FIA GT RACING -ORIGINAL GAME

 Not without its quirks, 10tacle's GTR is nonetheless a supremely engrossing, painstakingly intricate sports car racing simulator that's aimed principally at the ultrahardcore simulation addict, yet it wields enough versatility and fully customizable "detuning" to thoroughly indoctrinate newcomers and even please steadfast arcade racers. Is it, as has been noted in prerelease hype, the modern manifestation of Papyrus' remarkable yet crazily challenging and PC-killing 1998 benchmark Grand Prix Legends? If played at maximum realism and graphical detail levels, perhaps. But there's so much more to GTR that the parallel must end there. Certainly the developers at 10tacle Studios have hit the ground running with this, their inaugural effort. If you have the computing speed to run it and the patience to endure its few pitfalls, you likely won't find a better, more believable non-NASCAR racer in today's market.

 Indeed, one of the most notable aspects of this, a game that gears up primarily to satisfy the yearning of drivers who accept nothing but the most demanding parameters, is its approachability. This should not be lost on disciples of games such as Need for Speed: Underground or other like-minded arcade staples. To wit, GTR is not only one of the very best racing sims out there, but also one of the best arcade racers.

 What is perhaps best about GTR is its subtlety and attention to detail. Rough pavement, wet-weather handling, braking, accelerating--it's all infused with so much intricate physics that most drivers will have a tough time even coming to grips. Indeed, the GTR physics model is so good that many may feel they need to experience the actual tactile sensations of g-forces just to be successful. This can't happen of course, so the best approach is a smooth, unerring driving style, along with total and complete concentration, particularly during the first few opening laps when your tires are cold. You'll also need to quite seriously modify your technique when moving from one car to another, because 10tacle has simply pulled out all the stops in trying to make them as distinctive as possible.