- Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights (PlayStation 3)

I only have two problems with this game; the graphics could have been just a bit cleaner considering it's on a next gen console, and the environments are a little strange looking. Other than that, Physics on drifting and driving are not too toyish and not too sim, good balance. And I'm so glad I get to mod an S14 with name brands like JIC Magic, Tomei and C-West.
I love it, and I can't wait for NFS:Pro Street to come out so I can go even crazier, and eventually have no life.

- Mx Vs ATV Untamed (PlayStation 3)

Rainbow Studio's Mx Vs ATV series has never been about simulation-style racing. If that is what you are looking for here, you are out of luck and will be disapointed. The graphics are not the best buy the gameplay is solid. Controls work well and the fun-level is through the roof. If I had to pick some things to complain about in the gameplay it is the fact that Rainbow added "realism" to the game when it comes to the motorcycles. No longer can you make the huge jump and then stick the landing. 99% of the time you will crash and burn. Yet I can still land jumps with my bars turned and only holding on with one hand. Doesn't make sense, this series has always been about arcade-style racing. Also, the track boundries are questionable at best. In one part of a track if you leave the boundry you reset, yet in other portions you can glitch through no problem. It should be uniform.

Either way, this game is fun to play either alone or with friends. If you want a realistic racer I suggest you wait for Gran Turismo 5 Prologue or buy Dirt. MotorStorm is another decent option to pick up. If you are still unsure download the Mx Vs ATV demo via PlayStation Network Store or rent Mx Vs ATV first.

- MotorStorm Pacific Rift (PlayStation 3)

The first MotorStorm wowed fans with its heady formula of brutal, unpredictable off-road racing, festival vibes and stunning Monument Valley desert scenery. Now Motorstorm Pacific Rift takes you to a solitary tropical paradise in the Pacific Ocean, ready for a whole new take on no-holds-barred racing action through thick swamps, dense jungle, towering peaks and steaming volcanoes.

- Ridge Racer 7 (PlayStation 3)

I am reviewing this because of the many unfair negative reviews that I have read. The game graphics are superb. My TV is High Definition and running the games in 1080i (Maximum resolution of my TV), the game graphics are unbelievable.

The game play is also superb. The game is not easy, I would say that it is medium in difficulty. The cornerstone of the game is drifting the car and being able to control the car drifting in corners at very high speeds. You win races, get credit and new equipment and then buy more equipment and so on. It takes a few hours to really master drifting properly. AND then the fun begins.

Once you mastered the game and won the huge amounts of single player games on the games itself, you can then compete online. There are many wonderful tracks with immaculate scenery. The games allows you to play any of those, with any of the huge number of cars that you have, in normal or reverse directions. The possible iterations are endless.

Another impressive thing about the game is the handling of the cars. Each car feels different and handles differently. The upgrades to each of the cars changes the experience entirely. To-Date, this is the best Game I have on the PS3, and I find myself playing for hours. Very Challenging in parts, and really fun.
It also support to players where you can race agai

- Full Auto 2: Battlelines (PlayStation 3)

Full Auto 2 Battlelines for the PS3 provides fantastic racing / car destruction gameplay that has great graphics and very fun gameplay.

First, the setup. It is a rough and dirty future where a street gang sporting fast cars has taken over the streets, making the average citizen afraid to venture outdoors. A sentient computer system is trying to save the city, and wants you to infiltrate this gang to take it down. So you are street racing with machine guns and bombs in order to save the world :)

The game tosses you right into the fun with a triple mission of infiltration. You get races and kill-the-other deathmatches. Where it might be rough in other games to get thrown into the action, it's actually really fun here. You blast away with your machine guns, zoom around corners, and discover the secret paths to make your laps go more quickly. The basic objectives are relatively simple to hit, but you get encouraged to try again for the secondary objectives to get skins. I like that they tell you up front what you'll win if you hit your marks.

