Golden Age of Racing (PS2)

The control on this game is like a drunk driving simulator, you swerve around all over the place like you're on ice. It makes racing very difficult and the worst part is that this is the only entertainment to be found in this game as it's so bog standard and basic that it's boring.Overall, you can do much better, unless it HAS to be this game? Then I'd suggest geting Gran Turismo or something over this.To see what I'm talking about, I've added a video of me and my friend playing this game: [...]

Sounded great - really appealed to me! When loaded up I thought maybe 5 years ago it might have seemed OK (although perhaps not as GT3 was out early on in the PS2's life) - but seems very dated now and miles behind the competition. If you want classic racing choose older cars in GT4 or perhaps grab TOCA3 and hope you can find the save game function (appeared missing on my copy).

I had fairly low expectations of this game before I played it (having read some of the other reviews here) but was in for a surprise. The graphics aren't great, the sound is pretty poor and the choice of cars, circuits and game modes is very limited. But the handling... oh wow!If you have ever driven single seater low downforce racing cars (Historic Formula Ford, Formula 2 etc.) you will recognise immediately the techniques required to 'drive' these cars. Unlike other games (dare I criticise Gran Turismo?) you can't just throw the car into a corner at whatever speed you like and then expect to pull off physics defying miracles through a flurry of button pressing. You need to brake correctly (and in a straight line), position the car correctly with a late turn in and actually drive it through the corner before accelerating again on the exit. When racing with the AI competitors you have to observe the proper racing behaviours of flowing with the pack and holding your line in corners to avoid heavy accidents. If you try and drive this like you would other video games you are going straight to the scene of the accident. And, ok, if I'm being honest, it is quite nice to own a racing game that an 8 year old kid isn't going to be able to come along and beat me on at his first attempt. If you don't understand the principles of driving you are really going to have to work at this one.If you are going to compare this game to other video games you are likely to be both unhappy at the lack of whistles and bells and frustrated that you can't get the round the course without crashing. If you are going to compare it to the real thing you are going to be a very happy petrol head indeed.

I think they could have made more out of this; for better or for worse, it is an interesting concept incorporating cars from the 1960's in a game and that combined with the reasonable price renders it acceptable. In short, the game would have been better with relatively simple measures: the possibility to choose a manual or automatic transmission, to modify the car's set-up, to opt for a longer or shorter race (instead of just 5 laps uniformally, only exception seems to be the endurance race), a more dynamic AI instead of opponents crashing into you using your car as a braking-wall, a more dynamic model of damage (which one should be able to select, e.g. no damage, little damage, full damage) and to challenge wet, intermediate or dry conditions. It matters not that much having to go without an official licence, since all the tracks and cars didn't/don't exist in real life, at least not to my knowledge! For instance, the Gran Turismo series use plenty non-existing tracks, but it works out - and although this game doesn't approach the famous Gran Turismo on a graphical scale either, the driving physics are real in the context that it's impossible to just smash an older car around the corner, which is common now in the Alonso-era - but it is not very helpful not having the choice to shift gears yourself or to set the car up (such has been mentioned before). Since this game is rather affordable and the concept unique for PS2, I've decided to give it the benefit of the doubt.

I think this game is ok - the physics are the best part of it, but even they are limited. I like that it requires delicacy of control, but you can ram barriers and rivals with relative impunity, and you can get as much traction from grass and gravel as you can tarmac. Not good. Even worse are the missing details - no way to turn the menu music off, no way I can find to use a manual box, no way to even slightly change the car set up. I like that it's easy to lock the wheels under braking, but hate how effective those locked wheels seem to be - you can outbrake a rivel with locked wheels, when you should realistically be sliding off into the undergrowth in front of them.But the big killer for me is the made-up cars and made-up tracks. I had it in mind that this would be a simulation, but there's nothing authentic about it to even hint at reality. If the cars OR the tracks were real, that would be one thing - that both are fake turns the game into an irrelevance.

I've got to say that for the price this is a good little game. It's easy to get going and while the cars do seem to want to understeer more than they should it's got that 'one more go' appeal. The Time Challenge mode where you have to keep beating your own best time is great fun, although once you get used to the 'handling' it's pretty easy to win most of the races on Easy and Normal. It's no GT3 to look at but the graphics are passable and certainly better than most 'budget' efforts. My son loves it and I'd say that it's a good buy for someone in the 10-12 age range. The two player mode is good in head-to-head racing, but there's a bit of slowdown if you race with a full grid. I'd say give it a go.

Nothing special - fairly poor AI and sometimes impossible and unfair advantages given to the computer cars. Don't waste your time, buy a proper racing sim or arcader (depending on your driving game preference).