TOCA
Race Driver 3 is your one-stop, racing shop. It's
like 35 games in one. For racing fans this is the
ultimate stranded-on-a-deserted-island game - even
if you don't have an internet connection. Hopefully
you'll find an electrical outlet. by
Mike Chasselwaite
March
1, 2006 - TOCA
Race Driver 3 is a sim. It enforces the rules of each
race to literally keep you in line. You will even
be penalized for getting out of line. Each race is
taken as seriously as if it were the real thing. You
will be coached in the various disciplines and be
expected to adhere to the rules of each and every
race. There are a lot of sharp corners on the tracks
and you can't cut them. You've got to learn to stay
in your lane and not cross the line. Bumping other
vehicles is also a no-on. It might cost you points
or your position or worse yet, it might result in
a crash and that can permanently affect your vehicle's
performance. This is no arcade game, it's going to
kick your ass.
The
number of races you can take part in is overwhelming:
NASCAR, Formula 1, Rally, Sprint, Monster Truck, Off
Road, Open Wheel, Indy, Touring, Stock Car and even
Go-Kart racing to name a few. All of these racing
games are quality. Although I can't say they are all
excellent they are all very good. You won't find a
few standouts with a bevy of add-ons. Each race offers
plenty of depth in and of itself. There are some floaty
physics issues I have with the game overall, where
the automobiles feel a little light. The off-road
terrain can feel as slick as a wet asphalt track.
It's something that you do get used to and the perception
is more pronounced since you can move from different
racing styles in a few seconds so you're always comparing
them to last game.

For
all the different racing styles, TOCA doesn't feel
disjointed. Instead it feels like it's loaded with
features and options. It's like winning the racing-game
lottery.
There
are two Career modes, offline multi-player and even
online play for up to eight players. Even playing
against the AI can be fun but it doesn't beat the
multi-player modes. The easiest difficulty setting
is great for beginners. The AI slows down on corners
allowing you a fair racer where you can actually learn
how to control the different vehicles around the tracks.
There are 70 licensed cars and 80 licensed tracks.
On the higher difficulty settings the AI will take
corners at incredible speeds. It's going to take you
some time to learn how to corner properly so you'll
want to get as much practice in as possible. The faster
you go the more difficult it is to control your car.
The AI doesn't always seem to share that problem.
The
AI will cause accidents just like real drivers, but
they will also try to avoid accidents that you cause
by driving around the disaster area. You might be
able to recover your position from an accident but
your vehicle will take damage both on the outside
and internally. You might only be showing a crumpled
fender but your engine might have sustained some damage
which causes it to stall intermittently. Or you could
have damaged the stabilizer which affects your steering,
causing your vehicle to pull to the right or left.
If things look hopeless for you, you can restart the
race from anywhere and try it all over again.

In
the World Tour mode you will be faced with a 32-tier
tournament. You don't always have to come in first
to continue to the next leg but most of the time you'll
have to be in the top three. The World Tour mode is
also the story mode. Here you will learn the finer
points of racing from your Scottish mechanic mentor.
The story outlines your struggle for racing supremacy
and your rivalry with different racers. The story
itself is very weak as it tries too hard to inspire
and motivate you through revenge as opposed to the
love of the sport. Even though the dialog is cheesy,
the voiceacting holds up well.
Accessing
the off and online menus are a pleasure. The streamlined
and clean interface lets you find whatever it is you're
looking for easily. Getting into a game online is
about as easy as making a phone call. And once you're
up and playing you won't have to worry about lag.
Even with eight players I didn't notice any slowdown
or delay in control commands. For those that prefer
link system play, a four-player, split screen mode
is offered.
You
can't diss the vehicles. They look fantastic. GT racers,
dune buggies, monster trucks and muscle cars look
identical to their real-world counterparts. It's great
to see that these vehicles will display damage as
a lot of the licensees don't like the public to see
their products all dirty, scratched and dented.

The
tracks are very realistic looking but the background
scenery could have used a little more detail. The
sound effects consist of engine roaring, tire squealing
and metal crumpling, all of which sounds authentic.
The music is catch and tuneful, it's not just your
typical throwaway, hip hop crap.
TOCA
Race Driver 3 may not be the perfect racing game in
terms of physics and feel but there's no other game
that can match the outrageous number of different
racing styles at such a consistent level of quality.
The sheer variety of races and the gradually increasing
difficulty makes the game very challenging and ensures
tremendous replay value. You don't have to be a hardcore
racer to get into this game, but you're bound to be
one by the time you complete all of the races.

Features:
- Incredible
damage engine that creates a greater sense of realism
- Weight
and aerodynamic effects on every car component change
through the course of a race. Tires warm up, radiators
overheat and engines blow
- Expanded
and tuned physics for ultra-real handling
- 116
championships (including bonus championships) with
authentic race rules and regulations
- Over
35 different racing styles including Stock Cars,
Big Wheel Trucks, Muscle Cars, Pick-ups, Baja Motorcross
and Sprint Cars
By
Mike Chasselwaite
CCC
Freelance Writer
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