OutRun goes 3D, and with a new control system. Sega's AM2 have created a arcade winner. And Sumo Digital did it on xbox.
When OutRun first appeared, it really turned some heads, and made a lot of cash for the arcade owner. I even had to stand in line to get playing on one of the 3 (!) deluxe modells. Now, almost 20 years later, Sega's AM2 desided to take OutRun into the 3rd demention. And boy did this gave the game a graphical boost.
The first thing you'll notice is the draw distance, and how far away the horizon is. But graphics aside, they have totally redesigned the control system. It all revolves around drifting. This is a move that makes your car takes sharp corners sideway's. For some bends this is really needed to get your car around, but dont overdo it, because it still reduces the speed of your car. So combine grip driving with drifting, take the inside lanes (on some tracks you can even drive with 2 wheels on the grass/sand/snow) and go perfect your time.
Speaking of time, one of this game's strongest points is the precission of the control's, so time attack is really fun. You really want to drive faster than the last time. With the ghost of your best time in sight, you KNOW you can do it by pushing your chosen ferrari a bit further.
To add lastabillity there are 2 things that keeps you occupied:
1> Playing online. This is the most fun part. The game supports the headset, even in system link mode, so you can chat and race at the same time.
2> The mini games. By doing the mission mode, you unlock cards. These cards gives you some not so usefull stuff (like pictures of ferrari goodies) and extremely usefull stuff (like extra car's, extra music, tracks in reverse, and more important: the scud race tracks and daytona usa tracks).
In short: If you also like arcade racers, this game really gives the arcade player what they need.
The thing that worried me the most was how Sumo Digital would transfer the steering wheel motion to the controller of the xbox. But after getting my hands on the game, the worries went away, and all that now remains is how i admire the capabillity's of the programmers from Sumo Digital.
GRAPHICS: 9.0. Somehow they managed to squeeze so much out of the xbox, that this game easilly can be put right next to the arcade cabinet, and comming off as "just as pretty". Lovely lighing effects, splendid low hanging clowds, and the shiny ferrari cars, it all looks polished and good. And for the most part, it all runs at a super smooth 60 frames per second. But ocasionally the game slows down. This does not hurt the gameplay, so its not that terrible.
SOUND: 8. The music from the orginal OutRun is in here, together with all new modern remixed versions. The most soundtracks reflects the mood of the game perfectly. The samples can get a bit repetetive, but this does not annoy me that much. All the ferrari cars sound almost the same, but seeing this as a arcade game instead of a simulation, this is not to bad. In short, the music style fits the game, and if you are a fan of the OutRun series, you'll love hearing those old versions a few more times.
PLAYABILLITY: 10. Having this control just with a gamepad, done by a software house that usually does not work that often for Sega, that made me worry about how the game will play. But Sumo Digital hit the nail right on the head with this one. This game put them right on the map as being a superb softwarehouse that can create miracles. The drifting is handled smooth and varied (read below the totall score about the 2 diffrent way's to drift). For me, this is a miracle. And miracle's get rewarded with a 10.
LASTABILLITY: 9.0. The outrun 2 game, time trials you keep doing over and over again, and online gameplay. This game will last and last untill its sequell comes out. I still play this game, even now the sequell Coast to Coast is out. Just to marvel how good Sumo's first OutRun game turned out to be. This will still be played when i am 50 years old.
TOTALL SCORE: 9.5. After reading the above, you get the point that i love this game, and give Sumo Digital credit for their hard work. If you loved this in the arcade's, you can safely buy this game in the knowledge that this game does its arcade brother proud. If you doubt, rent it, because there are also gamers out there who dont dig that arcade racing stuff.
Like prommised, i will reveal the 2 different drifts, and in short tell what they do.
BRAKING DRIFT: Good for long corners that can't be taken full speed. This drift is easy to controll. A few downfalls are the extra loss of speed because you need to use the brake to start this one off, and this drift is not the easyest to change the direction of the drift with (in a S corner.)
SHIFT DRIFT: This drift type takes the sharpest bends with more grip on the tires. The drift feels a bit more nervous, but after a while you get used to it. You have to change the settings for the button layout, because its more easy when the A button is to shift down, and the B button is for shift up. So all you have to do is roll your thumb over the A and B button. The advantage is less speed loss because you are not even a half second in lower gear, and this drift has more grip on your tires. Also this drift is easy to do S corners with, by just repeating the shift drift just befor the road changes direction. Take note: The shift drift does not work below 240 Km/h.