Preview - GRID Autosport
I really liked GRID 2. I liked the racing mechanics, I liked the look and feel of the cars as they zoomed across tracks at maximum speed. I even liked the cheesy storyline that was forced into it.
A lot of people didn't like GRID 2, preferring the original GRID for its realism and career mode. GRID Autosport is Codemaster's response to those critics, and it's a game that puts pure racing right back as the centrepiece. While this will be music to the ears of some fans, it could end up taking all the character out of GRID and making it a little bit, well, dull.
Hardcore racing aficionados will find plenty to love, as there are five distinct race types to try out and progress through in your career: Touring, Endurance, Open Wheel, Tuner and Street. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, and my particular favourite was Open Wheel simply because of the vehicles and how fun they are to handle across circuits. What wasn't so fun was the drifting challenges in Street, which had me confused and wondering just how to pull off the perfect motion around bends and pick up points instead of hurtling straight off the track. I wasn't very successful.
Upon choosing which category of race to enter in your career you'll be given the option of different sponsors. Sponsors offer challenges, such as finishing in the top three positions on two occasions or driving over 100mph during laps. Completing these challenges lands you with more XP points and allows you to progress up your career ladder a bit more quickly. Also, the higher you set the difficulty setting, the more XP points you'll get, so after getting used to the driving make sure you crank up the difficulty to gain a few more points.
During races you'll also have a teammate, too, who you can give instructions to using the d-pad. You can tell him to hold up the pack for you and give you that extra half a second advantage if you're in the lead, or encourage him to speed up and push harder if he's lagging behind. It's a nice little touch and can be a real benefit if you learn how to use it properly.
When it comes to racing the game seems very much geared towards trial-and-error runs, recording a time and then bettering it by milliseconds on the next attempt with a sharper turn at the last corner. It's enjoyable enough, but I don't quite get the thrilling rides I did in GRID 2. It feels like I'm watching a real-life race instead of playing a game, and Autosport is much more of a simulation than last year's effort was. Again, it's all down to preference, and those who loved the original will find plenty to shout about here.
One thing all GRID fans will be pleased to hear is that the cockpit camera view makes a triumphant return after being left out of GRID 2. This was probably the biggest complaint about last year's title, so it's nice to know that Codemasters is listening despite previously claiming only a small percentage of players actually use it.
Visually the game looks as pretty as you'd expect. Car models look lovingly recreated, and the damage system means you'll really be wincing if you crash your beloved ride straight into the advertising hoardings. You can choose whether damage affects the handling of cars in the options menu, but we suggest turning it on to encourage you to drive a bit less recklessly. Tracks are nicely laid out and there are a variety of different locations, such as Dubai, Barcelona and Malaysia. In terms of content it looks like it's going to be packed, with over 100 different routes across 22 environments. There's going to be plenty to see and do here.
It's all very nice once you're playing, but unfortunately the main menu system is as gloomy and uninspiring as any we've come across. It's obviously been designed to get you to onto the track as quickly as possible, but a bit more life and colour wouldn't go amiss. There's also a terrible female voiceover who informs you of the basics when you first start, and she sounds as if she's tiredly reading the instructions off a sheet of paper. A male voiceover after races telling you, "We need bigger scores", or helpfully adding, "Try to win this next one" doesn't make things any better.
GRID Autosport is definitely about substance over style. When the racing mechanics are so tight and on point that can be forgiven, and once original GRID players get on the track they'll feel right at home again. Those seeking a bit more of a thrilling ride might not be catered for here, but Codemasters is really listening to community feedback for this one and that has to be commended. This could be the return to form that GRID fans are praying for.