December 2009 Archives

NEED FOR SPEED SHIFT

I opted for it on the Sony PSP, as I wanted a handheld game I could take on vacation. Whereas the main console version of NFS is a luxurious simulation, the PSP version is more linear and arcade-style, but no less addictive. The tracks are limited to Big Sur, San Francisco, Chicago, London, Paris and two Japanese circuits, but there are plenty of different configurations.

Predictably, as you ascend through the levels, you're granted faster cars but once you've earned the BMW M3 GT2, which I achieved about half-way through the game, it became pretty difficult to lose a single race. The only rounds that required a different set of wheels were the drift races, which were better suited to American muscle cars that could get their tail out. The Beemer had too much grip.

Once completed, it's not a game you would return to, but it'll give you a Christmas' worth of powersliding fun.

GRAPHICS: 7.5 SOUND: 7 GAMEPLAY: 7 DURABILITY: 5.0 OVERALL: 7.0

F1 2009

This is the first official F1 game for a few years - and for the first time YOU can be Lewis Hamilton. I tried it out on the Nintendo Wii and its wireless steering wheel, which doesn't half tire out your arms. Let's hope Lewis' McLaren is more forgiving.

In fact, the cars have an arcade slant to their handling which may put off true petrolheads. The handling is not as realistic as it should be, but ultimately this is more accessible than any F1 game before. At its core is a three-season long career structure where you can rise through the hierarchy and get yourself in a championship-winning car. Diehard F1 fans will love going through the full three-stage qualifying format. All the rules and regs are deployed in full effect, albeit with more consistency than real FIA stewards.

The sense of speed is superb, and as the tracks are based on real GP circuits the gameplay is fab. Who could ever get bored of racing through the streets of Monaco? And with this game you can press pause, go to your fridge and get a drink, instead of having to bung a waiter 50 Euros at Jimmy'z for a Coke.

One thing missing is that I'd love to play online multiplayer with this, but you can't. And I miss the great commentary - by real F1 commentators in every language - which you got on the previous generation of official games.

GRAPHICS: 8 SOUND: 6 GAMEPLAY: 8.5 DURABILITY: 9 OVERALL: 8

Rally legend McRae lives on with the videogame franchise he built for himself, and there could be no better memorial than getting a new generation of fans hitting the gravel.

What's great is that DiRT 2 is not limited to WRC machines - every off-road vehicle, including bikes and buggies, is represented. Globetrotting to London, Croatia, Baja, Morocco, Utah, LA, Japan, China and Malaysia means there is plenty of variety to races, unlike many 'extreme' sports games.

I road tested this game on the Sony PS3, and there are also tones of upgrades and accessories to unlock. I was particularly pleased to earn a set of furry dice for my Imprezza.

The mighty Subaru is one of only a few nods, though, to the man who lent his name to the franchise. Overall, this game seems quite Americanized in terms of rally culture. This is not a WRC sim, and the one-stage races seem quite dumbed-down. But, despite these quibbles, it's very entertaining.

Eight-player online racing provides endless fun. With great graphics and all the relevant disciplines catered for, this is one of the best extreme off-road games available.

GRAPHICS: 9 SOUND: 8 GAMEPLAY: 8.5 DURABILITY: 8 OVERALL: 8.5

 And here's a little something from the old school. My top three classic arcade games:

1. OUT RUN

Cruising palm-lined roads in a Ferrari Testarossa, with a girlfriend in the passenger seat, this 1986 Sega phenomenon was the first game in which players could choose different stages. At the time, this game had amazing landscape graphics and a true sense of speed. It was the first arcade game to have a tilting seat and a steering wheel that shook.

2. POLE POSITION

Featuring a Formula One car racing around the Fuji Speedway, the previous home of the Japanese Grand Prix, Namco's 1982 bestseller was one of the earliest games to feature product placement, with advertising hoardings shown around the track. This classic title can now be downloaded from Apple Store for the iPhone and iPod.

3. DAYTONA USA

This 1993 Sega game was considered the most realistic 3D game at the time. The aim is to get a stock car (known as the 'Hornet') to the end of the race before your time runs out. It offers multiplayer and different camera views. The oval tracks aren't terribly challenging, but the light steering and traffic make it tricky.