Reviews / previews
Now that game publishers are releasing titles
requiring 3D acceleration, it seems like it's time to
stop grousing about the hardware demands and just
sit back to appreciate the results. If you don't own a
3D card, Redline Racer will make a nice coaster. If
you've got a card, it's a whole different story.
European developer Criterion Studios knows how to
deliver a great 3D look. The RenderWare engine let
the designers craft six beautiful environments, and
there's never an uninteresting frame in RR's 10 tracks.
The English countryside by sunset, sandy beach
tracks in twilight, desert canyons at high blinding
noon, snowy mountain passes with limited
visibility-they all offer unique racing challenges that
add a lot of variety to the game.
The essentials are basic, as befits a pure arcade
game. Riders have their choice of male or female
onscreen stand-ins, time trial or arcade mode, and
eight motorcycles (most of which aren't immediately
available, but have to be accessed by winning circuit
races). Each bike is truly different, not only in general
characteristics like speed and acceleration, but even
at the physics level.
Each bike has its
own physics model,
and they do feel
different. Some are
nimble, some are
kludgier but faster
on straightaways,
and some will let
you almost hug the
ground on sharp
turns. They're
unique enough to
warrant trying each
one, which goes a long way toward making RR not
only replayable in single-player mode but also a
challenge in multiplayer bike selection.
Gamers will quickly find themselves warming to a certain style of racing as
embodied by the different bikes. Aggressive racers will embrace the sleek,
full-throttle bullet bikes that can be a lethal pain to handle in the tight
stretches. More conscientious racers might fancy the heavier, slower bikes
that can easily navigate the turns with slight braking maneuvers.
The good news is that with each bike accessed, you have a full view of the
machine's size, gear ratio, braking speed, turning angle, and more. As you
race more and more, you'll come to analyze your driving style and apply a
better-suited bike.
The actual racing isn't very mind-bending and doesn't offer anything more
challenging than a basic Need for Speed experience. But there's an awful lot
going on. The bike and rider are made up of around 2,000 polygons, and with
all of the highest graphics and texture settings on, the view can be enthralling,
especially with inspired obstacles like blizzards, blinding sun-glare, and
darkness. The clever physics-based reactions determine other dangers, such
as slipping and wiping out on ice, or having your front wheel forced up, tossing
you in a nasty wheelie.
RR is an amusing multiplayer contest for up
to eight (LAN, TCP/IP), if not exactly the
end-all racing game. Criterion and Ubi Soft
are also committed to supporting it and
building a Redline community via a
matching service and downloadable editing
software, teams, and bikes. The matching
service and upgrades are easily accessible
from within the game or at
www.ubisoft.com.
For an entertaining PC arcade racer,
Redline Racer stands up nicely, especially
with its force feedback, Direct Sound, and Aureal 3D sound support. Its shelf
life may be limited, but people hungering for a good PC motorcycle title should
be very pleased to rev up this one.-- Daniel Morris / GamePro
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