There are numerous simulation games out in the world. These games allow people to participate in various activities that they normally wouldn’t get to try. For instance there are tons of flight, train, ship, and even car simulators. Last year the developers at Simbin released a game entitled GTR FIA Racing and it was one of the better simulation racing games on the PC. This year they have pulled out all of the stops with their latest game GTR 2 to create on of the best racing games on any system. Read on to find out more. There are a lot of modes for you to participate in this game that will keep you entertained for months on end. The first thing that I highly suggest you go to is the driving school, which lets you get acquainted with driving the cars. There are four sections in this mode that help you out. The first is theory, which shows you how the school works and gives you the knowledge to master the art of racing. Next up is the tradework that gives you specific lessons on how to win golden gears, which give you access to various custom championships later in the game. This is the real training mode as it shows you how to do various skills and try them out yourself. Then there is FIA GT which gives you information about the various racing series and how to prepare for them. Last up is the assists, which explain the functions and effects of driving aids in the game. It is in your best interest, especially if you are new to this series, to check out this mode first.
The next mode you will spend some time in is the open practice, which helps you learn each of the tracks' little quirks so you will be prepared when you are actually racing on them. You can adjust many things before you race on here such as the eater controls, circuit, and car type. Next up is the time trails which allow you to improve on your lap times in order to get the best time possible. Race Weekend allows you to compete in stand-alone races against the game’s AI.
If you think you have what it takes you can participate in the 24 Hour Races. Each event spans four days and totals up to equal 24 hours. You can use time scale in this game, which means you can choose how long you want the race to be in real time and the game will scale the race into 24 hours into race time. In this mode you will see real day and night changes as well as various weather changes, all of which affect your driving.
The real meat of this game is in the championship mode, which allows you to race in the official 2003 or 2004 season of FIA-GT. In there you will race on the very tracks in the same order as the real drivers did during those seasons. This mode right here will really tests your skill as a driver to see if you have what it takes to become the top dog during these races.
The main area where this game really shines on is the physics engine. I have not played a racing game before that shows this much dedication to making sure the physics engine is as close to perfect as you can get it. For instance, if you cream into the wall you will watch your hood pop off your car and see the damage your front end will do. Then you can ride behind another racer and bash into him hard enough you can get him to do a 360 and fly off the track. It is a real treat to see a developer that is that dedicated to making sure the game is as close to real as it can be, yet still remains fun to play.
Then you have the weather conditions that make your car behave differently than if it was a normal sunny day. The weather will make you drive differently just like it would in real life. You wouldn’t want to take a turn as fast in the rain as you would if it was dry outside due to a higher risk of hydroplaning and having a head-on collision with the wall.
The graphics for this game are pretty good and like I said earlier the physics engine really helps make them stand out even more. The developers of this game spent a lot of time making sure that every little detail was covered. Seeing the driver in the car is also a blast. He will act realistically to what is going on, from steering the car to shifting. The developers did a great job with the motion capture to make sure it is all there. The day and night settings also make the game a blast to see in action.
Just like everything else in this game the developers made sure that GTR 2 would have some of the best sounds heard from a racing game of this caliber. All of the cars sound differently as you are stomping on the gas pedals as if your life were depending on it. If you pay close attention you will hear the gears change and you will get this surreal feeling as if you were actually racing in the game. I also like the different sounds of the various track surfaces.
GTR 2 is rated for everyone.
Gameplay: 9.0
The thing about this game is that there are so many options for you to tweak that it might seem overwhelming, but don’t give up just yet. Once you get the hang of the game you will love racing against other cars on the various tracks. Playing the game with pedals and steering wheel will give you a lot more enjoyment than just playing with the keyboard.
Graphics: 9.0
The actual graphics to the game are good, but not great. What really makes this stand out is the wonderful physics engine to this game that makes the game so fun. Seeing the various collisions and how it affects your car is a blast.
Sound: 8.9
The music to this game is very fitting and keeps you coming back for more. The various engine noises are really authentic and they all sound like they are coming out of the real cars. Also hearing the tires squealing on the payment, the suped-up engine as the gears are changing, and everything else will have you so pumped up to get in your car to race around your neighborhood.
Difficulty: Hard
GTR 2 will be very hard for you to master, but that is a good thing since it keeps you coming back for more.
Concept: 9.3
Simbin has gone above and beyond my expectations on creating a game that sticks to real life as much as possible yet still remains fun to play.
Multiplayer: 8.8
With the ability to play with up to 28 players in one race will create a lot of tension yet you will have a lot of fun at the same time. You can also run your own dedicated server which means you can create your own custom leagues and what not.
Overall: 9.2
If you are a racing fan, there is no reason why GTR 2 should not be in your game library. You will get many months of enjoyment out of racing in the various races and if you ever get bored with that then you can take the game online and prove your driving skills to the rest of the world.
