If only real life F1 drivers were as cheery as they are in Codie's new karting spin-off. No moping around grumpily unsatisfied with second place. No pointless on-track feuds. Life's much simpler in a cartoon.
With the full 2012 roster, every driver in Race Stars is caricaturised with impressive realism. Alonso's eyebrows look like they could eat you alive and Schumacher's smug swagger is visible a mile off. The karts themselves are just as accurate, sporting all the liveries that make the real things driveable moneyboxes.
The circuits take a slightly different approach, varying from recognisable segments to entirely new detours. Monte-Carlo has the infamous tunnel but meanders off into a forest. Abu Dhabi's opulence leads you on a trip through the incredible Ferrari world, but retains the lit up hotel portion. Each track is recognisably rooted in F1, but there's enough creativity here to let the karting go suitably wild.
It's a shame, then, that it throws the one thing that makes karting games so addictive out of the cockpit - drifting. Without drifting, you're left to tackle the on-track action as you would with any other racer, and while the power-ups keep things fun and kart-y, there's no begging incentive for you to memorise tracks like the back of your hand. There's nothing compelling you to stay up until ridiculous o'clock with your mates logging record-breaking lap times. You have to actually use the brakes. It's sacrilege.
The result is a title that feels like it's gripped by identity crisis, unable to let go of its F1 origins to the degree required to be a great karting game. Instead, we get a curious hybrid that's fun, but not essential for either end of the market.
3 comments so far...
SidTheSloth on 20 Nov '12 said:
I read this review a few days ago and thought the bit about the drifting seemed a little pedantic, suspecting it had maybe been done to avoid feeling like 'just another kart game'? After playing the demo it's humble pie time though as i fully get what the reviewer was talking about. Kart games in general are not the most skilful of titles, but taking the drift mechanic (no pun!) out just kills the actual racing and it becomes a bit laborious. Compare it to the crazy goings on in the new sonic equivalent and unfortunately there's only one winner (and it's not this).
Shame as i thought with some of the race modes in this it could genuinely have been awesome.
KernowDevil23 on 21 Nov '12 said:
I played the demo and deleted it after two laps! I thought this was a shocking waste of an amazing license. Such a shame really.
SidTheSloth on 21 Nov '12 said:
Maybe it was just because it was the demo but i found myself confused half the time as to what was going on - whether i was being hit by a weapon or it was just the weather, whether the damage being done to my car was permanent or for show etc and just guessed with the pit lanes. Weapons kind of felt like an afterthought too. 'Shame' definitely seems to be the buzz word as all the basics feel decent, it just doesn't shine in seemingly any area...
Out of four racers released in the last few weeks, only sonic hasn't put me off with the demo - Horizon, NFS & F1 RS demo's have certainly done more harm than good in that respect.
Saw Dirt Showdown on Amazon yesterday for £7 brand new, can't help thinking this is destined for the same fate in a few months time.