Best racing game of 2008
Speed.
And I'm not just meaning fast cars, the whole pace of the racing is designed to take you out of your comfort zone, to keep you on your toes until the chequered flag. You have to keep your eyes out for pile ups ahead of you, rivals behind you, and sudden twists in courses.
The AI is superb, never seeming to just let you speed past them without a fight. They also don't let other AI drivers past either, and this means constant updates from your team manager as to who is out of the race.
Now we come to the handling. I think that with all of the driving aids on, you get the perfect handling for the fast paced game that it is trying to be. However, if you want it to play as more of a sim, you have the option to turn these off and take corners just like you would in Gran Turismo.
The main mode of this game is Grid World. You start off with no money, you drive for other teams to earn cash and, once you have enough, are able to start up your own team. You are able to change the name of the team and the pattern, number and sponsors on the car as you so choose.
As you start earning more money and gain more licenses, you are able to hire a teammate to drive for your team. This further increases your earnings and your team standing.
There are many different types of race in Race Driver: GRID, ranging from muscle cars to drift, from touge (essentially boss races from need for speed carbon) to demolition derby. The main race that occurs at the end of each season is the Le Mans 24 hours. It is a shortened version of the race with full effect of it turning from day to night to day again. You haven't lived until you've driven an Audi R10 down one of the straights at 260mph in pitch black conditions.
To round up, Race Driver: GRID is a fast paced, deep racer with an impressive array of cars and tracks. The flashback system works perfectly with the unpredictability of the races and this game will keep you hooked for weeks. An essential purchase for any racing fan.