Another in my collection of “games I’ve bought because they’re 59p and I’m awake far too early and don’t want to get up.” Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. Swerve Runner is a qualified run.

You pilot a little hovercraft chap over some randomly-generated, infinite countryside, trying to avoid obstacles and reach beacons. Once you’ve reached all the beacons you can carry on driving around or go on to the next level, which has different obstacles.

It’s all rather impressive. There’s a fair bit of pop up, but it runs very smoothly and seeing huge meteors crash into the ground as you zip by at 200 metres a second is something you should probably experience at least once.

Swerve Runner

Don't worry about the lake, you can glide over it.

I’d like some meatier physics – the ride’s a bit too smooth for my liking – but the controls are very sensitive while still leaving you in absolute control. There are some instant deaths when a meteor drops on your head without you ever seeing it, but the game is generous enough with extra lives that it’s really not a problem. In fact, it’s probably too easy – but in the Settings menu the default difficulty seems to be set at 30%, so that can be changed.

If you want something that looks similar but is a proper racing game, there’s Ground Effect. If you want something bouncier there’s the wonderful 4×4 Jam. Swerve Runner (and, yes, I do keep wanting to call it Swerve Driver) does its own thing and does it well. Cresting a hill and then zooming through an empty city while meteors rain down is an undeniably atmospheric experience.

It’s 59p right now and it’s not something I’m going to force you to buy, but it’s an impressive and interesting little indie game and one that, I suspect, will be unjustly ignored. I doubt I’ll play it much, but every now and again I’ll remember it with great fondness. (That said, the “quick go” I had this morning after I bought it lasted for over half an hour without me noticing.)

Oh, before I forget, one more thing – there doesn’t seem to be any sound. Doesn’t bother me, but I don’t want you to be shocked by the silence if you pick this up.