Sega GT was released on Xbox in Sept 2002 and received a mixed response from those weaned on the Dreamcast's Sega GT. Having kept up with the competition Sega GT 2002 incorporated many of the features as seen in the Psone classic Grand Tourismo. Well now its 2004 and Sega has released Sega GT online an updated version of Sega GT 2002 which features a few extra modes and of course online play via Xbox Live.However if you have Sega GT 2002 then your game save wont work here and you will have to start over. Sega GT starts the player on a path to unlocking stuff from the moment you begin. Faced with a list of various modes to plough through which includes single race to career mode, time trial to Chronicle amongst others there are modes a plenty and enough to sink your teeth into. The career mode starts with the usual measly sum of money to buy a basic small car from a healthy list of real worldwide manufacturers. Then by entering a set race and winning earns you more cash to purchase more vehicles or vehicle upgrades such as n/a tunes, brakes, tyres etc. All standard stuff in games of this type. There is also a novel option to buy used parts. These parts are rather random and can often breakdown mid race. These are handy if you are running low on cash and need a boost for a particular race. Once the set race has been beaten then you can move on to the next and so on with increasingly tougher opponents as you progress. Also thrown in are various license tests between stages which add a distraction from the actual racing. There are also a series of races which can be completed a number of times with different vehicles. These offer great cash rewards and varying event types such as hatchbacks only. Again standard fare for racing games of this type. Chronicle mode is also quite good and offers a brief history lesson in the process.Players start by selecting a classic car from the period of early 70s and has to progress through races set against cars from late 70s, early 80, late 80's onwards. A cool mode and a chance to view some nice period vehicles. Completion of these races unlocks more vehicles for purchase in career mode. Gathering mode is another mode which sees you competing in a series of tests. These include things like driving a clean section in the fastest time possible whilst not leaving the track or following a set path around cones in the quickest time. There are cars to unlock here and 3 tiers of awards to aim for. Another mode to play if you want a break from the actual racing.

Gameplay:
Playing Sega GT is pretty fluid with some decent arcade handling on display. As with all games of this type, tuning the vehicles is paramount to success and requires a bit of planning on the player's part. The first few races in career mode are pretty easy enough for anyone to get started. Then obviously things get a little tougher as you move up the ranks. The gameplay cant really be faulted here as the game runs smoothly and offers decent competition from the cpu cars. The tracks are also well designed and offer reasonable variety. With lots of events and vehicles to compete in and unlock there is plenty here to keep racing fans occupied for quite some time. Thankfully if you want some human competition this updated Sega GT 2002 comes complete with online play. Where you can see how you fare against players across the globe via Xbox Live.Other than simply entering races against all comers you are able to race in specific events such as for slips or parts with other online racers. Parts can also can be traded with online counterparts. There are team modes available as well for those who wish to co-op. The novelty navigation game being one example of co-op play where one player guides another around the track with both players having a different perspective around the race track. Stats are included for those wishing to take your racing seriously as well as opti-match features which enable you to target those with similar or greater skill, although you are not rewarded anything extra from beating more skilled players. The online play is welcome addition to the package and offers that little bit more than some of its rivals.

Graphics:
When I first started playing this game I noticed how bland and dated it all looked.The cars have no details or proper refections. The tracks although well designed to race on have no track detail to draw you in. The overall look felt like I needed to wipe the screen with a duster to clear away grime. In this day and age people are impressed by the look of games. with gamers and non gamers being wowed by GT4 and PGR2 its hard to see why no effort has been made to update the look of the game in any way. What may have looked reasonable in 2002 does not by todays standards especially on Xbox. This is a shame really because as I mentioned earlier the gameplay is pretty tight and rewarding.

Sound:
Sound is also a very poor feature of the game. The in game music is absolutely dire in my opinion which I thankfully turned off. The game does support custom sound tracks which is a welcome and well needed option to have here.Well done Sega for using this feature. Other than that the ambient sounds and engine noises are all pretty standard stuff and what you would expect from a racing game.

Longevity:
As I mentioned earlier those who have a save file from Sega GT 2002 will have to start from scratch along with everyone else. With building up your car collection and winning enough cash and events. There are enough modes and options here to keep most racing fans happy for quite a long time. With a Nice variety of vehicles to choose from and unlock for off and online play the game cant be faulted in this aspect. Online play will extend the life of the game for those who complete the offline mode but overall its design is one of extended play time which we cant complain about.

Round Up:
Sega GT has been released as a budget title in many stores across the globe. As an update on Sega GT 2002 for the Xbox live masses is a welcome inclusion to the ever increasing library of Live enabled games. However with the release of PGR2 at xmas last year it seems that quite frankly its the weaker game of the two in all departments. Die hard fans of the series will get the most enjoyment from the game provided they have Xbox Live. Those of you who missed out on Sega GT 2002 will also get a lot of enjoyment from the other modes even without Xbox Live. I would recommend renting this game first to see if it grabs you. Those with a little more disposable cash should seriously consider purchasing this at the budget prices especially if you are new to Sega GT. Overall a solid game let down by a dated appearance.

Pros:

• lots to do
  
• reasonable challenge
  
• good handling
  
• custom soundtracks
  
• Online Play
  
  

  Cons:
  

  • Poor Graphics
    
  • online lag
    
  • terrible in game music