It’s been five years since the code monkeys at Codemasters got off the dirt and gave us some tarmac racing with Grid. While playing the first Grid, I had a sense that there was a good game hiding under the clunky controls and complacent track layout. I didn’t play it for very long and it was soon forgotten-buried under fresher memories of better racing games such as Blur and Split Second.
The Story
Racing fan and money man, Patrick Callahan, is throwing down some cash to start his own racing league: The WSR. All he needs is a hungry, talented street racer, named Sarcasmo Jones, to win big in other racing league events to gain the fanbase and momentum to realize his rich boy dream of being a racing mogul. Players make a name for themselves losing traction in Miami, Chicago, and California before taking the show across the ocean to exotic locales in Europe and Asia.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrXJcEknZEU
Mechanics
Losing traction is a perfect description of the racing in Grid 2. Even cars designated as “grip” cars require a drifting race style to be competitive in the game. The cars are not tuneable, so learn how to control the throttle early to keep momentum in the turns. Codemasters did not provide players with a paint or livery editor, so the only way to change the appearance of the cars is to change sponsors. Sponsors line up to get their name on your buggy. Most have some sort of race achievement requirement, such as finishing five seconds ahead of another racer, that must be met before you get paid. Podium finishes gain fans which are required to advance in the league races, earn invitations to promotional events, and, of course, get the WSR a foothold in the racing world.
Very little of the racing in Grid 2 occurs on actual race tracks. Most of the tracks in the game are varying configurations of street races in iconic cities such as Chicago, Paris, and Barcelona. Change the routes on these city streets and voila-a brand new track! Race types vary from circuits, point to point, and endurance. Some types feature live routes that change as the race progresses.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrnScDRlNw4
The track layouts are particularly challenging and the AI drivers do not easily give up their positions. Almost every race in my playthrough was won in the final seconds, so don’t expect Codemasters to hold your hand in this one.
The Garage
Forza veterans will, naturally, find the car list almost claustrophobic, but there’s a taste of everything. The Ford Focus, a Subaru, a couple BMW’s, a pair of Nissans, and a few classic American muscle cars represent the budget-minded side of the list. Koenigsegg, Ariel, Caterham, McLaren, Pagani, Aston Martin, BAC, and Mercedes are some of the higher performance options available later in the game. There’s even a handful of Indy cars on the roster.
True racing fans may be interested in the Grid 2: BAC Mono Edition. Not only does it include a copy of the game, but a genuine Bell racing helmet and BAC Mono racing car, for the unbeatable price of $189,000. Maybe you can talk Patrick Callahan into buying you one...
Bitch Bitch Bitch
While Grid 2 is a lot of fun, it isn’t all sunshine and lollipops. Here’s the deal breaker: if you don’t but the game new, you must buy an online pass to race online multiplayer. I’m so sick of fucking online passes I could choke someone. I don’t give a fuck if it is only ten bucks. I’m drawing a line in the sand. My second complaint is the lack of grip. Why does Codemasters assume that everyone likes drifting? That whole gymkata shit in Dirt 3 made me want to hurl a controller. I don’t want to drift, I want to race. If my car is losing traction, then that’s something I should be able to tune out, or at least minimize. No, not in Grid 2: you’ll drift whether you fucking like it or not. Lastly, what’s the deal with the car selection? Did they intentionally rip off the car list from NFS Most Wanted? Hey, you forgot the Ford Raptor! No Porsche, no Ferrari...at least there’s a Ford Focus I guess.
Final Verdict
While Grid 2 is a vast improvement, both visually and technologically over its predecessor, it’s a long way from being a threat to Criterion or Turn 10. Grid 2 is fun, challenging, and offers a considerable amount of replay, but for every high point there persists a countering low, low point. Wait for the price drop, amigo.
