TOCA Race Driver 2Publisher: CodemastersPlatform: Xbox, PS2, PC
Ah, the sequel to Pro Race Driver is finally here. Dolled up with several styles of racing, TOCA Race Driver 2 is one of the more-worthwhile racing titles to pick up. While it's no Gran Turismo, it still offers a great deal of race action to get your fix. You get to race on a wide variety of tracks with a wide variety of cars and styles.
Players race anything from open-wheeled racers (Formula Fords) and GT series (Nissan Skylines), to "supertruck" racing (semis) and supercars (a la Jaguar XJ 220s). It's a vast assortment of racing styles you won't find piled in any other game. This is where Race Driver 2's ambitious scope really pays off.
Personally, I had a lot of fun with this game and enjoyed racing all of the different styles. I know many would probably forego racing semis, but it creates a unique challenge. How exactly do you race something so massive and deal with a low-revving, high-torque engine? Of course, there are also road-going versions of the Porsche 962 included in the game for posterity's sake and some break-neck speeds.
At first, I was overwhelmed by the many possibilities the game presented. It had enough of a storyline to drive the game along without being too cheesy. It also made several of the styles available early in the game, so you aren't left wondering when you'll get to the open-wheel racers.
Another striking thing about the game was it did not simply allow you to start off in the front of the field. You have to catch and pass the first-place car. It really makes you earn your place. Driving like a moron may get you into first, but you'll have messed up your car, so it won't last long, and the fool behind you can get the jump on you.
And that leads me to another thing. The game features a fully deformable physics and damage model. Bouncing off walls will do wonders to your suspension and steering, while other impacts will jar your engine and transmission to the point of no return. Of course, it is occasionally fun to see that big-ass wing fly off the back of a Skyline when you smack it from behind at 90 mph.
All things considered, Race Driver 2 is one of the coolest racing concepts recently released. I thoroughly enjoyed this game. You would be a fool to not put this one in your collection. I know some will disagree with me, but seriously, where else can you get a game that features this many racing styles and a damage model that affects your performance? Well, there are a few coming up, but for now, it's all about Race Driver 2.
Psi-Ops: The Mindgate ConspiracyPublisher: MidwayPlatform: Xbox
Few games these days come out with unique concepts to improve an already saturated genre. Psi-Ops, thankfully, has a new spin on the action genre. First off, you're a psychic soldier with the ability to manipulate things in your environment and use your abilities to combat an unrelenting horde of enemies. Then comes the real fun: finding out about your mysterious abilities and how they were awakened within you. Of course, this occurs after you're captured by enemy soldiers.
Psi-Ops is one of the coolest concepts released this year. Its graphics are well rendered. The dark military-industrial feel of the game really drives the storyline and makes it interesting. It's also cool to use your telekinetic powers to pick up enemy soldiers and paint the walls with their entrails.
As far as controls go, the psychic abilities are well integrated with the typical shooter layout on the game pad. However, as things progress, you'll have to remember more and more control schemes to be able to use your abilities. Not a big deal if you're a Steel Battalion player, but perhaps a challenge if you're just graduating to Xbox from the Atari 2600.
Nonetheless, Psi-Ops is a very cool game and will give you a run for your money. The game's concept is well executed and your psychic abilities keep you out of harm's way. But, as the game progresses, your enemies will also have psychic abilities, like wiping the floor with your carcass. Suffice to say, this game belongs in the clutches of any action or shooter junkie-or for that matter any Xbox fiend.