GRID career preview

[Cavalry]

http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/872/872698p1.html
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PC

May 8, 2008 - Since Codemasters announced its new racing game late last year, we've only gotten a few brief looks at the title -- once during a developer demo and again in a hands-on with a select number of tracks and cars. And although we've liked what we've seen so far, the meat of the game has been locked away from our prying eyes. That all changed this week when the British studio popped the bonnet on the U.S. portion of Grid's career mode for us, giving IGN free reign to create a racing team, earn some money and rep and make our way toward racing stardom.

Grid is being developed by the Codemasters racing team that created 2007's DiRT, a sexed-up off-road racer with slick presentation, lush graphics and detailed damage modeling. Rather than crank out an immediate sequel, the team chose to blend elements of DiRT with the soul of its TOCA/Pro Race Driver series to create a new racing experience.

Anybody not really enjoy DiRT, I found myself getting bored after playing it for 15 minutes.

The result is Grid, powered by the upgraded DiRT engine (now dubbed Ego) and designed to straddle the starting line between arcade and simulation. Its career mode isn't about collecting cars (there are only 50 in the game), tuning up your vehicle specs or painting Princess Peach on your hood. It's, according to Codies, "all about the race," and we've run plenty in our time with Grid so far.

Hope this 'Ego' engine will make it look and feel realistic

After choosing your driver's name, origins and driving style, Grid slams you onto the track. There's no tutorial, no hand-holding -- just you, a car and the track. Finishing your first race nets you a rookie license, which instantly opens up the lower-tier events in all three racing regions ? Japan, Euro and U.S.

Then the racing starts. Your first goal as a newbie racer is to raise ?60,000 (the build we're playing is still Euro-focused) to fix up your first car, which for us was a Ford Mustang Boss 302. To raise the necessary scratch, you'll need to freelance for a few racing teams first. Each time you finish a freelance race, you'll make varying amounts of money and rep, depending on how you've set up your driving preferences.

Let's say you're having a particularly good race. You're out in front, it's the last lap, and you're already counting the money you'll earn from your podium showing. Then you hit a stray piece of debris and sail into a wall. Good night, right? Not so fast. Grid's Flashback system allows you to hit pause, go to the instant replay, rewind to a point shortly before you lost control, hit a button and essentially take a do-over.

This COULD make the game WAY too easy unless some sort of penalty system is implied.

After looking at a few screens and videos, this looks like it has the potential to be a big crowd pleaser.

Spoiler

Looks like Drifting, Dirt track racing,Le mans, Autobahn are all featured. I am really hoping the drift isn't f*cked up, Juiced 2 claimed to have good drift, but took a took a corner at a 90 degree turn of fail

I am also hoping for some kind of gambling/heads-up thing before races.

Release dates-
USA-June 3
Europe-June 2008
Australia-June 12

So HL2.net, what do you make of this?
Keep in mind, Codemasters HAS failed before(Pro Race Driver)
But have also had successes(TOCA)

 

[Loke]

A demo (with MP) is up on XBL and PSN.

 

[Ren.182]

I've played the demo and its a pretty good racer. Graphics are nice and without the driving aids on it really is pretty tough to drive.

Racing games have a hard time of holding my attention though, might skip this one.

 

[L3N!N]

I was hoping somebody could make a racing game that was like Need For Speed(But somehow more realistic and...better) and I think that GRiD might answer my prayers. But I can't tell until the release.

 

[Bad^Hat]

I've played the demo and its a pretty good racer. Graphics are nice and without the driving aids on it really is pretty tough to drive.

Racing games have a hard time of holding my attention though, might skip this one.

I noticed that demo earlier. Is it realistic ala Forza, or a more arcadey like DiRT/Colin Mcrae? Realistic racers usually fail to drag me in, probably something to do with the fact that I can't drive...

 

[Ren.182]

I've not played Forza but the game seems more arcadey to me. It's made by the same people that did DiRT and it's on the same engine, just modified.

With the driving aids off it really is pretty tough to drive like I said, but with them on its easy. You should give the demo a spin see if it grabs your attention or not? I might give it another chance when my friend gets the full version.

 

[TCfromBN]

The game is DEFINITELY more arcadey. I downloaded the demo last night and was quite disappointed with the car handling. (Using my MS wireless wheel) I like the feel of Forza 2000x better.

Drift felt like PGR, and I hate PGR.

 

[Cavalry]

Grabbed the demo last night.

First I tried the drifting, after engaging the e-brake (as the directions say) the S15 does nothing but spin out.

Drifting SUCKS in GRID

Tried a touring car race full of BMW's, and got into a huge crash on the second hairpin, my pit crew yells out "Its only a few scratches" as my car's steering was GONE. The car insisted on swerving to the right into walls, even though the thumbstick is jammed all the way to the left.

Unless there is a MAJOR improvment in gameplay, this is one to pass on.