A very different racing title that is both fun and captivating. Well worth a look - and a Bargain Price Tag!
User Rating: 7.6 | TrackMania (2003) PC
Trackmania is a hard game to generalise to a singular genre. Surely it is a racing game, but it is so much more than that. You will find elements of a number of different strategy titles packed into this bargain game that provides wholesome fun at a very friendly price. Released in Europe before it's debut in the West (an unusual set of circumstances, but each to their own) Trackmania became somewhat of an underground hit - a game that came out of nowhere and stunned everyone with it's imminent playability. Although Circuit Racing is par for course - and you will find yourself ferrying for the conveted first place - Trackmania is far from just racing. It is so much more. Developer Nadeo has tipped it's hat to the legendary PC title Stunts in creating Trackmania. Essentially, the game, as it's title suggests, is more about it's tracks, than it's cars. This means that while you can race against computer foes, as well as other's online, the real core of the game lies within it's simplistic and easy to use Editor - allowing you to create, from scratch, exemplary racing tracks - and test them on the fly. It's a simplistic approach - but it works well in the game's favour. The other Career based mode is known as Race Mode. In it, you progress from easy to harder based tracks. You are not given a choice of car for your racing, but there are three different environments to traverse, from Southern Mexican Desert, English Countryside, and Swedish (or Nordish) Snowscapes. All tracks have been designed using the exact same tools the Editor provides, so, if given the time and patience, you can recreate them. Race Mode doesn't have you racing against other racers, in fact, you are racing against a Ghost timer, a preset car which you can beat in order to beat the record. There is no bashing cars off the road here, which works well, as many tracks will have you high in the air and without barriers. It means the competition is firmly on your shoulders, and you cannot blame an A.I if you fall, it will all be about your own skill. This is also the case in the game's multiplayer, so again, it comes down to you, the player. Puzzle Mode is something different altogether. It's a mix between the straightforward Editor and Race Modes. It gives you a set amount of track pieces in order to finish a track from start to finish in as quick a time as possible, and then allowing you to race it. It's a fun inclusion, and there are some very hard tracks to complete - it can get frustrating, especially at those harder levels. However, the real purpose of the Puzzle Mode means that you can use it to earn Coppers, the game's currency. Coppers allow you to purchase track pieces, which are organised by their skill. So something like a loop would cost more than a narrow stretch of tarmac - and as well, you have to earn the right to use these pieces. It's a good sense of progression, but don't worry - you can still create decent tracks right from the beginning, even if you never play Puzzle Mode. Race Mode also slightly contributes to your Copper haul, but the vast majority comes from your skills in Puzzle Mode. Having to use lateral thinking in a racing game is not the norm, but then, this is no ordinary racer. The design of the Editor is straightforward - there is no need for a training excercise of any kind, and Trackmania doesn't ship with one either. While the amount of pieces seem small, and in hindsight, are, the options available and the ways in which they can be positioned can lead to some very daringly different tracks. Technically, you could emulate your favorite Rollercoaster, but add something completely strange, like jumps over different tracks. While the Editor is definately the main drawcard to Trackmania - there are other things worth playing for, especially it's easy to get into online Multiplayer. You can easily play over a LAN connection, or online, with up to 10 racers. Much like Race Mode, you are playing against Ghost Racers so the online comes up to how well you learn the tracks in the quick time allotted in beating them. You may set up a bunch of your own tracks and host a match if you wish, or use many of the pre-made tracks. There is no skimping on the quality - as each has their own feel and obstacles. However, Trackmania does not come without it's problems. The racing has a very arcade feel, so cars tend to slide a little to often. Learning tactics on how to drift and braking properly can be a little taxing on the player, but once you get it - it will feel like second knowledge. Also, as a game based mainly on it's tracks, there are no licensed cars or events - which may be shocking to some, but the gameplay and content otherwise make up. While there are no licensed cars, each of the three environments use three different car types, so there are differences between handling when you race in the Countryside, as opposed to the Desert stages, for example. It will all become easy given time, however. Graphically, Trackmania is competent, though not all the inspiring. The stages feel bland and simplistic - and while there can be a fair bit going on in multiplayer, it would have been better if the physics were a bit more realistic. Falling off ledges can be funny, but the rolls and smashes do not come. It would have been better if crash damage had been implemented. The frame rates hold up well in response to what's going on, and low video card requirements does not mean the game lacks detail - just not the kind of interactivity you would normally expect from a racing title these days. However, as previously stated, this is not your average racing game and has a fun, pick up and play feel and appeal - and those who would get the most out of this game should not be too concerned with the game's simplistic graphical style. Sound is another issue altogether though, as it is a looped main theme that gets old very fast. While both the music and sound is competent, it never really stands out - so this may be best played in short patches or with an MP3 going in the background. Overall, Trackmania is an incredibly fun title which will rely heavily on the gaming community to spread the word on this game which has come out of left field and plays like a dream. While the content out of the box is more than enough to keep you playing happily, like The Sims, the promise of captivating downloads will mean this is a game that will always have something fresh to offer. If you are tired with the same old racing games - Trackmania is well worth a try. 
