Rules:
- The game must be from current generation of software (Xbox, PlayStation 2, GameCube, DS, Game Boy Advance) and does not include PC games.
- The game MUST be under $10.00 ($AUD)
- The game will always be one we're yet to review
- The game can be second-hand or new
Price Paid: $9.95
Location: Blockbuster Video
Condition: Pre-owned
Year of Release: 2002
For a pre-owned game to be in such superb, unused condition is, erm, arguably not a good sign, but amongst the traditional Everblue and EA sports titles was this, a relatively unknown racing title. $10 these days will get a large pizza and coke, a movie ticket or a DVD for the night, so the value in the game was undeniably good.
With the amount of racing games that have swamped the market over the last decade, most of them feature a gimmick of some kind, just to justify the purchase of yet another racing title. Total Immersion Racing's hook is to make a song and dance about it's artificial intelligence. Thus, other racers in the game will remember your actions and the drivers will appear to display in different states throughout the race, with their approach swinging between 'neutral', anger, aggression, confidence or defensive. The actual premise of this is pulled off surprisingly well, and the AI is some of the best in a racing game yet.
The game features a fully fledged Career Mode, as well as multiplayer options (unfortunately no Xbox Live support) and quick races. There are eighteen unlockable cars, and all of them have been licensed, with the cars ranging from the Noble M12 to a Lister. As well as licensed cars, the tracks have also been fully licensed, with Hockenheim, Monza, Sebring and Rockinghan all featuring.
Surprisingly the graphics are also fairly decent, although the environments are a tad small, so there isn't too much for the game to model. The car models all look decent, but in comparison to some of the racing games released recently, the game just doesn't hold up. Three years ago the game was probably a visual stunner, but it 's no Forza Motorsport or Gran Turismo 4 nowadays.
The gameplay is fundamentally flawed from the start however. See, whilst the concept of smart AI in the game is great in theory, it never really makes a difference to the game. The objective is still to win and get first place, and just because you know how a driver is 'feeling', it doesn't change how you play the game. The action also feels too static, the music is basically non-existent and the engine noises are nothing memorable. This can make the game feel very flat. There's also no damage model, and cars bounce off opponents.
The amount of unlockables in the game is to be commended, though even this is deceptive because everything - and we mean everything - has to be unlocked. Initially, there's only a few cars to choose from and a mere two tracks available, so you really have to work hard to unlock everything. The game itself would take about ten hours to complete.
So, for $10 is this the kind of game you'd want to pick up? Well, maybe. Certainly, if you're a fan of racing games then there's some enjoyment to be found here. However, there really is nothing new in this game that hasn't been done in other racing titles - we really wish we'd been immersed more, as the title promises.
Gaming Bargain Buy? Maybe
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