The graphics are very well done. The cities are gritty, with run down alleys and broken down storefronts. It's a lot of fun to blast away at the other cars, watching pieces fly and the environment destruct. You can cause many things to happen by destroying your world - buildings fall doesn on rival cars, new pathways open.

There isn't much to say here about sound. There's the sound of squealing tires, explosions and blasting weapons. Your computer friend has the calm, even voice that prods you onward in your quest. The music soundtrack is sort of a low key urban rhythm that is very unobtrusive and doesn't distract you when you are trying to juggle the 7 cars bearing down on you.

This isn't a simple Mario Kart style of game. You really are tested in your skills. There are multiple paths, multiple enemies, multiple styles of cars, weapons, defenses and skills. As you go through the game you unlock a large number of options, and it comes down to your particular style of gameplay as to which works best for you. Some people are snipers, some are in-your-face blasters. The cars I customize will vary greatly from those my friends create, and each one works wonderfully for the way we play.

This is also what makes the game shine in multiplay. You have to think creatively about how to defend yourself against a given car with its weapons configuration, and how to best attack them. Multiply this by multiple opponents and you can see how this becomes a game requiring both fast fingers and an agile brain.

Even the cut scenes and config screens have much better graphics than previous games. They put work into each and every aspect here.

There are only minor complaints - if you change your controller config, it still prods you to do the "standard" button presses in the game. Also, I still find the zoom in after a kill to be annoying and unnecessary.

Highly recommended!

- Cars: Mater-National Championship (PlayStation 3)

I've had this game for about a month now. I haven't played it all the way through, but I've had a good time with the races I've done. Basically, the game has a story mode where you play as Lightning McQueen (it's set in the time period after the movie) and you engage in various races for different reasons. You drive around the town and area of Radiator Springs and as you go you find places that have races for you to do.

The bottom line here are the races. I've played a lot of racing games from Gran Turismo to Need for Speed and I actually found this to be challenging. If fact, I was pretty angry at first that I didn't immediately start beating this "kid's game!" Of course, I started off in the "Champion Mode" because it was a "kid's game." But, once I learned the race course, I was able to place first. (I know, you're really impressed.)

My daughter is almost five and she likes the game but is just a bit too young to really be able to play. So, she gets frustrated. But, she still likes trying to play it. The kids love the Pixar characters so that's fun.

The game has a lot to recommend. The racing is fun. The graphics are really great, very sharp and clean. There are cute things like the cars talk to each other when they're racing, like taunting each other as they pass. Mater is fun to drive (in arcade mode, for example) because his tow cable whips around when he catches air as if it were a tail (remaining true to the movie, too, if I remember correctly).

So, it's a fun game. Play it with your kids. Unlike many games based on movies it appears that they were actually interested in making a good racing game for young ones instead of simply cashing in on the name-recognition.
Comment C

- F1: Formula One Championship Edition

After a long wait, F1 is finally back to the US in the best format available: PS3. A lot has been sad of graphics and sound, but when it comes to recreate a sport that is son technical, Sony has done an outstanding job. By now, it is obvious that this is no arcade game. I've tried several F1 games in the past, but none capture the essence of the sport, specially when EA sports was in charge of licensing. Car setup is very detailed. I haven't seen this amount of options available since the PC game Gran Prix II from Micropose, back in 1992. Starting from the downforce all the way down to manage individual gear ratios, this game takes the simulation to a next level.

Unlocking classic race cars from the past was my favorite feature. Driving a Lotus and just enjoying the sound of those V8 engines is simply priceless. Great detail too!

Minor details could be improved, such as more commentaries from the pits and commentators, a better celebration at the end, or a more interactive pit stop. None of these however, will change the fact that the game rocks.

One thing that could improve though, is the multiplayer options. There is no mic option available, and the interface is a bit confusing. Trying to get realistic is a challenge, for example, if somebody ignores a pit stop and rans out of gas, he will just be re spawned in the track with more gas. The lenght should be bigger, I know there are several fans dying to try a full scale race, with the actual qualifying session. For what the games costs nowadays, multiplayer support should be something to keep in mind. Anyway, this games is 99% solo game, career mode is quite a challenge. Simply the best F1 simulator out there.

