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Race Driver: GRID (PC DVD) | 
 enlarge | From: Codemasters Limited
Category: Video Games
List Price: £34.99
Buy New: £22.94
You Save: £12.05 (34%)
New (5) Used (1) from £22.94
Avg. Customer Rating:  20 reviews
Sales Rank: 220
Platforms: Windows Xp, Windows Vista
Media: Video Game
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 5024866336290
ASIN: B00140CBQG
Release Date: May 30, 2008
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW - ITEM MAY ONLY BE PARTIALLY SEALED
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.co.uk
As the all-new racing experience from Codemasters Studios, creators of Colin McRae: DiRT™, Race Driver: GRID is all about the race. Every moment from the adrenalin rush at the start lights to the elation at the chequered flag - the tension, pressure, noise, and action. Featuring only the most powerful race cars - current and classic, circuit and drift - players will compete to conquer the most prestigious official race tracks and championships and then go beyond to compete in challenging city-based competitions, through to road events and urban street races. With races crammed with action and incident, high-impact moments will come at you thick and fast, one right after another: engine blows, tyre blow outs, tight overtaking, accidents, opponent cars flipping, spinning, collisions with other cars and trackside objects. From humble beginnings, earning a few thousand dollars a season, build a feared and respected racing team with a multi-million dollar income and complete at dramatic race locations and dominate a multi-disciplined world of racing. In Europe, race prestige Marques, including Aston Martin, Koenigsegg and Pagani, on the greatest official race circuits. Enter street competitions and race high-performance V8 muscle cars through iconic U.S. cities including San Francisco, Washington DC and Detroit. In the Far East, Japanese racing culture sets the tone where night races, including Drift racing, take drivers through neon illuminated cities and to outlying mountain roads. As the antithesis of the box-ticking, plodding single-player race game, Race Driver: GRID delivers a diverse career mode in a persistent world of racing that provides each player with a unique experience as their team writes itself into racing folklore.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 15 more reviews...
 Dunwoody July 1, 2008
I have to say that while the graphics are first rate, this game is nevertheless a triumph of style over substance. Totally unrealistic car handling and AI flashing by with no relationship to what's actually happenning on the track had me increasingly regretting my purchase within an hour. If patches are issued the address major issues of playability, that's fine, but until then, avoid.
 Probably the best looking racing game ever June 26, 2008
Only played the demo so far, but really enjoyed it. I found the car handling to be fine, even when using a keyboard, and the graphics and sound are both fantastic: the cars all look superb, and the damage model is the best I've yet to come across: you can even aim your car at its broken bits of bodywork each lap, sending it sliding across the track. In fact the graphics and overall feel of the game are so polished, that I found playing it an almost soothing experience. All that being said, I am running it on a DX10 rig.
 Acquired Taste- and get the patch. June 23, 2008
It's pretty slick and fun, but GRID should come with a label warning of wobbly arcade handling and stupid AI. These aren't critical problems but they can affect your enjoyment, especially if you're more used to proper simulations. The AI-cars in GRID drive like slot cars, with perfect starts and huge turn-in speeds. The twisty American street circuits hide the robotic AI but on the wide European road courses the AI often drive in perfect 2x2 formation. And the 'rubber band' competition makes some races feel scripted, and leaves you wondering if the AI was cruising. Especially if you're out of championship contention.
The handling is disappointing and often quite tricky. Its more simulation than arcade, but it's a simulation of very high grip cars. The grip kills the feel and the cars can be very twitchy. Again, in the 'point and squirt' American street races this isn't too noticeable, but a bit too much opposite lock in the sweeping turns of Japanese Touge (head-to-head to you and me) and European Touring races can see you mowing the grass and headbutting tyre walls. This knife edge handling is exacerbated by the lack of any practice or qualifying laps to let the player get the hang of the car and the track. Having to start every race mired in the pack isn't really a problem in an arcade smash-em-up style racer but GRID is tough enough already without the built-in disadvantage of having to catch-up with your main rival before you can race them.
