Codemasters' Colin McRae: DiRT for many is considered the best Xbox 360 arcade racer, while it may have lacked a decent online mode it made up for that in playability and some eye-catching visuals. Where then does Codemasters new racer fit in? Following the success of Colin McRae: DiRT last year, Codemasters are back with a new racer known simply as GRID or Race Driver GRID as it's known in Europe, the new racer on the block features the worlds best racing vehicles and some iconic locations. Codemasters new boy runs on an updated Ego engine which was formally used in DiRT. GRID is the latest racer to grace the Xbox 360 and could be considered a sequel to the highly regarded Colin McRae: DiRT.

Gameplay:

Digging into the solo events in Grid World, the game can become somewhat frustrating rather quickly, even more so if you are used to the more forgiving DiRT and PGR racers. It is here actually that GRID exceeds beyond all others as it is all about the thrill of the race, that adrenaline of having to 'carefully' push your way forward, remain there, blocking off the opposition as there's always someone right on your tail. GRID is no doubt an arcade racer but it takes the racing sensation to the next level. No longer can you just speed past opponents without a care in the world, the A.I. racers react to you as well as to the other A.I. racers, thus in some circumstances overtaking a driver may result in them panicking or taking a corner awkwardly and either crashing or spinning out, which subsequently may very well take you out of the race, too. GRID also has a very handy feature, which may be useful for scenarios like those that I just mentioned, or of course even if you just slam into a barrier at 200mph. If your car gets totaled you can rewind times by about 10-20 seconds before the actual crash. It's something very different for a racer of this caliber, it's not something I think is necessarily needed but it is a nice feature none the less and has saved my skin several times meaning not having to restart the race. For this purpose, the flashback is very much a welcome feature, and most certainly takes away some of the frustration involved with getting wrecked by either your own hand or the A.I.'s, especially when you're in the lead and completely lose it on the final lap, be warned though the flashback feature is not an instant rewind tool to be used at all times, for example if you just skid onto some grass or lightly collide with a barrier; your car must be wrecked completely to be able to use the feature, and even then you only have a very limited amount of times it can be used per race. Back to the Grid World, this is where most players will likely be spending their time before going online. Grid World is the access point to your events, vehicles, some basic modifying including number, team name and racing stripes or other pre-made art, and finally adding sponsor logos to your chosen car when available will result in you earning more money from the sponsors as well as winning or even earning money for just completing a race. Many sponsors also have bonus objectives which results in more cash, things like beating a specific opponent or not letting a particular driver get ahead of you. A quick way to earn cash is if you have a couple of cars in your collection, is to stick a car on EBAY motors, yes that's right EBAY is in the game, as well as plenty of other fake advertisement banners featured throughout the courses – which may not sound so great but it is just one more step to blurring the line between in-game graphics and reality, which certainly is at it's best when watching the fantastic replays. There's a very good weight to the cars, where as in some games you get the impression you're floating, not in Grid, here you can literally feel your tires dig deep into the road as you go speeding over a bump to continue down a slope. Grid World works on a reputation system in where based on your performance, as well as earning money, your rep meter basically unlocks future events for you to participate in and the earned money can be spent on buying the new required class of vehicles to take part in more events.

Graphics:

Obviously there are similarities to this and DiRT, thanks to the Ego engine, GRID however due to the evolving of that engine has some rather spectacular special effects whilst still retaining that basic look and yet a refined feel for better or worse when it comes to the handling, which is very much a looser feel compared to that of DiRT. The effects in the game add that little extra icing on the cake and most certainly stand out more here than in any other racing game currently. The trees combined with some bright sunny rays and wafting flags in the wind are certainly a distinctly nice view whilst driving (not forgetting the smoke spoiling the view from some burnt rubber of any racers just ahead), and depending on what region you're racing in, there are several streets to race around featuring packed out crowds and tall buildings; some of which potentially rivaling some of the spectacular views featured in Project Gotham Racing 4. The most amusing of all though is the destruction and damage of the cars as you trade paint and get pushed/slide into a barrier, as you continue around the track for your next lap you may just spot your bumper in the middle of the road which may move position over several laps as other cars drive into these broken off pieces. Impressive, though as I like to take all these things in it might explain why I crashed so frequently. Replays are extremely satisfying to watch immediately after a race, especially seeing as they can sadly, not be saved for later viewing; which is certainly disheartening considering the detail, especially where the crashes are concerned.

Sound:

The game's audio serves its purpose well. While music may be lacking during races, there is usually a quick beat that slowly comes in during the final lap, as if to add some extra pressure. Generally though this is a racer that is all the more enjoyable with some of your own tunes in the background, just to complement those roaring engines and tragic smashes. GRID is severely lacking something in the audio department though, there's no horns (beep-beep!), perhaps not required but everyone loves to honk online before overtaking or ramming someone off the road, friends only of course.

Longevity:

Grid World offers up a good and lengthy challenge worth of events to compete in. Taking part in events from Europe, the United States and Japan each offer up a very different driving experience from drift racing, to F1, to the demolition derby. There's always something different to do to spice up the gameplay a little bit, that's of course not mentioning the online play, which for many gamers is what will extend the overall longevity with each of those 3 different styles of racing from those region fully accessible online in multiplayer, complete with a voting system to ensure that the majority of players get to play what they want.

Overall:

GRID exceeds in many ways for a racing title, it certainly takes over DiRT just based on the fact that it has an actual proper multiplayer component, however, I prefer the style and pick-up n' play nature of DiRT. If you are someone who likes your arcade racing games then GRID is certainly worth a look-in, perhaps giving the demo a test-drive before hand, too? Just don't expect an easy ride compared to those arcade racers that came before it. GRID is better than many of today's highly regarded racers, yes it can be frustrating and may take some brief getting used to; however Race Driver: GRID is one rewarding drive worth taking.