Race Driver: GRID from Codemasters
By: Dale Erickson
Review Date: July 10, 2008













44 and 34 are the respective number of racing titles that are currently out or coming out for both the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3, a number that continues to grow even beyond the posting of this review. Thanks to the folks at GameRankings.com for the information. I could list more numbers, but to get right to the point, why do we need another racing title. Likewise, what is going to set this title apart from the rest of the racing games? When the Xbox 360 first arrived on the scene, there were so few releases, and they were spaced quite a ways apart that I had to make sure I found a way to obtain the release as soon as it came out. Now things have changed, we are seeing more sub-par games released, as is the pattern with a system that has been around for a while so I am at the point of trying to reason with myself in do I need to acquire yet another racing game?

Race Driver: GRID from Codemasters is trying to set itself apart from the rest of the racing crowd. There has been a transformation taking place with the racing titles that are coming to the masses from Codemasters. The former Colin McRae series has developed into the critically acclaimed DIRT title that was released earlier this year, and now the former Xbox title TOCA Race Driver (aka Pro Race Driver) has become what is being reviewed here in Race Driver: GRID. As was the case with DIRT there are some changes to the series. If you have played Race Car Driver before, the most prevalent is that there is no longer a storyline based mode.

One of the significant changes in GRID is that the “career” mode is now broken down into a series of tiers in different base locations. United States, Japan, and Europe are the three areas that you will be racing in, which are then broken down into difficulty tiers. In these tiers you choose a race event. Each race has a different type of car, track, and in some cases goal to which you must achieve to be awarded with a win. The vast majority of these races are indeed just that, point to point, or lap based races against multiple opponents. However there are few oddities in some races being that the goal may be drifting to earn points or a head to head race against an opponent in a bracketed style competition. While this change is significant if you were looking for a story based mode as in TOCA Race Driver, it does not mean that this detracts from the gaming experience. Not everyone liked the story based mode (I did) but this method really adds to the experience. It allows the user to choose their path in a well presented manner that does not need lengthy explanations to accomplish. Every time you are involved with a particular new type of racing, there is a short tutorial video showcasing what needs to be done to win. These tutorial videos are short and to the point, which is an added bonus since you do not spend much time away from the racing action.

Now while the main mode of play is easy to adapt to, it is the racing that will keep you playing for the long term. This is the point where the hardcore racers may want to take notice if you are still on the fence on checking GRID out. Each of the many different vehicles in GRID all feel and handle differently on and off the track. Granted you should not be spending your time off the track, but I really found that I liked the differences in how each vehicle reacted when you ran off the track onto the dirt and grass and then the effort and sometimes skill it took to get back to the racing surface. There was not this feel of instantly being able to get back on the track, nor was it a straight line in doing so. If you did not take care getting back on the track you would spin recklessly in your attempts on getting back racing again. The driving model in GRID is not a complete simulation, which is not to say that the vehicles are unrealistic all the time, but there are mixes of over the top racing that definitely say this is not a simulation racer. On the other side of the spectrum, this is not a full fledge arcade, unrealistic racer, meaning that everything you do is over the top and off the wall style of play. This is why the folks at Codemasters really shine with the gameplay and style of GRID. There is a very fine line as to how this racer dwells into each category, giving you a sample of the awesome simulation at times, and yet in another instance giving you the sensation of mayhem and destruction during a race and crash sequence that either allows you to drive away unscathed or completely totals your car to the point of removing your vehicle from the race and finishing dead last. This is also where another unique feature of GRID is unveiled. When you get involved in a catastrophic crash that ends your race, or just plain get into a situation where you just blinked at the wrong time and lost precious track position, you can execute a “flashback” that gives you an option of rewinding a chunk of time that puts you into a position to avoid the mistake you just made. This is not a first in a racing title, but this is executed better than any other racing title prior to GRID. This, also may be considered cheating, but you can also choose to not use “flashbacks” to avoid the unspoken cheating. This results in better prize money and race points which aid in your advancement to the more difficult levels.

Speaking more about the career mode, each season features numerous races of your choosing within the current unlocked tiers. You initially must attempt these races as a hired driver for another team. This gives you an excellent way to obtain funds at the start of your career. Once you have obtained enough funds, you will then start getting options to purchase a car for the particular event that you also then keep in your stable of vehicles for future returns to this type of event in any of the tiers or locations that you return to. One blatant mainstream plug that Codemasters uses in the game has Ebay selling used vehicles that you can purchase. This adds a twist to buying, because some of the items being sold are previous winners, some have been wrecked a few times, and others just plain stink. There is a slight difference in buying these used vehicles versus new, >if< you choose the right vehicle. Once you have obtained a new vehicle you can then let your creative juices flow by customizing your vehicle colors and also with the unlocked sponsors that you have obtained through doing well in your hired races. After you have been consistently finishing in the tops of your races you will get an option to hire a teammate. Teammates bring in extra cash, as well as earn you team points for both the two categories that track your overall “career” progress through a leaderboard. The ultimate goal is to be number one.

