V8 Supercar Race Driver 2 is the fifth title in Codemaster’s hugely successful TOCA Race Driver series. This series has been around just as long as Gran Turismo and has consistently changed. The original V8 Supercar title debuted on the PS2 in August 2002, with an Xbox release following, eight months later. This time however, V8 Supercar Race Driver 2 has released first on Microsoft’s console. We expect that there will be a PS2 version of this game out before Christmas although no official announcement has been made yet.
V8 Supercar Race Driver 2’s predecessor was described by Codemaster’s as the first caRPG, placing you in the role of Ryan McKane as he drove to prove his worth. Thankfully there is no Ryan McKane this time and V82 pits the player through a series of championships scattered over eight seasons.
There are over fifteen types of racing, ranging from V8 racing and rally racing to truck driving. There are also fifty two courses which are extremely varied and ten V8 Supercar tracks; Eastern Creek, Adelaide, Phillip Island, Barbagello, Hidden Valley, Oran Park, Sandown, Surfers Paradise, Pukekohe and of course, Bathurst
Some of the more exceptional cars included are the Aston Martin (V12 Vanquish, DB7 and DB5), Jaguar (XJ220, XKR and E-Type), Ford (Mustang Cobra R, Ford GT, GT90, F150 Lightning Pick-up, Falcon BA), Holden Commodore VY, Mitsubishi 3000 GT, Mitsubishi EVO 7, Subaru Impreza WRX, ABT-Audi TT-R, Opel Astra V8 Coupe and AMG-Mercedes CLK. This adds a huge amount of variation to the game.
For those who are buying the game simply for the V8 racing they will not be disappointed. Just like a FIFA update there are updated teams and drivers, three new V8 Supercar tracks and updated graphics. Instead of porting the game over from the PS2 like the previous title Codemaster’s has exclusively developed the game on Xbox this time around and the cars look better than ever.
Xbox live is fully supported for up to twelve players. In comparison to Gran Turismo 4 and Project Gotham Racing 2 this makes for more intense racing with more players on screen at any given time.
The main mode of V8 is the simulator mode; this takes players throughout the many different types of racing. There is a free race mode where cars and tracks unlocked in simulator mode are playable. The damage model has been completely overhauled, if your car gets too damaged then the race is over and the player must restart. One large crash can end an entire race. The stakes are much higher this time around and this encourages “proper” racing rather than a demolition derby.
The menus are surprisingly hard to navigate. Finding your way through the horde of options is intimidating. A quick race option is sorely missing from the title and as the game is primarily focused on mainstream gamers who just want to race quickly this major drawback.
Gamers complained when the first title was released that the handling was too arcadey. The handling has been tweaked and is a lot more precise using the Xbox controller. This means making the transition from the original title to the sequel is a lot harder than expected.
The graphics have received a major overhaul. Cars now look more detailed and the game runs smoother than ever (a constant 60 FPS). While driving down Bathurst players can see down the entire hill with a greater draw distance adding to the realism of the game. The tracks have brilliant detail, the crowds are livelier than before and the cut-scenes are detailed but still just as tedious to sit through.
Taking full advantage of the Xbox’s capabilities custom soundtracks are now supported. Unfortunately the soundtrack feature isn’t exploited fully as some songs will repeat continuously and others will never appear. The engine noises are realistic and have had a lot of work go into them. Full Dolby 5.1 surround is included ensuring if you have the setup you can hear the V8’s roaring through your room.
Instead of releasing a cash-in update Codemaster’s have gone back to the drawing board and removed parts that gamers didn’t like (Ryan McKane) and included new features like extra tracks, soundtrack support and updated teams. This is one of the best racing games on Xbox and this is even more of an achievement when you consider how many racing games are on the console. However, It remains to be seen whether or not V8 Supercar Race Driver 2 will be just as brilliant after future racing games are released like Gran Turismo 4 and Rallisport Challenge 2.
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