TOCA Race Driver 3
Codemasters moves into pole position
Tags: TOCA Race Driver 3 Categories: PC Reviews, Reviews
Posted by Darren on May 25th, 2006
| Title | Players | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| TOCA Race Driver 3 (title page) | 1 | ||
| Developer | Publisher | Genre | Online |
| Racing | No | ||
 |
TOCA isn’t just a standard arcade racer; it intends to be a full-on racing simulator. This means that the cars need to be detailed, the tracks need to be accurately mapped, the car’s performance needs to mimic real life and track physics needs to be spot on. Quantity certainly isn’t a problem; with the game having over 80 tracks with over 70 licensed cars. There are various modes including World Tour and Career, and you can have a massive 21 cars on the track at a time. When talking about quantity, TOCA certainly has the capability to satisfy both arcade and simulation fans. On top of all that, there are countless racing modes too; including NASCAR, Formula One and even go-kart racing! So I think it’s safe to say that fans of all manner of racing will have their needs catered for, even those who like to take a spin in a go-kart now and then.
What’s that I hear you say? How can a game possibly do anything very well when its got so many features? Won’t it just be a mess? I can safely answer no; every single mode and feature in TOCA is perfectly connected, and the game doesn’t feel disjointed in the slightest. This is truly a lesson that you can still do things well when the game has so much going on.
 |
 |
TOCA jams a driving helmet onto your head and stuffs you into a car before you can even say “Indianapolis”. Straight after starting the game you are put immediately into a race. Codemasters certainly don’t believe in doing things softly and gently, although I’m not complaining. I don’t really need to explain this, but I’m going to anyway. Unless you are criminally insane, I wouldn’t suggest playing TOCA without a steering wheel and/or an analogue joy-pad. It is, and always has been very hard to play PC racing games on a keyboard.
 |
A huge problem with racers in the past has been the AI; which can be very easy to get wrong. However, in TOCA your fellow computer-controlled racers are very intelligent and act like real drivers. This also means that they make mistakes like real drivers too. Sometimes they take a corner too quickly, or their car loses grip on the track, and they cause a huge accident in the middle of the circuit. On the other hand, if they are approaching an accident, they will carefully negotiate around it rather than crash straight into it like some previous games. If you should get your driving wrong and career into a barrier, you might live to regret it. The damage system is particularly authentic and harsh. You could have destroyed your steering or you may have damaged your engine, and believe me, you don’t want your car to stall every now and then as you’re trying to gain places.
As should be expected in a true simulation game, every single one of the cars available handles differently. This means you can choose your favourite car through trial and error, and choose one which suits your driving style. For example, if you’re great at steering and controlling your grip on the road, you won’t need a car with great handling. The physics engine is therefore very good, and it seems like the weight of every car has been intricately calculated, and its effect on the car is then too calculated. It can be a very gratifying experience.
 |
 |
The technical enthusiast is also equally as catered for as the car enthusiast. Once you’ve played through a fair portion of the game, the customisation made available to you is extremely expansive. You can change a whole manner of things about your car, such as transmission and brakes; and anything else you could think about when it comes to ‘sooping-up’ your car. This can again be a matter of trial and error, and it just lengthens the amount of enjoyment you can get from TOCA. It’s just the game that keeps giving and giving.
 |
Thankfully, Codemasters didn’t ignore graphics in favour of making a great game. They’ve done both extremely well. TOCA’s graphics are very well executed, and the details are pleasant. For example, you will experience a torrent of bulb-flashes when you drive past a group of fans. The car models are realistic and smooth, so it just enhances the overall experience. There isn’t even any noticeable slowdown when the track gets crowded; it’s all quite amazing really. However, as is the problem with nearly every single racing game in existence, the crowd looks like large pieces of paper. It doesn’t really detract from the game as for the most part you are racing around at high speeds, but when you slow down, it can be quite noticeable.
The sound is equally as well done, from the aggressive revving of the engines to the annoying, high-pitched whir of a go-kart. All of the sound-effects are extremely realistic and it really does make every race more enjoyable. The crowds cheer madly for you if you finish in a high placing, and I have to give an honourable mention to the Scottish pit crew member. All that being said, the sound isn’t mind-blowingly fantastic; but it’s very good nonetheless.
 |
 |
Taking into account that Gran Turismo isn’t released on the PC, TOCA is probably the best racer I’ve ever played on the PC. Every single aspect is top-notch, and it all adds together to make an immensely enjoyable experience. The ‘tutorial’ is integrated into the game via your Scottish crew, and it just feels like the whole game is seamless. The variety and quality featured in the game is fantastic too. All in all, just like an expensive coffee, TOCA is an amazing blend of various components to form a top-quality product.
| What Works | Score |
|---|---|
|
+ Stunning range of cars, tracks and features + Good sound effects + Pleasant graphics + Fantastic damage engine + Great physics engine and AI |
9.1 |
| What Doesn't | |
|
- Paper thin crowd - TOCA isn’t fair on the other racers by being so good |
|
| Under the Shrink-wrap | |
| Novice or expert, TOCA is your game. The sheer range of features and novelties make this game an absolute pleasure to play. Get it now! | |
[ Post the first comment | View related posts ]
Tags: TOCA Race Driver 3
Posted by Darren on May 25th, 2006 and is filed under PC Reviews, Reviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can post a comment, or trackback from your own site.