These problems are greatly relieved by the rewind feature. So if you do mess up and crash out of the lead, spin back the replay a few seconds and try again. Racing games have been crying out for this idea for ages and its great that someone's finally included it. Another plus is the interface, which looks amazing and is a big improvement on on the one in DIRT. The tracks are split between the usual selection of real-world courses and fictional tracks. Codemasters have done something a bit different with GRID by creating fictional tracks that use real city streets in San Francisco and Washington DC. It's a great idea and hopefully they could do an add-on or download with some more tracks. The only minus is the rather rubbish attempt at modelling Le Mans. Let's just say that if you've seen the 'Le Mans 1979' track in RFactor (chicane-less Mulsanne straight and all) you will be disappointed by what you'll find in GRID. There's a good selection of cars, ranging from an old Ford Mustang to the Audi R10 diesel, with the usual mix of Japanese GTs, European supercars and American muscle cars in between. Not many single-seaters but given the shortcomings of the handling and AI that's no bad thing really.
I should add that this entire review is based on the *patched* version of GRID. Before the patch there was some dreadful slowdown and stuttering on many tracks AND the game menus. The force feedback didn't work either, and without FF the cars were almost impossible to control. On second thoughts perhaps that's the warning that should be on the box.
 A great game. June 23, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Firstly I'd like to say, that I despise driving games in general, and before this would only play them on consoles and even then do really badly due to my PC game based background. However Grid has affectively changed my mind.
This game; as you can see from any trailer, looks stunning, the graphics are top class, when you're going fast it feels like you're going fast, and the tiniest clip does real, realistic, high definition damage to your car at high speeds.
The racing itself is also fantastic, to me it seems realistic, your wheels spin the right way, you lose grip round if you don't take them right, and hundreds of other little bits of detail I won't go in to. Those few saying the game is unrealistic and not as good as the GTR series are mental. This game is different but taking the Colin McRae drive engine; it certainly keeps itself at top notch.
Driving using the arrow keys certainly takes a little getting used to; but after a few races of the demo it becomes a lot easier. Many have complained that their steering wheels do not work with the game; but this can be expected from any old hardware with new games; and even the newer wheels will take a little adjusting; but trust me, it's worth it. If not then use the arrow keys; the game doesn't lose any of it's realism feel through using them.
As for the reason I've only given it 4 stars; although the career system, races, cars and every other detail are good, I definitely see the potential for more. Also there's been several reported issues with the PC multiplayer; I'm yet to test it myself but I'm sure these will be sorted; and many have been sorted, with patches.
There it is then. If you like driving games, buy it. If you don't like driving games, buy it anyway, it just might change your mind.
EDIT: This game is NOT impossible to play with a keyboard. It's easy. If you're struggling then you really should not be playing this game; you probably shouldn't be playing any game on the PC. I've unlocked 5 licenses and won 80 races using only the keyboard. Do not waste your money on a joystick or a wheel.
Techincally good but its missing something June 22, 2008
GRID is the latest installment of the Race Driver series, and having broken up from the TOCA francise i was keen to play it.
First thing i discovered is that the game is far more arcadey than what i was expecting and it is impossible to drive with a keyboard. Codemasters tried to make it arcade and simulation, but there i think is what went wrong, they should have stuck to simulation! It is a bit like Mercedes benz world racing like this!
Graphics are superb as par usual and runs better and smoother than DiRT.
There are loads of race modes and different types of race, i feel that the demolition derby falls short because it dosen't have that roughness that flatout 2 (ultimate carnage) does. It is a more refined game so i would have left it out personally. Haven't started the main game mode yet but i might feel better about it then!
Sorry if the review sounds a little negative it is just that it is good but a little disapointing compared to recently played GTA IV and Flatout: Ultimate Carnage. However it is better than NFS prostreet, that only gets 2 stars from me!
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