Race Driver: GRID

Race Driver: GRID - (PS3, Xbox 360)
Developer: in-house
Format: PS3, Xbox 360
Genre: Racing

Have Codemasters done enough to place Race Driver in pole position?

The starting line-up in the race for best next-gen racer is a hot bed of quality titles. Project Gotham Racing 4, Forza Motorsport, Gran Turismo Prologue; all worthy benchmark gamesthat deliver white knuckle speed, ultra realistic physics, cracking online play and jaw dropping eye candy.

So, into this revved up pack of racers steps Race Driver: GRID the first racing game from Codemasters since the tragic death of Colin McRae. Can Codies muscle in on the action with a game based on the DiRT engine? Does the game have what it takes to compete? In spades - and then some.

There are four key elements that make this game so much fun to play - the cutting edge visuals, a control system the has intuitivism running all the way through it, a revolutionary rewind feature and cracking online play.

Gameplay wise, the pursuit of cash and reputation points are the ultimate objective. Cash buys the cars needed to enter new events and reputation points unlock new licences - and access to new type of race events. From a handling perspective think PGR over GTA IV - and in parts you could even think Burnout as the focus is on speed and competitive racing rather than technical ability. Full vehicle damage is vividly depicted and heavy crashes can even result in your car being a total write off, but fortunately that's where the rewind function comes into play.

It's called Flashback and it's a feature that puts Race Driver: GRID right out in front of the competing pack. Find yourself in difficulty or about to spin out? Hit the required button and seamlessly step back into the race in a safer position. Depending on the difficulty setting you receive a fixed number of Flashbacks so the system can't be constantly abused to better your performance. This new technique stops racing from becoming frustrating and allows even the least gifted racers a fair crack of the whip when sprinting for the finish line.