Some avoidable flaws mar what is a racing simulator which is not as great as they say.
- Attention to detail in track is incredible
- Plenty of cars to race with
- A lot of championships, races and challenges to keep you busy for quite a while
- Grows on you, if you have patience
Negative
- Missing a less zoomed camera view of the car
- Difficult learning curve, especially braking
- Seen better racing game in my lifetime
GTR 2 is the kind of racing simulator that requires a lot of patience for those who never played this kind of racing game or are pros in street racing. It takes time to get a hang of it, mainly because it's braking and turning are a bit tough and it is generally impossible for those who like using their car as a bumping car. But if you get to like GTR 2, it will grow on you the more you play.
This simulator is certainly not lacking sport cars and circuit, neither championships nor difficulty and takes a lot of hours to fully finish the game. Expect to find a wide variety of vehicles, Porsche, Ferrari, Corvette, BMW and many others you might have heard of if you are interested in this kind of things. Manufacturers such as Porsche have different models such as GT3, GT2 and RS models. You can select a variety of different colored cars which look considerably different with all the designs and stuff. You can't edit them but you will find the one you'll like. Most tracks are unlockable. There is the championship which allows you to take a whole season of races, or custom meaning taking a particular manufacturers cup. There is also a driving school for beginners to learn the basics, weekends, practices and even time trials.
GTR 2 may not have the gentlest learning curve, quite the contrary, it's infuriating. First of all, for all those who played street racing games, this game is harder than it seems. It is missing a particular and my most preferred camera view. The game expects you to use the inner car view but other than that there are 2 other views and a camera view of the camera, where the bumper is exactly under the camera angle. It doesn't have a less zoomed camera view and that really hurts the game. The default controls are ok to go with but you can modify them at will. The controls of your ride are difficult to get used to and very annoying for many. You can't expect to brake at the last second and turn swiftly. The game will indicate you at what gear and direction you have to go. Following them would be wise unless you won't to end up of course. There is no drifting as well; this is a serious and realistic racing simulator.
Even if you understand how the racing goes, the driving is quite a chore at first. Unless you try to dedicate yourself a bit to the driving, you probably won't make a perfectly good lap without going off course. There is no nitrous either so forget about getting the edge over an opponent. Weekend races allow you choose the number of opponents, time in laps and weather. The weather is quite nice, and thanks to the graphics it looks quite stupendous. GTR 2 features a lot of tuning options which can make or break your race. Most events are similar (if not) formula 1 racing tracks but I'm not 100% sure. No number of laps appears, but you have a countdown time which indicates the length of the race. So you won't find 1/10 laps and such. You can choose opponent's strength, between timid and aggressive. You may have to pit in as well. Damage is quite good as well, but keeping it off as a beginner is the wisest choice.
The track's design is impressive across the border and the weather effects make for some challenging and fun races. A lot of cars are at your disposal, but their design isn't quite as good as certain racing games on the PC. While the design is good, it isn't particularly great. There are no glitches or anything, but I feel that I've seen better models. The system's requirements are a bit high, and if you want a really beautiful game, you can stock up all graphics options and see a beautiful but laggy game especially if your computer is a bit old by today's standards. With medium, you can run the game well and see a good looking game as well.
Menu's soundtrack perfectly matches the theme of the game. Though there is no music when racing. Most of the voices you hear from your car technicians are weak and can barely be heard. Another reason why the game wants you to use the inner camera view is that the engine is heard differently when using the behind car view which over time may give you a headache. When inside the sound is pleasant.
If you try to find the best out of GTR 2, you will probably find a fun racing game but you may require patience. Street racing fans should stay away from this because it is not their "style". With a difficult learning curve, missing a particular camera view, but those problems aside, GTR 2 features a large number of cars and circuits, challenges to do and a lot of challenge.
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Graphics = 8.5
The track and weather design are some of the best around, but the car models though good is not some of the best around.
Sound = 8.0
Menu soundtrack is memorably fitting, but the outside car sound effects are annoying. The inner car sounds are good.
Presentation = 7.0
No cutscenes. High system requirements. Menu looks quite cool. Missing an important camera view.
Gameplay = 6.9
The learning curve is difficult for some. The braking and turning are tough at first. Plenty of cars and races to play in. Multiple difficulty levels, but the game is a bit too challenging at first. There are much better racing games, and i don't know what this is a highly proclaimed game.
Modes = 8.2
A story of some kind could have nailed it. Although there are a lot of races, including championships and challenges that will keep you busy for a long time.
OVERALL = 71 / 100
Some avoidable flaws mar what is a racing simulator which is not as great as they say.