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Grid 2
It's hard to access just who is the best racer in the world since there are so many different racing disciplines to cover. Grid 2 aims to find out anyway.
The game's career mode centers around the fledgling WSR (World Series Racing) circuit, and your character will actively race and recruit racers from around the world to the WSR. The bigger the league grows, the more coverage it gets from the likes of ESPN (including custom in-studio live action cutscenes filmed with the network) and the higher the stakes become. In the multi-season format you'll not only face off against other racers in the locations and disciplines they're best at, but also participate in events that bring all the WSR drivers together for intense competitions.
Racing in the game is about collecting fans, which act as the game's XP. As you and the WSR grow, your garage will expand too, and you'll move up through Grid 2's four tiers of cars (encompassing approximately 50 automobiles). The game does not feature driving assists, so the tier structure is the game's way of teaching you how to handle increasingly faster and exciting rides. You can, however, customize your car liveries, and these are transferable to different cars within and across tiers. The look of your car will also change, of course, based on the sponsorships you earn. These present different race objectives and increase in prestige as you continue. Naturally, the better you do the more fans you earn, which in turn opens up new sponsors and optional promotional races.
I got some hands-on time with the game, and testing out a few of the different tier cars felt great even though they were racing in different style events. The Elimination race I undertook in Barcelona using a BMW E30 M3 was filled with sharp turns, while the Chicago event put me in a Camero SS. This checkpoint race put more of a premium on precise drifting. Thus, utilizing the Camero's power is key. Finally, the Red Bull Ring track set me in a light but powerful BAC Mono open-wheel car. Unlike the other events, this one was more pro-focused, as the track is historically used for F1.
Grid 2's multi-discipline focus will test your abilities at different types of racing, but you'll have to summon the skills if you want to be the best of the best.
Be sure to check out the gameplay trailer below, as well as the new screens in the gallery. Grid 2 comes out May 28 for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.
For more on the game, check out these preorder specials, as well as these more extensive gameplay trailers.
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