As simple as the driving game genre is, companies just can't seem to get it right very often. Usually they don't provide enough tracks, or cars, or maybe the control is bad. Grand Tour Racing is one of the few driving games that does just about everything right. It may not be perfect, but at times comes close.
The first thing you'll notice about GTR is that it doesn't have a car select screen. Instead, you select one of eight teams. Each team has five different cars. Which car you drive is determined by what type of track you're racing on. If you're on the streets of Moscow, you'll run the race in a sports car. Through the sands of Egypt, you'll drive a buggy. This system may seem a bit restricting at first, but it gives the game a sense of realism - I mean, why would you want to try and drive an Indy car through sand? The rest of the game's options are pretty straightforward. Modes include a single race, season play, and a couple different split-screen modes. You can race in six parts of the world, each with several different track and weather variations.
The graphics in GTR are good. It has barely any pop-up, and the game moves at a decent frame rate. The tracks and backgrounds all look great as well. The music is also very good. The game's sound effects sound, well, about as good as racing engines can sound without actually driving a real car.
GTR's control is decent, but takes lots of getting used to. The standard control uses a unique steering system. Simply pushing to the left slightly turns your car to the left, but pushing L1 at the same time will increase the turn dramatically, allowing for more precise control. The game also supports the Dual Analog controller. While using it allows for a greater range of control, it requires a steady, soft touch. The slightest over-correction will cause you to spin out of control. The game, however, does tend to get a bit boring since the tracks are large and only seven computer-controlled racers are on the track, so you spend lots of time alone on the track with no opposing cars in sight.
All in all, Grand Tour Racing '98 is a fine racing game that stands out when compared to most other games in this already crowded genre. If you're a racing fiend or someone who has been waiting for the dust to settle on the genre, GTR is the clear-cut winner...so far.
