Every gamer wants to develop games. Not all of us try to make a career out of it. Most of us don’t even bother creating mods. But we all have the dream of what the perfect game would be. Developers have struggled to fulfill our dreams with a couple of adventure and RPG creation games (such as RPG Maker) for PSone, Dreamcast and PS2. The awkward gameplay, low-tech graphics and massive learning curve prevented all but the most dedicated developer-wannabes from jumping on board. Consequently, there are no plans for an RPG Maker on PS3 or Xbox 360. On the console scene, the only user-created content that has worked is within games like Tony Hawk, which offered a terrific skatepark builder tool. Strangely, the same cannot be said for racing games. If any other genre was capable of allowing users to churn out great homemade content, I believe it’s this. Finally someone agrees. Codemasters, together with Firebrand Games, have built a new DS-exclusive that looks to be the start of a great franchise – Race Driver: Create & Race. Race Driver is a simulation racer with very limited arcade elements. There are three exciting gameplay modes: World Tour, Pro Tour, and Challenge. The first selection is a semi-realistic championship mode with several competition tiers. Seven opponents vie for your victory. They’re not an overly strong bunch, but the steering mechanics are pretty strict. You won’t be able to turn sharply without slowing down. Crash once and your opponents will take the lead – crash two or three times and your vehicle may need a pit stop. It’s very hard to regain the lead once it’s lost, regardless of how many laps are left in the race. Some courses are more forgiving than others, at least in terms of catching up. But the winding roads, track blockers and unexpected turns are an ongoing danger. There’s never a moment of, “Phew, I’m in the clear.” There is no clear. You’re constantly in danger of falling behind. The game is not easy to pick up, but that’s hardly a flaw – Race Driver isn’t geared at the mainstream. Pro Tour is a harsher version of the World Tour mode that more strictly enforces the rules. You’ll occasionally have the chance to gain an unfair advantage by using a shortcut. The game recognizes this and will typically allow one such advantage per race (in World Tour mode). Gain any further advantages and you’ll be disqualified from the race. You won’t know it until the end, causing heartache to those who thought they were going to win by cheating. Pro Tour isn’t as kind, punishing players not only for cheating but also for crashing and reckless driving (bumping opponents, veering off course, etc.). Race Driver’s mechanics are good, but there are a couple techniques that will need to be mastered before victory can be obtained. The most important is braking. Like other simulation racers, there are signs that indicate when to reduce your speed before entering a sharp turn. Unfortunately, these signs are small, pixelated, and are impossible to read while driving at high speeds, which is when they’re needed most. The only alternatives are trial and error or glance at the map on the bottom screen. All racers and their locations appear on your map radar. This technique isn’t easy but is vital to your success. The Create & Race portion of Race Driver is outstanding. Tracks are built using a multitude of tools that allow users to create courses that are as simple or complex as they demand. No tutorial is necessary, thanks to the game’s straightforward interface. Using the free draw tool, players can lay down straight and curved pieces of track. The blank grid consists of 20 x 20 squares, which amounts to thousands of feet of potential track space. Select the stamp tool to lay specific items: trees, overpasses, swiveled roads, buildings, parking lots, the race’s starting point, a stadium seating arena (for spectators), and several other pieces that will change the way your course looks and plays. Each piece can be pick
yes: I recommend this product
