Developer – Sumo Digital Publisher - Codemasters Features 1 Player Memory Stick Duo_- 512KB 2-12 Player Multiplayer (Ad-Hoc) Game Sharing ESRB – Teen - Mild Language - Mild Violence When the PSP was originally announced one of the games shown was GT4 Mobile. Over a year later there is still no GT4 to fill the gap of simulation racers. For those looking for a deeper racing experience then most out there on the PSP, Codemasters have stepped up to the plate with their latest racing effort for Sony's handheld, Race Driver 2006. After some playtime with this portable racing game I have to say that I am thoroughly impressed with their effort. Graphics Race Driver 2006 looks great on the PSP. As I ventured through the Career Mode and Trans World Mode, I was amazed with the vehicles I was presented with and the level of detail for the various tracks. There are a hell of a lot of cars in this game ranging from racing cars, rallysport trucks and even semis. Yep, there are so many vehicles that you'll find yourself racing in ones that you most likely did not expect to find in this game. What is amazing about this is that each class of vehicle is modeled quite accurately. Having so many varying types one would expect Codemasters to skimp on the visuals of each but surprisingly they did not. From Rally Cross Trucks to Indy Style Racing Cars, each has a great level of detail and looks quite solid, right down to the working brake lights and spinning wheels. What became quite noticeable to me was how each class of vehicle looked in terms of handling too. You race up to 12 opponents (depending on the type of race) and each car in front of you displays such things as damage, body roll, brake lock up with smoke from the tires, to the front end diving down when the computer AI hits the brakes hard for a hairpin corner. This level of detail in the opponent's only furthers the graphical flair of this game. The tracks are very well designed as well. Draw distance is pretty impressive for the PSP and as I looked down track you could see the cars and scenery quire far into the distance. Tracks also display elevation change quite well. This was evident for me during one race when I came up a hill only to realize there was a corner at the top that was not visible till I crested over the rise. I was not only surprised by the corner itself, but on how the tracks were not just flat roads with left and right turns. There is also a lot of track side detail with crowds, fences, grass, rocks and everything else associated with some great racing tracks. A lot of work did go into this game and something that really hit this home for me was when I raced on Laguna Seca. I have raced this track in videogame form on the PSone, PS2 and Xbox in many of the racing games I have played. Well the PSP version is a great rendition of such and really shows how Codemasters really spent the time into creating all the tracks in the game. Sound Sound in a racing game is almost as important as the graphics, and Codemasters does not disappoint here. For the varying amount of vehicles I was pleasantly surprised with the different sounds off all the cars. It would have been simple for them to just change the tone but they made more of an effort and each class of car sounds very distinct. The muscle cars sound deep and throaty while the Indy Style or Ford Formula Racers have a higher pitch to them. Along with great vehicle sound are the rest of the effects found in Race Driver 2006. Crashes are very likely in this game, from a slight nudge as you and an opponent round a corner to the sudden pile up of all the cars rounding a tight corner, each has its own sound depending on the seriousness of the contact. And of course you cannot forget such things as spinning tires, hitting the gravel or grass on the edge of the track or slamming on the brakes to avoid a huge pile up. These sounds are all in the game as well and sound quite good even though the internal speakers of the PSP. Put some headphones on and these effects even sound better. Something that I did not expect to comment on is the voice acting in the game. During the long career mode you are treated to some nice in game movies to help the story move along. During the story that unfolds you are introduced to a number of supporting characters all shown in good ol' CG glory. The voices that have been chosen for the characters are actually quite good and help tell a pretty good tale. I actually looked forward to the breaks between races as the and it was the voices during the cutscenes that helped what unfolded before me. Codemasters could have cheapened out in this area but they did not and the voice actors really helped to bring the characters to life. For those looking for music, it is mostly found in the menu and adds a nice touch when navigating the screens. I didn't really hear any music during actual gameplay and when I went and played looking for any, to make sure I was not missing it, I found it was not there. It was not a loss to this reviewer but I am sure some gamers will want to race while grooving to some tunes. Gameplay Race Driver 2006 is not an arcade racer so those just wanting to race around various tracks while power drifting around all the corners should look elsewhere. As one plays through the Career Mode or the Trans World Mode it becomes highly evident that driving technique is somewhat important and adaptation is key. Why is adaptation so important you ask? Well, it is because you just don't race one style of vehicle as there is a large amount of cars, trucks and rally cars to race. The game actually forces you to race specific types of vehicles in the all important Career and Trans World Modes. Although some might find this annoying, as they may want to choose their car, I enjoyed this fact as I never knew what was coming next in terms of the type of vehicle I would have to drive. Each