average" reviews according to review aggregation website Metacritic.^[12] Reviewing the early access version in September 2017, Ali Jones of PCGamesN found the multiplayer to be the best part due to the availability of thousands of courses.^[13] Upon release in September 2018, Gamekult noted the delayed development and found it to be an exhilarating racing game.^[10]