NASCAR 07
Score: 75% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: EA Sports Developer: EA Tiburon Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Racing (Simulation)
Graphics & Sound: To some it is just car racing. To others it is a religion. To me, it is something to watch on a lazy Sunday afternoon when I’m in the mood for car crashes. Regardless of your feelings towards the sport (or your opinion on its status as one), EA is back this year with another edition of the NASCAR game, though without many of the yearly upgrades we’ve come to expect from EA’s sports franchises. NASCAR 07 looks and sounds just as good as previous versions. Car models are accurately modeled right down the to the smallest of ads. While the overuse of ads may annoy some gamers, it is just a part of the experience they'll have to deal with. During particularly rough races, cars will also show visible wear and tear. While you're unlikely to see many of the track details, rest assured that they are there and look great. In addition to the roaring engines, a nice mix of country and rock make up the game’s soundtrack.
Gameplay: NASCAR 07 doesn’t do a whole lot to differentiate itself from NASCAR 06. In fact, unless you’re a hardcore NASCAR fan, you could probably get along nicely with last year’s version. In short, the series hit its stride last year and really doesn’t have many places to go – at least when it comes to current generation releases. One of the focuses this year is Skill Points. After entering Fight to the Top mode, you can go through a series of trials that both teach you’re the ropes as well as earning you points that can greatly improve your standings once the season starts. As you race through trials and seasonal races, you’ll accumulate points by accomplishing certain tasks on the track. Points are awarded for clean passes, leading laps and avoiding crashes. At the same time, sloppy driving can also cost you points, so your meter is always in flux. As points build up your Dynamic Drive Attributes increase, enhancing your performance. After the race, your earned points can then be spent on new tracks, paint schemes, and events. NASCAR 07 doesn’t lend itself to multiplayer games all that well, which might be the one area where the game could possibly grow. However, this is an improvement that will likely have to wait for next-gen versions given the added horsepower.
Difficulty: NASCAR 07 isn’t overly complicated, though it does introduce some cheap complexities. In addition to earning points during races, you can also nab medals for completing races with a certain time. The reward adds something extra, but the timings are way off. As expected, medal earning times are challenging – so challenging, in fact, that they might as well all be the same time. The differential between the three is so short that you’ll find yourself pulling your hair out trying to shave off that one second between two medal types.
Game Mechanics: Despite advertising new car handling mechanics, NASCAR 07 feels and plays exactly like last year’s version, so old timers should have no problem jumping into the game. There are, however, a few options that should help players get a better handle on driving. Steering controls can now be adjusted to offer more or less sensitivity. This allows for a looser or tighter ride depending on how you like to race. I personally went for slightly tighter steering, which gave me just a little more touch when trying to pass people. Other parameters can also be adjusted on your car, including acceleration, downforce, and tire wear. Part of the challenge when adjusting your car’s parameters is that for every change made in one area, another will adjust itself as well. Putting a little more into your car’s top acceleration will affect its handling, and so on. Hardcore racing fans will really get into tweaking every last aspect to perfection, while casual fans will probably make a few major changes. As far as current generations go, NASCAR has hit the wall. There are still minor adjustments that could be made to fix up some problem areas, but really there isn’t anywhere for the series to go. Unless you’re a NASCAR fan dying to make another purchase or haven’t played a NASCAR game in a while, you could probably skip NASCAR 07 and stick to last year’s version.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
NBA \'07 Bomberman