Lastly, your season ends with the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race. This race features fifteen vehicles racing head to head in a 24-hour race. The race is split into different levels of vehicles, so ultimately it looks like you may be racing the field, but for monetary gain you are only racing against your segment of vehicles. This can at times cause confusion as you do not know by the leaderboard that shows the vehicles near you if they are in your tier or not unless the announcer mentions something about one of the vehicles. The 24-hour race is not really a 24-hour race. It is completed in much less time due to an accelerated clock that counts down a minute for approximately every true second of real time. The environment does change with the time from day to night back to day again so you do technically get the feel of a 24-hour Le Mans race.

Codemasters has always done well with their AI racers in that there is always an element of unpredictability in their racing. GRID is no different with their AI racers. The AI has a blatant disregard for predictability. The AI does not follow a certain path, they spin out when they over drive a turn, they even trade a lot of paint with each other, and of course your own vehicle. The AI is challenging to drive, but can be pushed into a mistake, especially in the early stages of your career path. Nice thing with the “flashbacks” is that the AI does not necessary follow the same path when you restart from prior to your mistake. What you saw the first time, may not necessary be what you see when you try to improve upon your previous mistake. Last thing that follows previous Codemasters titles is the fact that the number of vehicles you can race against is a high number, in GRID this can be as high as twenty total vehicles on the track at once. This allows for some very wild racing in that there are a lot of other cars  to trade paint with. In a majority of the races, you will see eleven other vehicles plus your own. That it is a significant amount of cars. The only major exception, and my biggest gripe is with the 24 Hours of Le Mans race is that the maximum opponents you face are technically eight due to the other vehicles you race against being split up into separate categories and ultimately not competed against during this race.

The graphics of GRID are at the same level as the other top tier racing games. The environments are nicely detailed. Although, during racing, you really do not have a lot of time to focus on the detail. The crowd around the track is repetitive, but they do move out of the way, and react when you slap the wall. The items that can be knocked all over the track, tires, boxes, parts from yours and other vehicles all are still there when you make your lap back around to the particular area. These items can do damage, especially in the extended figure 8 tracks which also acts as a demolition derby type races. The damage modeling is extensive; you will see a lot of different car parts, dings, and dents in various forms on the competitors and your own vehicles. The loads times to get these graphics are not out of line for the amount of information that is trying to queue up in your system. As an added touch, there is a statistical history showcased displaying some of your accomplishments, best times, and laps completed, to name just a few of the items that you will see during the loading screens. I did have some loading issues that may be isolated to my machine; although this is the first title I have played that I have had any loading issues. Even during a race where the DVD is always spinning I would experience an occasional hiccup. This did not happen all the time, just on occasion. I never had it happen during an online race, and it wasn’t always during a high vehicle count race either. I am going to chalk it up as an isolated incident as I have not had any other issues.

The audio features are simply what you expect, with one exception which I will mention in a few sentences. The racing sounds of each of the different vehicles, some environment sounds, some of which do add a little more to the experience. Your trusty advisor that sounds like she is trying to be more seductive then advising. There is some in game music that you can play during the races, but for those that are familiar with my reviews, I am not a fan of music during games, unless it is for the atmosphere (batter walk ups, stadium music in between plays, et al.). Music is not needed for a racing title on the track, but to each their own, and I am in the minority in my feelings on this. The track announcers, and various other voices you hear while on the track are a highlight as you will hear different items about other vehicles spinning out, even naming names of some of the other racers, as they pass you, spin out, or even wreck out of the race.

Do not forget to take GRID to the realm of Xbox Live, as there is plenty of racing to be had there as well. Currently as of this review it is not difficult to find a race, with the demolition derby track being the most popular. There are other races to be entered into as well. Be prepared, as you do usually have to wait for the current race to finish before you can actually join the race. For a time killer, you are given an option to watch the current race. This gives you a nice opportunity to see some of your upcoming competitors and see what type of racer they truly are.

Overall GRID is truly in this reviewer's opinion a must have racing title. There is something for almost every racing connoisseur. The arcade racer has the wild and styling crashes, and the easy to adjust driving model. The simulation racer has the career mode, many different types of vehicles, all with unique characteristics for their liking and I even believe some hardcore racers could be won over with this title due to the differences in each of the different vehicles you race. The graphics are above the normal spectrum of games, maybe not as rich in the detailed features as the other top sellers right now, but they do the title justice in representing a well developed title. The audio is your typical fare, with a couple of highlights, but when it comes down the racing and the depth, GRID delivers.

An additional note for the Xbox 360 is the addition of soon to be delivered downloadable content, which is planned to hit the Xbox Live Marketplace very soon. Codemasters has not stated when the car packs will be released, but according to this news feature it should be sometime in the near future.

Score – 9/10

RustedWalleye