classic!
NFS Porsche... what a game!
Before this game, developers would go all out to try to get as many cars from as many manufacturers as possible. Because, well thats what makes a good driving game. More cars equals good.. yes? Wrong. Restricting themselves to just the Porsche license did not do this game any harm. Well other than not getting fans of Ferrari and Lambos to give this game a skip. This review is for the people who did'nt play this game... the both of you.
First of all, it was realeased in 2000 and graphics which seem a bit dated by now were nothing short of astounding back then. The gameplay was just the right mix of arcade and simulation that made it a pleasure to drive even the oldest of porsches featured in this game.
The track design in this game is brilliant. All of the tracks are beautiful. From racing along the breath-taking seaside track of Normandy at sunset to the dark, brooding and incredibly fast track of Zone Industriale. All the tracks are lovingly created and full of detail. All tracks are available in mirrored and reversed configurations. The texture of the track comes into play a lot more than you would tend to expect from a game this old. Veer off the track into grass, snow or gravel and you will lose speed. Some tracks will have off road sections which are usually alternate paths which may or may not be quicker than the regular route. The elevation changes also force players to line up their cars more carefully before taking air. If you are not carefull, your lap times will suffer and you will be able to look at it ruefully as you watch the replay at the end of the race.
The cars are only Porsches as stated in the name of the game. Do not be put of by this as they are a joy to drive in this game. It has got all of them; the 911s, the boxters, the GT classes, the vintage autos designed by the founder Ferdinand Porsche himself. The cars have a decent amount of feel to them. Turning into a corner, you could just feel the understeer that plagues most prosches or the oversteer that is the hallmark of the GT classes. If your not carefull you will either crash head on into a tree placed strategically at the bend or you will crash backwards into it, all depending on what car you chose to crash...er drive. If you are used to the later need for speed games where car handling is very oversteer and backslide friendly, then you might have a bit of un-learning to do, which you can in its Factory Driver Mode.
The game has to main career modes. The first one is called the factory driver. After you have had a few quick races around the initial selection of unlocked tracks, try this mode out. Players start out as a rookie test driver for Porsche. At your very first tryout you will be handed over a Boxter and expected to slalom through a few traffic cones pull a 180 and head towards the end point in the alloted time. This is typical of the Factory driver mode. You will be given a car on a ski pad where you will be driving between cones, pulling 180s, 360s, reverse 180s and the like and get to the finish line in progressivley more difficult challenges. Its not all ski pad though, you will be asked to deliver a few cars to customers. These are bascially point to point races where you will be expected to get to the finish line and deliver the car within a time limit without any scraches on it. In your way may be some traffic of varying intensity and a police car or two. As you progress you will be challenged by other drivers at Porsche for your place or you may be shooting for promotion. As you complete the mode you get some rewards in the shape of unlocking a few more tracks and cars in the quick race mode. From Rookie to Test Driver to Chief test Driver to becoming the Ace. On your first time through this mode, you might take some time, but after you have figured out the ins and the outs this mode is a breeze. Indeed an experienced play can finish factory driver in about 6 to eight hours. This is the goal, to become the best and along the way learn how to drive a diverse number of cars to prepare yourself to compete in the game's 2nd mode.
Evolution, is the second career mode in the game. You start of with a few meagre credits to buy your very first car. It won't be very fast but it will do the job, and amuse you on the way. The amusement comes from driving the cars from the 60s. The ones that slow down a bit when track slopes up and speed up when the descending slopes. By all rights it should be highly annoying driving old relics around tracks at half the speed you have been driving up till now but no... it is actually quite pleasurable and relaxing.
This mode is quite long, players may be looking at about 20 hours of gameplay here. You win events in evolution to earn cash to buy cars and car upgrades while unlocking more events to race in, untill you reach the end. The car upgrade system is quite robust here. With horsepower, brakes, suspension, tyres, intakes, exhausts, etc all upgradable. The appearance of the cars cannot be modified so much. Players can choose to paint their car any colour they wish to, but that is all there is. After finishing the evolution mode players will have unlocked all the tracks and cars in the game.
The audio in the game is fantastic. The cars sound just like they should. You can hear the clutch grind, the suspension cry in pain and tyres and brakes squealing around corners, the engines throttles at the rev limit, all the while listening to one of many music tracks in this game.
At the end of the day, if you are a driving game fan or just some one looking to get into the driving game genre; this is a good place to start as any. It has low system requirements by todays standards, looks good and is dirt cheap in stores nowadays. It has high replayabiliy value, I personally have played evolution mode a couple of times and factory driver atleast a dozen times and enjoyed every bit of it.
Give this classic game a try, you might come away with some happy memories from your gameplay sessions. After all that is what gaming is about right. At the end of a session you want to be able to smile and revell in your accomplishments and maybe share the moment with your friends. I know I have enjoyed this game. I hope the same for you.
