Harshly treated at 7.5...
First off let me say that gamespot and many other reviewers, i feel have been a little harsh on this game, To date this probably one of my favourite arcade racers, it's not everybodys cup of tea understandably but give this game a little time, a little respect and forgive it for its flaws and you may just find it growing on you, anyway on with the scoring...
Graphics - 8/10
Ok for me the graphics are fairly good, not anything special, just good, even through a 1080p TV they still seem a million miles away from a game such as Forza Motorsport 2, None the less the cars are nicely structured, each car is polished and the interior views are quite highly detailed. Upon playing the game rarely lags, even with a potential 8+ cars on the screen at any given time. The tracks are nicely done too, i can't really comment on the foreign tracks but certainly Brands Hatch is a very good representation of its realistic counterpart. This game's strongest graphical point would have to be the damage modelling, go to hot into a corner and you might be looking at something that resembles a destruction derby-esque mangling of scrap metal.
Sound - 8/10
This is the sound that Forza really should have incorporated into it's game, each car really does sound individual, which lets face it, is novel in any racing game. When you first start a career you'll most likely start with the Mini racing championship, you'll soon notice the mass difference between the mini's comparative whiny engine when you first set foot in the BMW WTCC, I believe this should not be overlooked in any racing game, the sounds of the cars engines alone make this game very very good, however the environmental sounds such as crashes, tire sounds etc. seem comparativley bad, theyre not that REALLY bad, just overshadowed by the cars themselves.
Gameplay - 9/10
In terms of arcade racing i would put this game firmly in the top 3, its forgiving and yet very testing at the same time, a contradiction i know but bare with me...If your new to this arcade racing lark and simulation is more your thing then simply hit the novice setting and you'll find yourself just settling into the groove with ease, you have an onscreen "best line" to follow telling you exactly where you should be, where you should be braking, easing up, accelerating and even what gear you should be in, however if YOU are an arcade fan, simply whack on the pro setting disabling all STB's, TCS's and ABS's and you'll find yourself almost playing a simulation, hopping into pro mode will quite simply allow you to feel the raw power of every car, you'll feel every skid, every spin and hey if this is to much there is an inbetween level for people like myself who are 50/50. My only really gripe is the lack of tracks in this game, it features about 12 real life tracks, which at first isn't a problem, however once in career mode, playing the same few tracks over and over can get a little tiring.
Lifespan - 8/10
Theres a suprising amount of things to do and complete in this game, the multi-player modes are so-so, nothin special there, however most people will more than likely head straight for career which should keep average gamers realitivley busy for a while, when thats done and/or becomes tiring there are championships for you to complete also. Time trial is self explanatory and there is also a practice mode for people who either just ain't that good, or for people who just want to get to grips with the pro mode.
Achievements - 8/10
The achievements in this game are quite fluid, most are fairly easy and simple to unlock, something as basic as qualifying, winning a race etc. will reap you rewards, and to balance it out there are much harder ones such as winning a race on pro, completeing all championships, if your achievement focused theres plenty to keep you going.
Overall - 8.5/10
Race Pro is a highly under-estimated and under-appreciated racer which to me holds it's own as an excellent racing game, whether you like arcade racing, simulation racing, online racing or even if your just after those achievement points theres something for everyone in this game. The career should keep you going for along time and its fairly pretty visuals should keep most fan-boys happy also. The game is also fully FIA endorsed so you can enjoy the highs and lows of the WTCC or just have a little fun in the Mini raicng championship. Unfortunatley the lack of tracks and a mediocre online mode may just turn some people away, but my final verdict? Well it's not a game to rush out an buy as it still carries a high price tag and isn't to everyones taste, but at the very least its worth a week or two's renting first.