- Need for Speed: Prostreet

As other reviewers have said, this edition of Need For Speed left the old formula behind. I miss it. There were stories built into the game. There was the free roaming. (This lack of free roam is annoying because when I want to check out a new car or new tuning after I leave the garage, I have to go to a race day. Just more wasted tim.)

Here ... just racing. And it's not exactly zippy. Every event requires a lot of loading, and apparently, even when I'm just practicing, a lot of saving. It becomes annoying, actually. Especially the announcers at the events that keep talking about you (Ryan Cooper).

But ... that aside, the racing itself is enjoyable, so if you don't have any bias for or against the old formula, this could be fun. I'm not big on tuning, but I've had to learn to work with it to make the cars do what I need them to do. If nothing else, it's something to kill time while waiting for GT5.

Hopefully, they'll return to what made NFS so much fun in the past with the next release.

- MotorStorm

Motorstorm gives you a variety of interesting vehicles racing on the same muddy track. Race a motorcycle against a large truck, and see who comes out on top!

The graphics in this game are just stunning. The details in the canyon ridges, the scrubs and shrubs along the path, the tiny details on the vehicles, are are rendered in amazing detail. We sat and watched MANY crahes just to marvel at how well done the physics were, how the tiny pieces of the vehicle sprang apart and bounded along the path.

The sound is a heavy metal rock beat. This will be great if you love this kind of music - or will get quickly very annoying if you don't. The solution is of course just to turn down the music and play your own if you're not into it. Problem solved pretty quickly.

Gameplay is fascinating because of the wide variety of vehicles involved. Most games have buggies against buggies, or racecars against racecars. In this one you can choose motorcycles, ATVs, buggies, race cars, trucks, jeeps, and a variety of other vehicles. The tracks are set up with a high, medium and low path. The heavier vehicles can plow through the mud and take the easier route. The lighter vehicles need to skirt along the canyon edges, taking advantage of their small size.

This is super in theory - but in practice there are only a small number of courses, and each type of vehicle really only does well on its own set track. So unlike some racing games where there are a variety of paths and options you can take for victory, for here it's more like there are interweaving tracks and you have to stay on "yours" if you want to win. It's still fun of course, but it could have been much better by really giving you multiple options.

Another real downside here is that there is NO LOCAL MULTIPLAYER. The package says 1-12 players but they mean solely online. I really think packages should list local and online separate on their packaging so there is no confusion. I opened this up wanting to have some fun races against my boyfriend - but we couldn't! To me, that really takes away from the fun of a game, if it's this sort of multiplayer game but the only let you play online.

Still, if you're the type of person who only plays single player - or someone who thrives in the online environment - this game really is a LOT of fun. The physics are simply amazing. You could use this game in physics classes to explain various actions and interactions.

Great fun - but I'd really like to see a Motorstorm 2 that had local multiplayer and more courses.

- Burnout Paradise

This game is tons of fun. Though I agree with some of the negative posters on here saying that the events can get a bit tedious...however, once you learn the city (which is huge) you get a hang of it pretty easy. Once you play this game online, this game totally opens wide up. It literally takes 3 button presses to go online, anyone can do it, and it is lllllooooooaaaaaadddddddsssss of fun. Interacting with other gamers from around the world is like 10x's more fun than just playing the normal game. If you own a PS3, this game is a must-have. PLUS, the creators at Criterion Games are adding a whole new bunch of features and fixes, plus adding a whole new island to the city FOR FREE!!!!

- Gran Turismo 5 Prologue

It's amazing how critical some have been toward GT5 Prologue. In a sense it's deserved but in other ways it's very unfair. Yes Prologue is a game with less content than previous GT games but still it has as much content as many other racing games. I have always love the Gran Turismo series. From it's humble beginning on the Playstation to it's trumped up GT4 on the PS2. What has never lacked is vehicle selection. Although in this game you are getting a rather limited 60 plus vehicles. Compared to the previous GT4's 500 vehicles this seems rather minimal. Although compared to some games that offer less than 50 vehicles, Prologue seems standard.

