Race Driver: GRID

"YOU'RE forgiven but not forgotten". Starting a review with the chorus from a Corrs song is weird, but it expresses exactly how I feel about this game. GRID is the sequel to V8 Supercars 3, although they can't really call it that because there are no V8s in this version.

Nope - no more Indycars, Supertrucks, Monster Trucks, Formula Ford, Formula 3, British GT or even the simulator-style handling. Now we have arcade-style  Japanese drifting, US muscle cars and European "tour" racing. It's a very strange rebirth indeed.

Basically the game's creators are selling out their old fans in the hope of gaining new ones. So now we have a  simplified racing game along the lines of Burnout and Project Gotham Racing, when it used to be favourably compared to Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport. However, when you get over that initial disappointment you're in for a treat. The feel and sound of the cars as you rip the suspension round a tight corner is unmatched.

The visuals are so good I thought I was watching the intro movie. The damage-modeling is astonishing and the AI is up there with the best. There's also a real-time rewind function that erases the last few seconds of racing to give you another chance to correct an error.

The "Ultimate Racing Simulator" this is not, but for an arcade racer with a very good online mode, this is brilliant.