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Talen
Capellan Confederation
Sang-shao
Joined: 05-Feb-2002 00:00
Posts: 1269
Location: United States
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 Posted: 15-Dec-2002 14:32 Post subject: Talen's Game Review: Pro Race Driver (PS2) |
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*sigh* it hurts my heart to write this review, for I expected so much, and didnt get it in return. Perhaps you can find some light in this review...
Background:
Pro Race Driver puts you in the shoes of Ryan McKrane, son of a legendary driver, little brother to the current big shot in the Touring Car world, and 5 year vetren in the open wheel league. Not happy with being the "Baby Brother" or the "Legends Son", Ryan sets out in the Touring Car world to make his own name.
The game Pro Race Driver is an interesting premise. A half racing, half story driven game is a terrific blend of designs, and the perfect idea for a next gen console racer. Codemasters has made some of the best console racers, inclduing the Colin McRae rally games, and previous edditions of TOCA. Thus, they are the perfect ones to make the game!
Presentation:
I normally dont include this item, but here it is important. The entire game FEELs like you are in the racing world. After a short introduction video, you find yourself sitting at your desk in your office. Your computer keeps track of your progression in the racing leagues, and the email option is where you get your offers to go drive for a team in a single or series of races. The file cabinet houses all the game options, the map on the wall fills up as people challenge you to 1 on 1 races. The Free room is where you go to set up the arcade style jump in and race part of the game. Tracks and cars in free mode are unlocked by opening the higher tier sessions of the Career Mode.
Career mode is the real meat. You start of with simple contracts racing in the lesser leages like the Pacific Series and the America Series. You are limited to the lesser cars like the Impreza WRX and the such. As you earn points in the lowest tier you get better job offers and eventually unlock the 2nd tier...and finally the highest tier, the LOLA Series Touring Car Championship. The cars in the highest echelon are the standard high performance racing cars you see like the Corvette Z06, Dodge Viper and TVR Tuscan Speed 12. Career mode also is the story mode, and follows you as you progress in career. Rivalries come and go, and there is always the older brother to face...
Gameplay:
The game shines here like none other. The car very accuratley potrays the touring car racing feel. Each car handles differently and realisticly. The WRX hugs the ground and accelerates out of turns fatser than the poorly weight distributed and over powered TVR Speed 12...but the TVR could destroy it in a straight longer than an 1/8 of a mile. Weight distribution plays a major role in the game. Anything to get more weight on the front as you go into a turn is good, but if you brake late, you lick up your tires and scream straight off the road. A careful balance is necessary for all turns. In my opinion the way the game plays couldnt be any better.
Graphics:
This is where the game sorely loses. The game looks decent. It doesnt look as nice as Gran Turismo 3, A-Spec, but thats not to be a suprise. The game looks slightly better than a high end PSX game. The cars are all nicely modeled and break with an almist infinate damage system. In one race I slammed into the right side of a Supra...and for the rest of the race the door just kinda hung open. The track graphics are nice, and look very real. A-1 is a particular treat, as coming off of the first turn you are treated to a very long semi-straight section that seems to go on forever. What kills the PS2 game isnt the game, but the PS2 itself. In order to keep the game running at a smooth 60fps, the designers opted to remove most of the grid. The PS2 version was originaly slated to have 14 cars on the grid. From what I have heard the PAL release still offers the full 14 car grid, but the North American release is limited to a serverly low 8 cars per race. Compared to Games like Total Imersion Racing (18 cars), F-1 2002 (22) or NASCAR Thunder 2003 (43), 8 is a dissapointing blow to the game. For the interests of frame-rate issues, half of the grid was removed, as was half of the experience. The graphics, compared ot he X-BOx and PC versions of the game, are, simply put, crap.
Sound:
The sounds, as in many recent racing games, are top notch. Each car has its distinctive sound. The Turbo Charged Impreza WRX has the high pitched whine that you wont find on the Naturally Aspirated Z06 or old school Challenger. The other cars also get louder and quiter as they distance from you ( a feat no longer revolutionary as it was perfected back on the PSX). There is not much in the way of music to talk about, and to the pleasure of some, and anger of others, there is no in game music while racing.
Extras:
Pleanty to unlock here in the game, and pleanty to keep you coming back for more. The biggest hit to the game is the lack of online play. Apparently Codemasters didnt feel the PS2 was capeable of the online modes it included with the X-Box and PC versions of the game, another major blow to the PS2 users.
Overall Impression
The game is good, there is no doubt about it. But the lack of a good sized grid, being able to qualify and online multiplayer support (all of which the other versions of this game deliever), kill the PS2 version of this game.
If you have a PS2 and like racers, grab this one, and you'll get your money's worth. If you have an X-Box and/or PC...wait for the full versions of this game to hit the shelves. You'll get everything the PS2 has to offer, and then the extra that really shouldnt be extras at all...
Presentation 9/10
Gameplay 9/10
Graphics 7/10
Sound 8/10
Extras 5/10
Overlal Impression 8/10
_________________
"Historians exercise great power and some of them know it. They recreate the past, changing it to fit their own interpretations. Thus, they change the future as well." - Leto II
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