MEMBER PROFILE FOR racethis
Average Overall Score Given: 9.55000 / 10
Total Forum Posts: 8
Reviews
GRID
Overall: Codemasters has been providing us with fantastic racing games for a few years now, and, GRID displays all off their graphical and technical might. There are multiple reasons why GRID gives you the fullest racing experience of the continuing series and multiple reasons why you'll be pulling all nighters quite often with this game the same way i do and i guarantee you won't be putting this game back into the box for a very long time.Gameplay: As soon as you arrive at the main menu of GRID you'll be offered a road to take first. You've got GRID world which is the main career mode, race day which allows you to try out any car on any track without risk, multiplayer where you can share the brilliance of the game with someone else, whether it be on xbox live or right there on your tv screen and an extras section spotlighting credits and development of this brilliant game. Now, although the physics may take getting used to at first, they are quite well executed. The handling, speed, braking and acceleration are all evenly distributed depending on which vehicle you take whether it be a 1018 hp Koenigsegg CCXR or a 180 hp open wheel 1000cc one seater. Opponents you face have a bit of aggression formed together with a bigger focus on making it to the end before you do. One thing that should have been worked on is the drifting mechanics, as they can be unpredictable and volatile at times, sending your car into a wall for no good reason. It still deserves a 9.5 however.
Graphics: The minute you enter a race the visuals will take your breath away. The cars look fantastic and the enviroments just as good. Lighting is absolutely perfect in every aspect, and the crowds that litter the sidelines of the tracks look vibrant and alive. No expense is paid to the detail. From brake discs heating to an orange color under pressure to shadows changing based on time of day to the accelerated daylight and nighttime of the 24 heure du mans events. It is all so well made that there is absolutely nothing left to be desired. The damage modeling is astounding in both detail and effect on the vehicle and the @!%#*!pit view is amazingly accurate to that of the real car. The driver can even be seen stomping on and off the accelerator and changing gears based on the stick layout. Breathtaking. So good it'd be a sin not to give it a 10.0 for visuals.
Audio: The audio is very strong in the game and matches the visuals and gameplay as though they were conjoined triplets. Enviromental sound such as tires squealing before an opponent gets owned hard by a wall followed by a kaboom of broken gl@!%#*! and twisted metal sounds beautiful. Cars make pretty accurate growls and barks and turbochargers and superchargers can be heard playing a role in the sound of the car as well as the gearbox whining and gears changing. The music is extremely catchy and matches very well. The text however will get old quick which is the only thing that keeps the perfect 10 out of reach for audio. However it gets a well placed 9.5.
Suggestions: Codemasters has done an amazing job with this game. A few things whould make it better though : downloadable car packs. Although the cars already included are all fantastic, there are only so many. 43 to be exact. Perhaps a Bugatti Veyron and a McLaren F1 can be thrown in to spice up the car list along with some group c and imsa cars. But otherwise, excellent work codemasters. Final grade : 9.5
Overall Score: 9.5 / 10
Project Gotham Racing 2
Overall: Project Gotham Racing 2 is an absolutely fantastic game in every sense. It features the most varied car list in ANY racer on the xbox. Where else can you drive a Trident Iceni, a Delfino Feroce or an Ascari KZ1. It's pieced together with gorgeous visuals, a very good soundtrack and the best gameplay of any racer at the time. It trampled over every game at the time and to be honest only a handful of games compare to it even now. It's an instant cl@!%#*!ic that will be cherished for years to come.Gameplay: Cream of the crop when it comes to this category. For people new to arcade type racers the driving may take a bit of time to get used to but once you are used to it, you'll be hooked. Now for the career mode : absolutely FANTASTIC. It took me several months to gain the "all platinum medals" status and I was generously rewarded with the TVR Speed 12. The menus are easy to navigate and the physics are extremely adaptive.
Graphics: Gorgeous visuals overall. The cars look fantastic! The enviroments, while not quite as detailed as the vehicles, are still beautifully put together. You'll get lost in the surroundings of sydney, chicago and nurburgring. It's a @!%#*! shame that the cities featured in this game didn't make it to PGR3 an PGR4. Deserves a 10.
Audio: The Porsche Carrera GT has never sounded better. The Ferraro F40 never so ferocious. The CLK-GTR never so fast. The Ascari KZ1 so powerful... well you get the idea. The cars sound near perfect and the soundtrack is very nicely chosen ranging from techno to rock to rap. Splendid original tracks too. Crash addict is one of the best electronica songs to date. Some tracks could have been left out though.
Suggestions: Keep up the excellent work on PGR5 as 3 and 4 were fantastic. Love you bizarre creations. But for PGR 4 or 5 please put the Bugatti Veyron in as DLC or in PGR5. PLEASE!!!
Overall Score: 10.0 / 10
Need For Speed Pro Street
Overall: Need For Speed Pro Street has been wrongly criticized throughout it's release, and all the criticizing is unjustified. The game was VERY good, and although some errors did exist, it more than made up for it with a solid delivery, excellent visuals, great audio and good gameplay throughout the entire career mode. It had a @!%#*! high replay value, too, which is rare in racing games these days, reasons still unknown but it wasn't a factor in this title.Gameplay: The gameplay was very good, and the damage modeling was brilliant. Destroying Zondas and Lambos never gave me a bittersweet feeling the way this game did. The handling itself was very good too. However, one big factor was that the framerate was extremely unsteady at points, especially in tunnels. The customization was briliant, too.
