Let’s face it, when we think of racing games and consoles, two or three games come to mind. For the Playstation, there is the Gran Turismo series, and for the Xbox, there are the Forza and Project Gotham Racing series. These titles have raised the bar in the console racing game arena year after year. Also, the developers have promoted them as being some of the best simulator racing games out there. However, are these claims really true?
Over the past years, the battle between the Xbox and PS fans has developed into an all out war. In the racing division, one party always bashes the other as to which has better graphics or which handles better. On another front, serious PC simmers have disregarded these games as being top notch, since there are a few racing titles, which focus solely on racing itself and making sure the race experience is as real as possible. For years, certain lines between console and PC racing have not been crossed, until now.
If you have been following the news in the gaming world recently, you would have heard about SimBin’s Xbox 360 title called Race Pro. This is basically a superior successor to the already excellent PC titles already introduced by the Swedish developers. However, when it was initially marketed to the console world, fans were not too pleased with what they saw. They came down on the game’s overall point (storyline, if you wish to call it that) and its graphics. However, as more news, reviews, gameplay videos, interviews, test trials and other content pour in, it makes us wonder, could this possibly be a better game than what we already are accustomed to? Could it redefine what a console racing game really is supposed to be?
The answer to that is yes. This is simply because what we considered racing games are not truly simulation based. Let us analyze different aspects and then come up with the conclusion as to why the initial statement was made.
Graphics
This is the one area in which Race Pro doesn’t have the best stronghold. When compared to Forza 2 or PGR 4, it has been said that they are generally comparable. However, the latest Gran Turismo title dominates the class. In all fairness, SimBin titles have produced very good visuals, but they are not really ground breaking to speak off. However, SimBin obviously did it right by putting a lot of attention into handling, which is discussed next.
Physics/Realism
Race Pro, which is being developed by SimBin, is aimed at bringing reality into sim racing. If you check any preview, you will see that this game has already succeeded in being a very realistic racer, by taking into consideration many factors that affect real racing cars. Also, Race Pro has evolved from a line of very successful PC racing titles in the past such as GT Legends, GTR, GTR2, RACE, RACE 07, GTR Evolution and much more. This is where the first problem arises for the average console race fan. Race Pro focuses on bringing a very realistic experience, and consolers have not really encountered such an experience yet. Looking at Forza 2 and PGR4, we realize that the physics and handling are very arcadish according to today’s standards. There are things we can do with the cars, that are just impossible in reality. Maybe when the games were released, it may have set some benchmark, but looking back, we realize it still was not a good rendition. Gran Turismo, has done a better job in the physics department, with many real racing drivers crediting the game. However, it still isn’t the best. Many find the handling to still be a bit on the arcade side. Gran Turismo has gone on for years without a damage model. Is that racing reality? Even though Race Pro’s damage model is still underdeveloped, it certainly tops Forza’s and GT5: Prologue. At the end of the day, these big brand names still possess some handling characteristics which are questionable. Technically, Race Pro is the first title that will bring the real simulation experience to a console.
Career Mode
Race Pro has a very simple style story mode, which basically follows what the real racing drivers do in real life. However, GT and Forza’s career mode is a bit more complex (not in a bad way), because you can do lots of mod works to your car as well as have collections and much more. However, it does bend away from reality sometimes.
Concluding Points
The direction in which Race Pro has gone, is what other racing titles claiming to be “simulations” should have followed. Games such as Need For Speed or Midnight Club clearly excel in their field because the devs make it clear that these titles are arcade-based. However, if a developer wants to call their game is a simulator, they should look into focusing on fundamental things, namely physics, handling and visuals. Race Pro is pretty much a summation of all these 3 components and has the potential to be a great racing title for the 360. The unfortunate reality is that “fanboys” have fueled the stereotype that Forza and PGR are the only good Xbox race titles, and GT - the PS3 counterpart. This has resulted in fans focusing less energy on what is good or not good in a racer and channeling that good potential into fighting never ending wars between the console makers. This behaviour is clearly demonstrated when many “fanboys” are quick to shoot down a new racing title without even trying it out, or having a slight clue as to the background of the game.
If fans are willing to open their minds to new titles, they will realise the potential of Race Pro, and may even change their thoughts about what they though were good simulation titles (i.e. GT, Forza, etc.). For now, no matter what the reality is, certain racing titles remain engraved in the minds of consolers because of the long history behind them. Race Pro is an all out new title, and might not make any great headway for the next few months or years, even though it does have much better focus on physics and handling. For now, please take a back seat, and re-analyse the racing games you have and ask yourself, “Do these games really have what it takes to be a simulator?” For me, I can give a nod of approval for Race Pro.
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