Mike Bantick
Friday, 28 November 2008 06:54
Opinion and Analysis
Page 2 of 3
And it is a tough assignment, the racing in MCLA consists of a number of challenges; one on one red light racing, through to ordered group races and freeway free for-alls.
Most races involve cruising to a location and flashing your headlights at a potential opponent, this may in turn involve racing to the actual starting line, once again building on the RockStar intention to always keep the player in the game.
When the race starts, you may be racing to a point on the map, finding your own way, using short-cuts and so forth. As you learn the map these races will become easier to win, but initially the AI will know a moderately quick way to get to the finish line.
Generally however, your path will be set using a series of cloud plumes as well as indicators on your radar, though taking your eyes off the road to glance at the radar, for even a moment could spell disaster for the required clean lines and collision avoidance needed to succeed.
Challenges will also arrive via your SideKick (phone) which give you a little more story details and new opponents to take on – including pink-slip races to win new rides. It is a little annoying that the SideKick graphic pops up over your radar in the bottom left. When you are already cruising to a destination, and are interrupted by a call that obscures your map.
Racing is hectic, and requires either the quick peripheral vision to glance at the radar, or built up knowledge of the LA landscape to compete with the AI controlled cars. And this is the major issue with the game, the artificially created competition.
In the single player game, it won’t really matter now tricked out your muscle car is, the game will scale the challenge to your ability, the aim, to provide a close racing experience despite ability.
This is good and bad. Sure, on one hand the racing is always tight, you are almost guaranteed a close finish, for if you have any major bingles (and the driving model is extremely lenient here), your AI competitors will kind of slow down and let you catch up.
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