Gran Turismo: 5 Prologue begins like any Gran Turismo game. Stunning and beautiful intro transitioning to the menu. What is a first is the ability to play online and GTTV. Both are welcome editions in my book. The racing physics have improved in this version which make it much more challenging. With previous iterations there were times when you could slam your call into a wall when coming into a curve without any consequence. This game makes you pay for arcade racing. What is an added bonus is the ability to use the all new Dual Shock 3 controller. The DS3 makes racing that much more enjoyable.

Their are nearly two dozen makes of cars. Although each dealer is only limited to two or three cars. What is missing is the ability to tune your car. That is probably the biggest drawback for me. Now you do get the ability to do this after finishing all three licenses. There are no skill tests to acquire these licenses. Just completing a license to get to the next. The first license is easy to complete but it does get more challenging after you finish the first license.

With this game you only get a paltry six tracks. Although each track has different variations which does add more to the game. This is one of the few games where I enjoy mastering the tracks. So playing on the Suzaka or London track is a lot of fun for me. The tracks are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen on any game. Playing in London looks so real I almost think I am watching the real thing. Watching the replays are so incredible that they are great ways to show off your PS3.

Lastly I want to talk about GT online. The format is rather simple. Pick a experience level based on how far you have progressed in the game. Getting into the race is simple and only takes a few seconds to get into a race with eleven others. You position in the race varies depending on nothing. What is irritating is some of the people you may play against. On more than one occasion I have been knocked off the road by others who seem to have only one intent. This makes the racing not much fun as people tend to not want to play right. I am hoping they will eventually allow for more user control on these races to help avoid these problems from becoming overwhelming.

- GRID

Realistic non-F1 or NASCAR racing for the PS3 currently consists of two titles, GT 5 Prologue and Grid. This is a brief review to address the pros and cons of both programs:

Graphics: GT 5P is a very limited version of the full program which will be out later this year or even in 2009. As such, we need to bear in mind we are comparing a limited scope product to a finished one. That said, graphic elements in each program are still a wash, which I guess is testimony to GT 5P considering its graphics will probably improve a bit before the final version. The cars in GT 5P have more polygons and so the models look better, but Grid features a full-fledged damage system so the lower poly count and smaller number of cars in Grid are fully deformable, hence damage and collisions are quite dramatic in Grid. As of yet, GT 5Ps cars are not at all deformable so to some extent we are comparing two different types of graphics. Background track visuals are roughly the same in both games, so what we have is nicer undamaged models versus fully deformable models.

Sound: GT 5P wins hands-down. Engines sound nicer and more realistic, and the in-music is diverse and licensed. Grid truly fumbled the ball here with similar sounding rather weak engines and generic butt rock bgm that has not a single memorable riff. Admittedly one doesn't buy a racing game for the music, but the licensed tracks add some aesthetic appeal to GT 5P.

Scope and Size: GT 5P offers 75 cars, many of which are pretty tedious to drive. Grid offers 45 cars, most of which are lots of fun to drive. However, the fly in the ointment is that GT 5P has more varied and realistic handling among its cars. The 911, the Viper, and the Lancetti all handle remarkably similar in Grid, which really should not be happening. GT 5P by comparison offers a more diverse driving experience. GT 5P however only has 6 tracks while Grid has 15, so Grid offers a bit more to see. However, as mentioned, GT 5P is a work in progress, so we can expect to see many more cars and tracks by the time the finished version appears. Same deal applies to game play - Grid offers many different race modes and championship types, while GT 5P has a limited set of events, 40 or so, so the game can be tapped out very quickly. (Assuming you can get past some of the annoyingly difficult races, more on this later). Grid at present has a lot more to do and experience, so at present it will keep the average gamer occupied and interested longer. When the final version of GT 5P appears, we may see a different picture.