A lacklustre audiovisual showing doesn't let down the awesome variety and excellent driving mechanics on offer here.
I may as well get into the nitty-gritty of it - ToCA 3 is certainly an excellent driving simulator. It's got a lot of self-confidence, and often, its bragging doesn't live up to the core mechanics - in the games' subtitle, it claims to be the "Ultimate Racing Simulator." Sure, ToCA 3 is a great driving simulator, but I wouldn't exactly brand it as "Ultimate." "Refined" would be a more accurate adjective. The engine of ToCA 2 has been overhauled in the simulation department, adding more realism and better physics to the series, while simultaneously retaining a certain fun factor; something that the slightly limp Forza Motorsport forgot to deliver.
ToCA 3, by any means, is possibly the most varied racing game ever. There is simply too many driving categories in this game to mention, no matter how briefly - everything from classic rally cars, to modern touring cars, to karts, to monster trucks... they are all here. And even though quantity is often not an indication of quality, all of ToCA 3's racing modes are excellent. They each feel individual but none of them feel less honed than the others; they're all equally realistic and adrenaline-pulsing. And this variety alone justifies the fact that I give the value score a 10; ToCA 3 really has so much content to keep you playing until 2007. It's an unbelievably deep driving simulator, and the lovely menu screens quite desperately try to hold back the undeniable wealth of championships on offer here. Qualifying, practicing, racing, free run, time trial, online play, world tour, pro career, splitscreen multiplayer, system link... the only thing missing is the car customization seen in games such as Forza Motorsport.
And while the lack of car modding will put off budding boyracers, ToCA 3 isn't really for them anyway. There's no joyriding in this game. Oh no. ToCA 3 has a sophisticated driving engine, and the slightest waver in concentration can result in you crashing into a wall, which will often see you losing the entire race. This applies for any of the aforementioned racing modes (i.e. quite a lot of them) The handling has been branded as "floaty" by many people, GameSpot included, and I'm not sure what they mean. Your car feels like it's connected with the ground, doesn't it? I personally found the rally modes to give a good feeling of powersliding around muddy corners in adverse weather conditions. Thumbs-up there.
And what makes the game doubly difficult to play properly is the detailed damage model. Forza Motorsport's damage model was excellently done, and so is ToCA 3's. Basically, there are five or six key areas of your vehicle that can be damaged, and obviously, the intensity of the icon colour represents how darned it is. If you crash with a considerable amount of force, I advise immediately restarting the race, because you really don't have a chance any more. If you overdo your vehicle, or have too much determination cooped up inside you, then you'll often find your car getting worn out. ToCA 3 needs a lot of patience to play properly, and I might as well underline this fact in permanent ink. If you find yourself infuriated whenever you get overtaken by innocent competitors, then don't go anywhere near this game.
Despite the difficulty of the game, I didn't really find the AI to be as determined as they should. They are definitely challenging, and always stay right behind you, but they are nowhere near as competent as they should be. It's certainly a welcome departure from the evil drivers featured in Forza, but once you're ahead, and when you're focused, you'll find yourself virtually untouchable. But then of course, make a critical fault, and you may find dreams of getting a gold trophy eviscerated.
One other thing I found fault with in Forza Motorsport was the distinct lack of a sense of speed. This contributed to the lack of fun, in my opinion, and in comparison ToCA 3 has an awesome sense of speed. Of course, this game is meant to be realistic, so there's no fancy blur effects, but still, it feels like you're going fast when you put the pedal to the metal. And the racing in ToCA 3 has a feeling of adrenaline in it too - you really are a race driver, and you really are going to win. And you won't let any puny computer AI ruin your dreams. Until, of course, you crash into a flipping wall.
I've covered the fact that ToCA 3 really is an adrenaline-pumping racer, with a lot of patience and perseverance needed to play properly. But, as I've mentioned in the deck, there is a lacklustre audiovisual showing at work here. The basic environmental components, such as trees, really don't look that great. Sure, you can tell what the hell they are, but where are the sumptious foliage I was expecting? The rain effects, quite honestly, are total rubbish. Some of the rally tracks, where there's less source material to go by, are quite tear-inducing. Still, the car models are very nicely done, and ToCA 3 has a nice metallic menu screen. Cool. The audio isn't terrific either. The car engines aren't as distinct as many other racers on the market, and the menu screen music grates fast. Still, custom soundtracks are available, so you can either put classical music on to calm you down whenever you crash, or have speed metal on to encourage you to go as fast as possible. Questionable.
ToCA 3 is a very mixed bag, but in the end, it all irons out, and Race Driver 3 reveals itself to be an excellent driving simulator with lots of fun to be had. It will last you a scary length of time, so I'd recommend an outright purchase straight away; a lacklustre audiovisual showing doesn't let down the awesome variety and excellent driving mechanics on offer here. Have a nice day.