|
Racing games have come a long way; from the simplistic moving backgrounds of Pole Position to the current heavyweights boasting retinal-damaging, seizure inducing framerates and hyper-accurate physics models. One thing that has stayed the same over the generations of racing games however is the desire to move faster than your opponent and be the first to cross the finish line. Midnight Club 3: DUB Edition wants to be the fastest pony on the track, but in my opinion, it makes a better show-horse than a thoroughbred.
A big step forward for Rockstar after the success of the last Midnight Club, DUB continues the current trend of virtual sandbox racing. Relying heavily on the driving engine from GTA: San Andreas, I was almost disappointed that through no combination of buttons would I be allowed to do a drive-by on rival racers. I'm guessing this is the part where I hail some sort of creative masterpiece handed down to us by the geniuses at Rockstar, but the only thing that comes to mind would be the literary equivalent of putting 20-inch rims on a Pinto. Honestly the thought of racing an SUV, while sort-of innovative, excites me in no way, shape or form. Actually, the thought of racing an SUV actually turns me off, and should be associated with Backyard Wrestling from this point on.
But let's get to the heart of the game then...the meat and potatoes if you will. Story Mode. From the start of the game, you're given the choice of one of many crappy cars. Of course, one crappy car is going to be better than the rest, however it doesn't really matter which one you pick, since you won't be racing it for long. There's sort of a story arc here that has you accepting challenges from unknown racers across town until you attract the attention of a Car Club. The Car Club races are the real draw of story mode, offering the coolest unlockables available for your garage.
While I am not really a fan of power-ups in racing games (I loathe them, in fact...same with checkpoints), Roar/Agro/Zone and Slipstream Turbo became instant favorites and often meant the difference between checkered flag and spectator. Zone, once activated, puts you in a sort of bullet-time, making hairpin turns and dodging oncoming traffic a bit less...nail-biting. Zone only works on Tuners and Sportbikes, and is rewarded for clean driving once unlocked. Next is Agro, for the big boys only. Run over enough rivals and you get all big and bad, doing extra damage and gaining invincibility. Roar, for the beasts of course, gives you a slight boost and sends out waves of raw energy, clearing your path. Roar is rewarded by drifting and power-sliding with the muscle cars and choppers. Slipstream Turbo is an option available to every vehicle; simply tailgate your opponent until your boost meter fills up, then pass them and hit that little red button. Careful though, since your opponent can also slipstream you. This is the only power-up I've noticed the AI ever uses.
The main attraction of the game (no its not the racing, sadly) is supposed to be the customization and tuning. This is the only time I can rank a racing game below Auto Modellista in at least ONE category, and I will relish in it. All after-market parts are not created equal, yet it doesn't matter which manufacturer you select. DUB is not the only game guilty of this, but I am reviewing DUB now and nothing else. Stop instigating. After my first few cars, I relinquished control of the upgrading to the AUTO function, since it really didn't matter what I put under the hood. Cosmetic upgrades are just that - cosmetic. They have no effect on the performance or handling of your car. I'm not asking for accurate physics in a racing game, just a little functionality. I add a spoiler...o.k., can I get a little downforce with that? Simple things, y'know? Soon after I stopped upgrading the aesthetics altogether, and dropped all my cash into performance upgrades. Losing to a stock car is much more humbling than losing to one covered in stickers. Eventually tuning altogether got pointless, since by the time you unlock Level 2 Class C performance parts, you've already got Level 1 Class B performance parts. The outcome is a Level 1 Class B that outperforms a Level 2 Class C in less time for less money. The paint options are nice though, however a bit more control over the layering would've been nice. Also the option to layer vinyls is sorely missed.
|
