Latest Game Reviews

Total Immersion Racing Review - Xbox

2nd October 2003 by
53%
Get your engines revving as Total Immersion Racing speeds onto the Xbox. Users of the Xbox have already come to know countless racing titles; however none have the unique qualities of Total Immersion Racing. As you race through the tracks at defying speeds you also must recognize your opponents as it is in your interest to stay on there good side or brace yourself for a backlash in the next or future races. So what does this mean? Your on track antics will either hold you in good stead and give you a high level of respect from the other professionals or could drop you into a shark infested tank of water with one or more biting at the bit to get a piece of you.

With 18 licensed cars featured, Real Racing tracks from all around the world, Innovative AI technology and an advanced game engine that utilises advanced fog features and other weather effects. All of these features give Total Immersion Racing excellent foundations for a top grade title.

Gameplay

Total Immersion Racing offers the usual suspect modes for racing games with Single race's and Time Trials but also offers you the main feature of the game, Career Mode. Based on a GT racing circuit drivers have 17 competitors on the race track at the same time all apart of there own two man teams much like the V8 Supercars series in Australia, in career mode you start off as a young novice driver who has skills and is looking to take these skills to the top of the racing pedigree, getting a break with a up and coming race team your results mean a lot and prove to be vital to your progression in the industry. If you do well you will receive offers from bigger and better racing teams much like how it all happens in real life.

Licensed manufacturers are very important for racing titles; it gives the fans of the particular manufacturer more reason to try the game out just because it has a certain car model. TIR boasts manufacturers BMW, Audi and Panoz in there car artillery, this is a good hand to play but would it be enough for the racing fans? I don't think so, not with games like Sega GT or Project Gotham Racing that give a wide range of cars available to drive. The cars when you drive them don't feature great feeling they give off the impression that you're not driving a car, more of a hovercraft above the tarmac surface. If you want a good racing experience you need to be able to feel the cars physic's or you might as well give it up and make a over 50's Jet Ski game where your not allowed to go over 50kms speed limit.

With so many racing titles available these days it means that in need to be special the game needs to have a good level of originality and innovation to make it stand above the rest. Total Immersion (continued next page)

next page »