Amazon Maximum Age: 20 years Amazon Minimum Age: 60 months Binding: Video Game Brand: Valcon EAN: 0853333001035 ESRB Age Rating: Everyone Label: Jack of All Games Manufacturer: Jack of All Games Model: 8.53E+11 Platform: PlayStation2 Publisher: Jack of All Games Release Date: November 09, 2006 Sales Rank: 11021 Studio: Jack of All Games
Features:
25 fully authentic Alfa Romeo cars from the Giulia T.I. Super to the 8c Competizione
21 tracks including the world famous Laguna Seca, Hockenheim and Donnington Park
A racing game with true RPG elements and character customization
Rating: - Destined for mass under-appreciation..
If you have read reviews for this on any dedicated game site, you will find that nobody really gave it a fair chance and rated it extremely low. It just takes time to get to the good side of Racing Italiano, or SCAR in the European market.
Like the Project Gothams of yore, you must start with slower and less nimble vehicles before gaining access to the better ones. As you gain better cars, you also better your driver through the use of skill points and items, essentialy making this game a sort of CARPG, but only with Alfas.
I don't have anything bad to say about the graphics or control. The textures are repeated a bit often in some areas, but everything looks quite alright and controls pretty good. To me it almost has a SEGA quality to it. The RPG elements are interesting, and the AI drivers get better as you do, which makes this game more realistic feeling than the others. When they get smarter, you can really see them trying not to smash into each other, since it will damage the cars.
The games biggest flaws are the lack of Wheel support and soundtrack. The menus get Euro-style tunes, while the actual racing is drowned out with engines and tire squealing. They probably left out the music so one could focus on the racing aspect (and allow for low consumer cost), but I found this highly annoying. A good soundtrack could have really helped out the game's overall score.
If you're a car ENTHUSIAST, this game should be in your collection. For the ten bucks it cost me to buy new, I really can't complain to much. It also doesn't hurt if your a fan of the Alfa marque, since it is their official and fully licensed game. Improve the formula, make a sequel, and I'll bite again. By the way, this game can be played on the PC as well, and it looks much better than the console ports.
