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Wild Wild Racing |
PS2 |
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Review by Matt Paprocki |
Interplay |
Racing |
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Graphics: 4 |
Sound: 5 |
Gameplay: 4 |
Overall: 4 |
| Every new console needs a racing game. There is hardly a better way to
show off the technical prowess of a new console than with a massive array of cars battling
for position across an asphalt track. Well, this is a racing game, released at the
consoles launch. However, it certainly doesn't show off what the console can do. Doesn't
even play all that well either. The game offers up the standard racing modes, career, exhibition, multi-player, etc. Nothing here screams innovation. The odd dune buggy racing will most likely have limited appeal, though it's rare to see a game focused specifically on this type of vehicle. Controlling the vehicles is easy to master, even the power sliding. Shame the rest of the game isn't as refined like the controls. The games title makes it seem like this one is nuts. It tries, but gets knocked out in the 3rd. The few ramps and flips are hardly wild. They actually serve no purpose and can be entirely avoided to make the game easier The physics engine for the jumps seems accurate, but they are hardly thrilling and other games like Beetle Adventure Racing on the N64 are much more zany (not to mention more fun). Even for a first generation title, this one doesn't even look at that great. The few lighting and particle effects can't save the blurry textures on the road, lack of reflections on the cars, and simple backdrops. Their is some decent music under the roaring sounds of engine, but trying to hear it is extremely difficult. This was one of the first PS2 titles to hit the bargain bins. It's not hard to see why. The deceiving title, lackluster first-gen graphics, and non-innovative gameplay drops this one to the bottom of the PS2 barrel. There are very few racing games on the console worse than this and you'll be better off plunking down a bit more for one of the Need For Speeds....even if it's one of them on the PS One. |