Review of Racer (my first review here @ DC)
Basic Info| Game Name | Racer |
| Game URL | http://www.racer.nl/ |
| Game Version Reviewed | 0.6.0 (Beta) |
| Test System Specs | Intel Celeron D @ 3.73GHz, 2GB DDR2 RAM, ATi Radeon HD2600 Pro PCIe 256MB DDR2 (ALL are overclocked) |
| Supported OSes | Windows 2000/XP/Vista, Ubuntu, Mac OS X |
| How To Obtain | Download only |
| How To Upgrade/Update | Download, unzip over old install |
| Price | Free, open source (I *think*) closed source |
| Reviewer Donation Link |  Donate to Wreckedcarzz, the Reviewer |
| Relationship btwn. Reviewer and Product | User/player |
Intro:A single and multiplayer off/online racing game with massive modding capabilities. Currently in beta stage, it has been in development for what appears to be several years (it is a one-man w/ volunteers setup). Allows the player(s) to race, drive or do anything else behind the wheel of a car on almost limitless downloadable tracks and in almost limitless downloadable cars.
Image:
(This is with advanced options activated, obviously older machines probably won't be capable of this Level Of Detail)
Who is this game designed for:Gamers on older PCs, or anyone that is into simulation racing games
(It should be noted that all vehicles/tracks are editable, so it can also be turned into an arcade game as well)
The GoodEasy to figure out
Lots of cars and tracks to download
Easy install of additional items
Fast loading
Simple online setup
Settings for both low-end and high-end systems
0.6.0 introduces HDR and several other graphical effects
The BadOnly ships with one car and one track (designed for addons, but still)
Still in beta
Some tracks are incomplete, and online can be funky with them (not directly the games fault, but the addon tracks')
No damage (collisions = bounce/halt, depending on speed and mass and all that good stuff)
No Xfire In-Game support yet
Why I think you should play this gameIt is easy to get started, anyone can understand how it works, and the gameplay is just fun. There is a VERY large user base accross the internet dedicated to car/track making. Bugs are few and far between, and the game size is very small. You can configure just about everything to your needs, and the developer is easily reachable. All in all, very well setup.
How does it compare to similar gamesTrackmania beats it in the ease-of-use track editor.
Project Torque definitely beats it in graphics/sounds/gameplay options, however PT takes much longer to setup, is a resource pig, and requires beefy internet to run without lagging.
If you have ever played Midtown Madness, the first two games in the series are very similar to this. All cars and most tracks are editable (with creator permission), however, so the game is yours to sculpt. Graphics and sound wise, they are about equal.
ConclusionsDefinately worth a shot, it is a fun game once you get a couple people to race/drive with you. The endless modding possibilities make the replay value pretty much endless. It won't be leaving my PC anytime soon.
9/10 (simply for online/general bugs)
Seriously... it is worth a try at the least. I just upgraded from 0.5.7 -> 0.6.0 and I love the new graphics (I didn't change any options, but you can turn on HDR somewhere, just haven't fiddled yet). The mirror and other things seem to be a bit zippier as well. All around good game.
EDIT: Fixed version, updated info