Graphics: The graphics were amazing. The car models were as good as the likes of PGR4 (well, not really but pretty close). The enviroments looked spectacular too, especially Nevada. I don't know why people say the graphics were lacking. They're brilliant and the best in the NFS series so far. The damage modeling didn't dissapoint, either.
Audio: The cars sounded amazing, just like they should. Honda Civic loud and abnoxious but nice nonetheless , the Pagani Zonda like an Enzo on steroids. Nothing out of place. The soundtrack was quite good and the least annoying in the NFS series. Some very catchy songs in the mix!
Overall Score: 9.0 / 10
Test Drive Unlimited
Overall: Test Drive Unlimited is a well rounded semi-sim racer that has a lot to offer such as beautiful graphics, excellent vehicle list, and the most expansive map of any racing game ever made. I loved the way the game in a way mimicked "the sims 2" , with the ability to purchase houses all over the island, and fill their garages witj fine automobiles or motorcycles of the player's choice. It's an epic installment for the XBOX 360 console.Gameplay: The gameplay in certain terms "never gets old". By this I mean that there is ALOT of things to do in career mode, as well as the fact that the events are clever and enjoyable. There are many things to unlock in the game, roads especially. The game offers over 1000 miles of open roads on the hawaiian island of Oahu, and finding all of them will use up alot of your spare time.
Graphics: The game looks simply stunning, especially the vehicles in terms of detail. The enviroment looks quite good, but the frame rate struggles at high speeds. But everything else looks great and well balanced. I loved the level of detail in the interior/1st person pov. The photo mode wasn't the best i've seen in a racing game, but no major complaints.
Audio: Okay, I have to admit that the game struggled a tiny bit in this field. The motorcycles sounded perfect, but the cars on the other hand were way off. Not all of them, but a hand full of sounds were very repetitive and unrealistic. The soundtrack was dreadful. The music chosen was not fit for racing.
Suggestions: If you could fix the bugs i mentioned (not quite sure how though), then the game would be basically flawless.
Overall Score: 9.2 / 10
Forza Motorsport 2
Overall: Ah, Forza Motorsport. The brilliant alternative to the likes of the Gran Turismo series. I'd say the enjoyment is much much higher than gran turismo. It's an incredibly likeable and realistic racing sim. The car list on the other hand was too simular to the original Forza Motorsport. The customization and personalization is amazing though. Simply put, it's an excellent sim and one the most complete racing games to date, on any system, not just the 360.Gameplay: The gameplay was remarkable. The handling of the cars is perfect, and i mean that literally. They handle very realistically. Another positive was that the cars in Forza 2 actually show damage, unlike that tough-as-a-diamond cars that employ the Gran Turismo series. The auction house is addicting as gamerscore itself.
Graphics: Unfortunately the game's visuals weren't amazing. Not bad, but not amazing. The decal system however, blew my mind. There is no limit to how you could personalize your car. The game dominated the customization part of racing sims. It has the most immense car customization in any game, ever. Sorry need for speed pro street.
Audio: I was suprised that the soundtrack was unusually catchy and well selected. I have the whole thing on my Zune :) The cars also sounded good, but some engine sounds were repeated, just in different pitch. I was able to change that by buying a new muffler, though. I love the way the racing vehicles sounded, too.
Suggestions: A more varried carlist would help this game a bit. And perhaps circuit de la sarthe as DLC.
Overall Score: 9.8 / 10
Project Gotham Racing 4
Overall: An utterly brilliant arcade racer, with incredibly high online enjoyment. Excellent sequel to the already excellent PGR3. Its been the my most anticipated XBOX 360 title i've ever had and the wait was more than worth it. It does well in all fields, badly in none and in my opinion this is the best racer to date on the 360 system, and thats saying alot since the likes of Forza 2 and TDU still exist. Replay value : 9.5/10Gameplay: Simple menus that are easy to navigate and no confusing career mode that seems to be all the rage in modern racing games. It has a moderately high replay value, but completing all championships takes a while and only certain gamers would be willing to do them more than once. I happen to be one of them :)
Graphics: Best graphics in the PGR series, and probably of any racing game. Snow could use some work, but rain was perfect in detail and effect. Car and bike models and enviroments looked amazing in any weather, and in garage views. I love the enhanced interior views, as well as the appearance of vehicle's original speedometers and such.
Audio: Cars and bikes sound amazing, and there's a decent soundtrack to it, too. In terms of accuracy the cars and bikes engine sounds, they were the most accurate ive seen in a very long time. Quite frankly not too many racers sound as good as PGR4 does. Near perfect in my opinion.
Suggestions: Vehicle list was amazing, but i'd like to see a Bugatti or 2, and the ressurection of the stock Porsches would be nice for DLC.
Overall Score: 9.8 / 10
