NASCAR 08 Xbox 360 Review
NASCAR at one time had the image of being a small-time sport catering to a certain group. Of course this stereotype has changed and NASCAR now has a fan base that rivals other sports. Drivers are now treated like other athletes and the money that can be earned is simply amazing. I know it takes talent to drive those high-powered cars and they make it look easy. While I takes years to learn and perfect the skills needed to compete on the circuit, it only takes one small slip up to cause a sever wreck or even a fatal one. I think it’s the mix of speed and danger that draws fans to this sport.
EA has the only NASCAR game around and I am okay with that as long as they put out a good game. Last year’s attempt was alright but showed some signs of needing more added. I know as the sport continues to grow in popularity, that number of gamers wanting to play the title will go up. The question is after seeing the game, will fans want to play or be happy with the title? Read on to find out what I thought and if I think fans will be happy or not.
Gameplay
Something is off with this year’s single-player mode and there is no carrier mode. Instead they went with a mode called “the chase” where you start as an unknown and try and earn your license and a contract. Players will need to complete ten different tasks for each license. While the tests will teach you, die-hard fans are going to grow tired of going through this step in the game.
Once you earn a license, say the short track one, for example, you will be offered a two race contract. Race in them and do well and you will get hired for the full season. So in a way there is a carrier mode, but it is not one most are used to. In a strange way, I see what EA went for this year trying to focus on the skills in that one little mistake will cost you the race. As luck would have it, the way the AI is set-up you will see an example of this several times throughout the game. EA has added drivers and now has almost every known driver in the game. They also got major events and tracks, but when compared to the series, it still seems short on tracks. Your choices are to enter Nextel, National and Craftsman series. They also have the “car of tomorrow” to compete in but it a one race and it’s over and not the full season.
While the game is fun to play, it just seems almost thrown together for the sake of adding another year to the series. Here is when gamers and reviewers start to wonder what the game would be like if there was another choice out there. Perhaps the game just didn’t turn out as planned. It happens but gamers are not going to think about that. They judge while playing and make their minds up quickly. This is the main issue with NASCAR 08. They took too much time with the tests and other tasks so by the time the game shows off that is a solid game it may be too late. When I say solid, I mean there is a decent single-player mode, but it takes time to see this. To be honest, the game is not presented in a solid way and it hurts it big time.
They added more customization features this year, but they seem to be for show and will not affect the cars’ performances. They need to take a look back and bring out a real carrier mode. They also need to adjust the AI and try and make it so it’s consistent at least. Gamers want plenty of action and the feeling of being in the sport. NASCAR 08 takes too long to offer this feeling.
Control
If you race with a wheel, the game is going to control smoother than trying to use the controller. You can go in and tweak things so you can stay on the track and not over-steer. The default controls are touchy and not at all forgiving. It will take time to find a set-up that’s right for you. Once you find the right settings, the rest of the controls are alright but seem a bit loose over all.
In the sport of NASCAR love taps are common. They can break a team mate free and on to the checkered flag. The AI is bent on trying to wreck you and you’ll need to learn to adjust your car for this. I add this in the control section because it really fits here. Once you learn what to expect and read when the AI is going to try it, you will have more success and win more races. I strongly urge you that the single-player style. The online style is different. While rubbing paint and love taps is common in real life and the single-player mode, trying this in a public room may get you some flack.
Xbox Live
The online mode seems stripped of some of the features fans are used to. You can set up a room easy enough or join one. Finding racers is not hard at all. The first thing I noticed is that when the first race starts, the graphics change and not in a good way. Granted 12 players online is great, but if the graphics suffer this much, you won’t enjoy the online mode for long. Normally I would save this for the right section but the graphics are one of the biggest issues with the online mode. To be blunt they are ugly and look almost like a PSONE game rather than an Xbox 360 title. Once again the game shows a lack of depth or the need for competition and hopefully they will adjust and make a deeper and better online mode next year.
Graphics
Offline they look decent but have a habit of looking good then not so good. They added a drift effect that look great but gets old quickly. They nailed the tires and smoke effect.
I also really thought the use of a race starting during daylight and switching to night was very cool. As you can see from the screen shots, the game offers some great graphics, but it just doesn’t follow through to the online play.
By now I would expect the series to push the limits of the Xbox 360 but it never does. Decent job offline but needs more effort overall.
Audio
The engines sound great and the tires’ squealing are well done. When you scrape paint, it sounds good and the wrecks sound fine. With a game like this you’re really concentrating on the course so the sound effects tend to get drowned out. Nothing stuck out as outstanding or awful so no complaints.
Replay Value
Die-hard NASCAR fans that love the series and take the time to adjust to the quirks will get the most out of this one. Most gamers, even racing fans, will play though it for a while, play a few races online with friends and then go on to something else and come back later. I really can’t say the game offers a large replay value.
Bottom Line
Overall Score: 5.8/10.0
Additional Comments
EA really needs to overhaul the series. While the game has a certain fun factor, the way it’s made makes it hard to fully enjoy and fans may feel a bit cheated this year. I can only recommend this as a rental and this would be for die-hard NASCAR fans as well. I have talked with others online and heard their comments which where less kind then mine. I really don’t think the series can afford another game like this or gamers will just pass. The pressure is on and the caution flag is waving. EA needs a long pit stop to find the main problem and fast.
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Filed under: Reviews • Xbox 360
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