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"Not for the casual gamer"

Codemasters has made some great games over the years. One of them is the TOCA race driver series. TOCA games are known for their realism and different styles of racing. Beware though that this game may be too much to casual gamers.

Story 7/10

The basic story of the game is that you are an up and coming driver who is trying to make it to the Masters Grand Prix the top of the racing world. Before you get there, you will need to prove yourself in other race championships and also prove you're self against some of the best drivers in the world who are also looking to make it to the Masters Grand Prix. The story is told through cut scenes that can either happen very often, or every so often which help you understand what is exactly happening in the game. It's nothing original but it's a nice twist to how the story is told.

Graphics 8/10

The cars and the FMV cut scenes are very good visually, but the crowds and some of the background visuals could use some polishing since it they look bland for the most part.

Sounds 9/10

The cars sounds and effects sound great. The engine revving sounds like you really are in the car. The audio for the cut scenes are also well done. The only gripe that I have is that there is no in race music and there is only one sound that is played for the menus.

Controls 8/10

This is where the casual gamer would be turned off by the game. The controls are excellent for the game but at times can feel a little loose. The cars handle like they would in real life so if you take a turn incorrectly you may spin out. If you have played games like Gran Tursimo you will have an idea of how the cars will behave, but the cars spin out faster in this game then the GT series. Just like in real life if you hammer the throttle you will most like spin your tires and lose speed. The same thing applies with braking, if you hammer the brakes and full force you will most likely lock you tires and not be able to turn.

Replay Value 9/10

With so many different racing disciplines to race in, may wish to master them all if you are a hard core racer you may want to try and race them all. Story mode also at times gives you different choices for what series to race next so if you want a different challenge you may choose a different route. You can also play in simulator mode which allow you to race on all of the tracks that the specific series races on, and also allows you to race in different cars that you have unlocked if the series has different cars that are used and also race using a different race car of the same type altogether. The sheer types of racing in this game should please any racing fan. You have everything from simple open wheel cars to the latest Formula 1 and everything in between at your finger tips.

Difficulty 9/10

Another part that will mainly turn off casual gamers is the sheer difficulty of this game. This game is very realistic as far as how the cars handle in the game. This is hard on the easier handling levels. One thing that does grind my gears (no pun intended) is that you don't really have a lot of time to master each race series. You will do a few races in a specific series get used to it, then have to master a completely different style of racing after you finish the current championship. While you can go into simulator mode and do races in a specific series, it would be nice in the main style of game play to be able to master a series a little longer than in 3 or 4 races.

Final Thoughts

Pros:
Excellent graphics
Tight controls
Large range of racing disciplines to choose from will please any racing fan.
Lots of replay value.

Cons:
Some background textures could use some work.
The super steep learning curve.
Needs more time to master each series that is giving.

This game looks great, plays great, and has lots and lots of replay value to be had. The sheer amount of racing disciplines will please any race fan to date. The steep learning curve and the realistic handling may drive away casual gamers who are looking for a simple game to just pick up and play. If you are a hardcore racing fan, or just like racing in general and you are not a casual gamer then pick up this game, you won't be disappointed.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 09/27/07

Game Release: TOCA Race Driver 2: The Ultimate Racing Simulator (US, 04/13/04)