time I had to drive a different type of vehicle I was forced to learn and change my driving habits as each car or truck handled very differently and they each had their own attributes to deal with. From racing a Ford Formula Racer to racing a vintage Jaguar, each race series had me changing such things as the way I would brake and go into corners to when and how I would pass computer opponents. It was this variety that really makes this game a great racer. The computer AI is somewhat formidable in Race Driver 2006 and they really mix it up. Some races are definitely easier then others, but as you make your way up the Career Mode you definitely find yourself up for a challenge now and then. I really did appreciate what seemed to be a lack of rubber band AI that many racing games incorporate. If I was to lose a race it was usually due to my driving, not the fact that the AI was able to always comeback. Something that did frustrate me though was on occasion when the computer AI would clip me from behind and I had to battle to keep my car on the track. I specifically remember one series where I had to restart a few times due to the fact that the darn AI hit my backend and forced me off the track into a heart wrenching spin on more then one occasion. Now, it is not that I particularly mind some bumping and grinding during races, it is just that anytime I tried any of the same tactics the computer AI never had any problems staying on track. The only time I could remember causing an opponents car to spin was when I inadvertently hit them into a barrier. In the big scheme of things I think that this was the only really glaring, and quite frustrating problem for me when considering the AI in the game. As Sony's portable machine has faced some criticism with the analog nub, I had some concerns about how the game would control. Well, after my time with Race Driver 2006 I have to say that the control is really quite nice and it is great to see a racer that actually allows you to use the analog nub without pulling your hair out. Sure, it was not perfect, but I was able to stay on track a lot more then I had hoped for. Gas and brakes are assigned to the buttons and there seems to be some naturalness to them. I was able to learn to take corners by stepping on and off the gas and with a little bit of practice I was able to take sweeping corners and chicanes all in stride. Overall Codemasters did a great job translating this game to the PSP, control included. As noted earlier, the meat of this game is the Career and Trans World Modes. Each is quite large and will take quite a bit of time to complete. This was a pleasant change as some racers which are just jaunts through a few different tracks or the same tracks over and over. Both these modes have a large number of differing types of races ranging from street, track to off-road races. This variety is very refreshing and helps to make this game more then just running laps around a circuit. Career Mode has you climbing the ranks against other drivers, beginning from rookie status. You have to fight hard to gain your sponsors and keep challenging drivers from taking your spot on your team. The Career Mode's story unfolds in the form of CG movies and it is actually quite enjoyable to watch your racing life unfold in front of you. Trans World Mode has you facing off with other drivers to claim the "Trans World" Championship. Here you have to race in various events earning anywhere from 1 to 10 points per event. These racing have different events in each race ranging from single races, mini-championships to maintaining an average speed throughout a track or staying on a racing line. There are a total of 10 types of events to master. There are also the usual quick play modes such as Free Race, Time Trial and Multiplayer. This game is more of a simulator type of racing game, but I was surprised to find that I was not able to ‘adjust' my car during both the Career and Trans World Mode. One would expect that a simulator game would allow you to make the necessary adjustments to make your car better. The only modes you can do this in are Free Race, Time Trials and Multiplayer modes. Here you do have the ability to modify your gearing, downforce, suspension, ride height, tires and brake bias. Some may like to do this during the Career and Trans World Modes, but I did not mind not having to do this as I could focus more on my racing technique and not worry about the nuances of setting up my car. For you gear heads out there though you may be a bit more disappointed then I was. Race Driver 2006 adds some multiplayer modes to this portable racer. This is in the form of either game sharing or each player having their own copy. In game sharing up to a total of 4 players can race with only one copy of the game. The tracks are limited but it is nice to play a game like this and not have to have all those who want some multiplayer fun to need to own the game. Should each player own a copy of this game you can play up to 12 players in a wireless multiplayer game (Ad-Hoc). 12 players is a large number of human opponents to race against. Now I have to be honest, I didn't play that much of the multiplayer for two reasons, not everyone I know (fellow reviewers included) owns a PSP and I was really hooked on the Career and Trans World Modes. But what limited multiplayer I did experience was pretty much trouble free. I think it would be neat to try a 12 player game sometime in the near future though. Conclusion Race Driver 2006 fills the void of a lack of a sim-based racer on the PSP. Diehard gearheads out there who really like to tinker with a vehicles set-up might be a little disappointed with inability to do so in the Career or Trans World Mode. However, that being said, with great graphics, good sound and some very engaging gameplay (multiplayer included) one cannot go wrong with this racing title.