In Forza, you start off in short races with tame vehicles before working your way up the rankings by winning cash to buy more cars and scoring license points to unlock harder races.
The cars are fantastically detailed and have a realistic feel with early cars smooth but slow. You then progress to the likes of the Lotus Elise before tackling the super-quick machines. Forza 2 has more cars racing at once than Playstation favourite Gran Tursimo 4 – a step forward, but it doesn’t bring any exciting new ideas for the genre.
The cars are fantastically detailed and have a realistic feel with early cars smooth but slow. You then progress to the likes of the Lotus Elise before tackling the super-quick machines. Forza 2 has more cars racing at once than Playstation favourite Gran Tursimo 4 – a step forward, but it doesn’t bring any exciting new ideas for the genre.
Trackmania: United is as crazy as racing games get, but it’s not for those looking for a realistic racing experience.
There are three different types of levels including straightforward races against the clock and more taxing courses you have to complete without exceeding a minimum number of crashes. Most interesting are the puzzle levels where you have to build a track to pass through a certain number of checkpoints, and then race it yourself.
The track editor is fairly powerful but it can be clunky and unintuitive to use.
There are three different types of levels including straightforward races against the clock and more taxing courses you have to complete without exceeding a minimum number of crashes. Most interesting are the puzzle levels where you have to build a track to pass through a certain number of checkpoints, and then race it yourself.
The track editor is fairly powerful but it can be clunky and unintuitive to use.
In its current incarnation Colin McRae: Dirt has expanded beyond just rallying – although this is still by far the most exhilarating aspect of the game.
Colin McRae: DIRT adds off-road circuit racing including rallycross and American style dirt racing. Like Forza Motorsport 2 it uses a career structure where you buy cars and complete races to progress to tougher races and bigger rewards.
The graphics are fantastic - the PC version requires an especially powerful machine. Its only weak point is the actual driving experience – the cars seem to float from bend to bend.
The graphics are fantastic - the PC version requires an especially powerful machine. Its only weak point is the actual driving experience – the cars seem to float from bend to bend.
Moto GP 07 is as good as two-wheeled racing gets, short of pulling on leathers and jumping on a bike. The official bikes, riders and tracks of the 2007 Moto GP season are all rendered in crisp, high-definition glory.
Once you’ve got the hang of lapping without falling off you can go wheel-to-wheel with the finest Moto GP has to offer.
The developers have tweaked the computer controlled opponents to make them smarter, but also prone to the occasional realistic mistake.
It’s a little more challenging than your average racer but bike fans will love it.
Once you’ve got the hang of lapping without falling off you can go wheel-to-wheel with the finest Moto GP has to offer.
The developers have tweaked the computer controlled opponents to make them smarter, but also prone to the occasional realistic mistake.
It’s a little more challenging than your average racer but bike fans will love it.
COMPETITION
You could win one of ten copies of Colin McRae: DIRT for the machine of your choice. Simply email your answer to the question below along with your address and the details of which version of the game you would like to competition@autotrader.co.uk. In which year did Colin McRae win the World Rally Championship? a) 1985 b) 1995 c) 2005
You could win one of ten copies of Colin McRae: DIRT for the machine of your choice. Simply email your answer to the question below along with your address and the details of which version of the game you would like to competition@autotrader.co.uk. In which year did Colin McRae win the World Rally Championship? a) 1985 b) 1995 c) 2005
Stuntman: Ignition puts you behind the wheel - and challenges you to re-create a host of exciting tricks with millimetre-perfect precision.
The game is a little more forgiving than the original Stuntman, which was notoriously tough. But although it’s easier to get to the end of each level it’s hard to resist the urge to keep repeating them in the search for a perfect score.
It seems a bit short and rather like a Grand Theft Auto sub-game. But it’s highly original and bags of fun.
The game is a little more forgiving than the original Stuntman, which was notoriously tough. But although it’s easier to get to the end of each level it’s hard to resist the urge to keep repeating them in the search for a perfect score.
It seems a bit short and rather like a Grand Theft Auto sub-game. But it’s highly original and bags of fun.
Juiced carries the support of Hot Import Nights – the live show which tours America, thrilling packed audiences with its maxed-out cars and urban music. That forms the backdrop for the usual mix of races, drift challenges and more. There are 90 cars to choose from, with a mix of American and European machinery, plus a huge selection of modifications.
Juiced never lets the excitement drop and moves you quickly from race to race with the minimum of fuss. It’s easy to pick up to play, with lots of races and a multiplayer option.
Juiced never lets the excitement drop and moves you quickly from race to race with the minimum of fuss. It’s easy to pick up to play, with lots of races and a multiplayer option.
The official Formula 1 game is only available to Playstation players. But while the game is a joy to look at, it’s not so much fun to play.
The difficulty level is set quite low and it feels more as though you are pointing your cars around the track than actually racing them.
It’s also some way out of date – the new-for-2007 Fuji Speedway is missing, there’s no Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher hasn’t retired yet.
It may look the part but there are many more entertaining racers than F1 Championship Edition.
The difficulty level is set quite low and it feels more as though you are pointing your cars around the track than actually racing them.
It’s also some way out of date – the new-for-2007 Fuji Speedway is missing, there’s no Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher hasn’t retired yet.
It may look the part but there are many more entertaining racers than F1 Championship Edition.
In Motorstorm you tackle a range of off-road courses, each with a number of different routes through them. There are a selection of different vehicles to use, including bikes and 4x4s, each of which are better suited to different parts of the course.
Your opponents are vicious – ramming each other (and you) out of the way or just plain smashing over the top.
Unfortunately that’s about all there is to it. You can unlock more events but there’s not enough variety in terms of the machinery you get to race. The multiplayer mode is great fun but only available online.
Your opponents are vicious – ramming each other (and you) out of the way or just plain smashing over the top.
Unfortunately that’s about all there is to it. You can unlock more events but there’s not enough variety in terms of the machinery you get to race. The multiplayer mode is great fun but only available online.