Gorgeous and at High Speed

Published June 13, 2008

From the makers of acclaimed rally-racer DiRT™ comes Race Driver: GRID™ for Xbox 360®. This super-slick racing game has something for everyone. Whether you're looking for a particular car or race type, chances are you'll find it in GRID.

The in-cockpit view rivals that of PGR4.

From classic lap races to drift tournaments, harrowing one-on-one Touge competitions on mountainsides, hardcore Endurance races and even a no-holds-barred Demolition Derby mode, the variety of racing is exceptional.

With GRID's Flashback feature, rewind your progress back to a safe point and restart the race from there.

No Punishment Here
While the game's sheer variety, almost ludicrously polished visuals, and high-octane presentation are all laudable, its finest virtue may be its deeply imbedded sense of accessibility no matter your skill level.

• Appearance fees: You're guaranteed a healthy chunk of cash no matter where you place in a race when driving for another team. By specifically not demanding first-three finishes for each event, you can relax and enjoy every race. Sure, you want to finish well, and you'll earn bonus cash for doing so, but knowing you don't have to be in the top three is liberating.
• Flashback: Nothing is as frustrating as doing well in a race and then getting spun out by an aggressive competitor, or ending up in the dirt after misjudging a hairpin turn. With GRID' s Flashback feature, rewind your progress back to a safe point and restart the race from there. Of course, you don't have an unlimited supply of Flashbacks, but even a handful will help soothe the irritation caused by bad luck.
• Damage icons: Not everyone understands the sudden change in a car's handling caused by damage. With GRID, any damage sustained is highlighted by a series of on-screen icons, so you'll know right away whether your wheels have taken a beating, your suspension is hosed, or your gears are shredded. The color of the icon indicates the extent of the damage.

Drifting requires a gentle touch.

GRID World
GRID's obvious bread and butter is the expansive GRID World single-player campaign. Consisting of three separate circuits in America, Europe and Japan, GRID World offers several racing options at all times.

In the early going, set aside dreams of your own team's glory and riches, and put your talents to use for other teams. You'll earn predetermined payouts just for participating, and bonus cash by successfully completing secondary objectives. Earn enough money and invest in your own cars, race for your own team, and hire other drivers to work for you.

Earning world renowned reputation and taking your own team to the top of the leaderboard is of course your ultimate goal. However, you must increase your reputation with the American, European and Japanese circuits separately, unlocking new licenses and gaining access to new courses and cars, all while juggling your driving and team management tasks.

Might be a shade off-kilter there.

Presentation Time
GRID 's standout visuals and presentation rival any game, racing or not, available on the console. The slick menus and quality voice work guide you through the game's every step. The gorgeous, sun-drenched tracks, thundering audio, and exquisite deformable car models make GRID an absolute pleasure to behold.

The outstanding replays are intelligent, with quick cuts to a number of cinematic camera angles, capturing with rare style the ferocious speed and violence of a tightly-contested race. Reliving a victorious race as a spectator is nearly as much fun as driving.

GRID comes along at a perfect time, ready to grab hold of gamers aching for a top-notch racing game with world class presentation and outstanding variety. With multiplayer matches over Xbox LIVE, an enormous GRID World single-player campaign to conquer, and fifty achievements to unlock, GRID offers weeks, if not months, of great gameplay.

Article by Ryan Treit