Grid - Game Review

Just released over the past weeks is my now favorite console racing game, if not my favorite all time racing game, Grid. The guys over at Codemasters aren't new to the racing scene with past titles like TOCA Touring Car Series and last years DiRT (graphics engine used for Grid), but this new title just blows away their previous games. With different events (Pro Tune, Touring, Le Mans, Drifting,..), fantastic courses in North America, Europe, and Japan, and the most beautiful cars to grace the streets, Grid leaves you with the satisfaction of great arcade street racing with just a touch of simulation. You never feel like you have to slow down to 40 mph just to make a turn without going off the course and even if you did the game doesn't take away it's satisfying feel of speed. Little add-on's like the style of the instant replay and the damage that can be caused to your car, all bring out the life of Grid.

After giving your driver a bit of information (such as the nickname he'll be called whenever you start the game), you're thrown right into the drivers seat of a Dodge Viper and off to a few start up races. No tutorial whatsoever, and thank god for that. Do you really need to be told how to drive? I'm glad to see Codemasters is actually evolving the styles of games. If it's something as simple as driving I doubt you really need that much of a crash course (they left that for the demolition courses :D.) You start off with driver offers to help you start your team and get great choices in cars such as the Nissan 350z for one of your many rivals Team Orange. After giving your team a name, you're off to win a few matches until the Le Mans Challenge comes around noting the end of the season. (If this map lags for you by the 18:00 mark you need to update DirectX, or if you have stuttering issues.) The categories for the races are placed under countries and their licenses. The more respect you have in a certain country the more licenses you can get and when you win all the courses for a license you get to challenge the top team Ravenwest in a one-on-one challenge. (Very VERY fun. First one I did was a Pro Touge at night. <33) Of course this is just the main career mode and you can always play a quick race if you're like me and you feel like putting off the Le Mans Challenge for just a bit. You never really feel like Grid is pushing you for the positions but rather by how much money and respect you feel like earning. The game does make it easier for you with their instant replays acting like a Prince of Persia rewind, allowing you to start a time before the crash (but you do have to make sure you don't make the same mistake, or that you might be a little too late to find a point before the crash..x.x; )

Though it wouldn't be life if this masterpiece didn't have at least a few problems. Your allowed to give your driver a nickname that your female manager, spotter, and teammate (hire after a few races in career mode) can call you by. While this is an awesome addition, the actual AI voices often become an annoyance. I don't always feel like being reminded to add sponsers for my team after the 11th season. Also your main spotter will often give you good information about where you are leading, which helps in the Le Mans at the early stages, but when it comes time to call out crashes ahead of you (and often enough they only happen infront of you) the spotter is late with the call and you're already going for the instant replay. The car selection is good, but at times feels really limited. Why is it their are no Mitsubshi cars in this title and yet in DiRT it was one of the first choices? Why can't I tune any of the cars? Why do I get limited choices on how the car should look while my oppenents can have their names branded on their cars? Great track courses again, but you normally feel like you've raced it way too often. Not enough variety between the courses and the actual race type. But that's not saying what is here is bad whatsoever. Race Driver Grid is the first racing game besides the first Burnout that I felt like the game really just wanted me to get on the track and burn rubber and that's exactly what I do. From drifting to touge to touring cars, they're all just great events. I really hope their is a Grid 2 in production with a few of these fixes.

Rating: 5/5
Pros: Racing game that actually wants you to race, stylish instant replay and menus, great looking graphics, good selection of cars and tracks, great gameplay overall.
Cons: LIMITED! Limited tracks, cars and voices. Please somehow update this game and make it perfect. <3

I made a video with a few of my favorite cars and tracks. The first Respawn Point Blog video. Enjoy. (For High Res please go to youtube.com via the video.)