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GRiD Race Driver

Written by DM on Thursday, June 12 2008

Codemasters has been in the racing game for many years now, but it has only been recently that they have gained notice as one of the top contenders in the field. DiRT Offroad Racing with the late, great, Colin McRae, was their first, real, next-gen breakout hit, and it was pretty spectacular. Now, they have taken the engine used in DiRT, tweaked and re-coded a bunch of it, and released GRiD Race Driver. GRiD is the on-road counterpart to DiRT, and it has many similarities in the way the game is setup. Does that mean it will be just as good as DiRT was? Let’s find out.

Just like DiRT, there is a ton to do in GRiD. No need to worry about finishing the game within a few sittings. Career mode, or GRiD World, as it’s called, is lengthy and involved, and is the main mode of the game. In this mode, the world map is split into three sections – the US, Europe, and Japan/Asia. As you race in these different areas, you earn cash to buy more cars, and you earn reputation points for your team. These points allow you to join even more races and buy even more cars. You get the idea. If you find yourself out of money, you have the option to drive for other teams. In fact, when you begin the game, you will have to race a few of these external driver offers before you can afford your first car. Once you do obtain your first car and start winning races, sponsors will start to take notice of your team. Eventually, you will have one major sponsor spot and about 10 minor sponsor spots to fill out on your car. Each sponsor also pays you a bonus if you satisfy their individual stipulations (such as finish above 3rd, or beat team so and so). The better you race, the more you make, of course.

Another great feature of GRiD that creeped me out a bit, actually, is the ability to select your audio name from a list of common boys and girls names. My name being Dan, it was on the list, so every time the game wanted to talk to me, it would call me Daniel. What a great little addition! It is really freaky the first few times you hear your own name being used by the team announcer or race radio guide, but you get used to it. It is all part of the Codemasters experience, though, they are masters of presentation.

The Graphics and sound in GRiD are top notch, there is no question about it. The interior of the cars in particular are richly detailed and lavish. Not being a fan of the in-cabin view in racing games, I did not use it much, but for those who do, you are in for a real treat. The damage modeling in the game is impressive as well. The paint scratches, the car parts that come loose and fly off, and the broken glass, are all super-realistic. Even the spectators cheering and hooting look great.

The sound in any Codemasters racer is going to be the best around -- that is something even the detractors of the game will admit. Codemasters is one of the few race game developers that truly know how to accurately replicate the sounds of a race track. The crunch of metal on metal crashes, the bump of gravel underneath your tires, and even the buzz sound when you hit the side of the road, are all there in near-perfect replication.

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