NASCAR 09 Review

[lnin0]

For all that is wrong with N09 I would still say it is this years best console racer...all the easier said knowing Race Pro is pushed back to Q1 09.

Yes, N09 is not perfect but in my opinion it advances the console racer more than any other title this year. It gives console racers a taste of the real deal.

Car skinning done via your PC and imported into the game - that right there is just brilliant. I will argue with anyone who claims Forza 2's system is more robust or user friendly. In fact, I never understood how anyone could claim F2s system is user friendly - it is not user friendly for artist and it is not user friendly for people just looking to slap a few quick vinyls on their ride. N09 shows us where console games should be heading. I think the only thing that really confused things was EAs insistence on using DDS files. If the online paint shop accepted JPG files and did the conversion itself there wouldn't even be a question as to which way is better.

Online practice and qualifying. Options that are swept away in the sea of cookie cutter arcade racers it is nice to finally have a race game recognize these as part of the race weekend. Again, I questions how games like Forza 2 and GT get away calling themselves 'sims' when so much about their very essence is built around the decade old arcade experience.

Pit Stops. Not some optionless drive through where you come out the other side as good as new. Honest to goodness pit stops where you can elect for different strategies - now if they just work on actually making tire wear and fuel consumption more realistic. But the point is pit stratagies are a major part of racing. Heck, they are so important that TV elects to show commercial during the race rather than miss the pit stops. Why is this huge part of racing so over looked when comes to all the console sim pretenders then?

Rules and flags. In car view. Full featured online racing with the option to us AI cars to round out the field. Massive setup options. Career and challenges to keep you busy in single player. Damage, and while it could be better it at least has DNFs - something most developers are afraid of but a real part of racing. AI that if not all that aggressive is at least pretty clean and pretty intelligent. Own the track is also nice little leaderboard idea that for the most part goes overlooked.

So, even though it has its shortcomings (HUD being #1) NASCAR 09 in my opinion is the racer I want more developers to take notes from this year. Really, anyone can do the arcade thing so it is nice to see a developer swimming against the crowd for a change and trying to give console gamers a little bit of what their PC counterparts have been loving for decades.

If the series maintains its direction and doesn't try to go all casual it will continue to see my money next year.