Before this game, developers would go all out to try to get as many cars from as many manufacturers as possible. Because, well thats what makes a good driving game. More cars equals good.. yes? Wrong. Restricting themselves to just the Porsche license did not do this game any harm. Well other than not getting fans of Ferrari and Lambos to give this game a skip. This review is for the people who did'nt play this game... the both of you.
First of all, it was realeased in 2000 and graphics which seem a bit dated by now were nothing short of astounding back then. The gameplay was just the right mix of arcade and simulation that made it a pleasure to drive even the oldest of porsches featured in this game.
The track design in this game is brilliant. All of the tracks are beautiful. From racing along the breath-taking seaside track of Normandy at sunset to the dark, brooding and incredibly fast track of Zone Industriale. All the tracks are lovingly created and full of detail. All tracks are available in mirrored and reversed configurations. The texture of the track comes into play a lot more than you would tend to expect from a game this old. Veer off the track into grass, snow or gravel and you will lose speed. Some tracks will have off road sections which are usually alternate paths which may or may not be quicker than the regular route. The elevation changes also force players to line up their cars more carefully before taking air. If you are not carefull, your lap times will suffer and you will be able to look at it ruefully as you watch the replay at the end of the race.
The cars are only Porsches as stated in the name of the game. Do not be put of by this as they are a joy to drive in this game. It has got all of them; the 911s, the boxters, the GT classes, the vintage autos designed by the founder Ferdinand Porsche himself. The cars have a decent amount of feel to them. Turning into a corner, you could just feel the understeer that plagues most prosches or the oversteer that is the hallmark of the GT classes. If your not carefull you will either crash head on into a tree placed strategically at the bend or you will crash backwards into it, all depending on what car you chose to crash...er drive. If you are used to the later need for speed games where car handling is very oversteer and backslide friendly, then you might have a bit of un-learning to do, which you can in its Factory Driver Mode.
The game has to main career modes. The first one is called the factory driver. After you have had a few quick races around the initial selection of unlocked tracks, try this mode out. Players start out as a rookie test driver for Porsche. At your very first tryout you will be handed over a Boxter and expected to slalom through a few traffic cones pull a 180 and head towards the end point in the alloted time. This is typical of the Factory driver mode. You will be given a car on a ski pad where you will be driving between cones, pulling 180s, 360s, reverse 180s and the like and get to the finish line in progressivley more difficult challenges. Its not all ski pad though, you will be asked to deliver a few cars to customers. These are bascially point to point races where you will be expected to get to the finish line and deliver the car within a time limit without any scraches on it. In your way may be some traffic of varying intensity and a police car or two. As you progress you will be challenged by other drivers at Porsche for your place or you may be shooting for promotion. As you complete the mode you get some rewards in the shape of unlocking a few more tracks and cars in the quick race mode. From Rookie to Test Driver to Chief test Driver to becoming the Ace. On your first time through this mode, you might take some time, but after you have figured out the ins and the outs this mode is a breeze. Indeed an experienced play can finish factory driver in about 6 to eight hours. This is the goal, to become the best and along the way learn how to drive a diverse number of cars to prepare yourself to compete in the game's 2nd mode.
Evolution, is the second career mode in the game. You start of with a few meagre credits to buy your very first car. It won't be very fast but it will do the job, and amuse you on the way. The amusement comes from driving the cars from the 60s. The ones that slow down a bit when track slopes up and speed up when the descending slopes. By all rights it should be highly annoying driving old relics around tracks at half the speed you have been driving up till now but no... it is actually quite pleasurable and relaxing.
This mode is quite long, players may be looking at about 20 hours of gameplay here. You win events in evolution to earn cash to buy cars and car upgrades while unlocking more events to race in, untill you reach the end. The car upgrade system is quite robust here. With horsepower, brakes, suspension, tyres, intakes, exhausts, etc all upgradable. The appearance of the cars cannot be modified so much. Players can choose to paint their car any colour they wish to, but that is all there is. After finishing the evolution mode players will have unlocked all the tracks and cars in the game.
The audio in the game is fantastic. The cars sound just like they should. You can hear the clutch grind, the suspension cry in pain and tyres and brakes squealing around corners, the engines throttles at the rev limit, all the while listening to one of many music tracks in this game.
At the end of the day, if you are a driving game fan or just some one looking to get into the driving game genre; this is a good place to start as any. It has low system requirements by todays standards, looks good and is dirt cheap in stores nowadays. It has high replayabiliy value, I personally have played evolution mode a couple of times and factory driver atleast a dozen times and enjoyed every bit of it.
Give this classic game a try, you might come away with some happy memories from your gameplay sessions. After all that is what gaming is about right. At the end of a session you want to be able to smile and revell in your accomplishments and maybe share the moment with your friends. I know I have enjoyed this game. I hope the same for you.