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 NASCAR
09 (Playstation 3)
EA's NASCAR 09 brings the excitement of professional racing to the
Playstation 3 with a complete lineup of officially licensed vehicles,
drivers and, tracks. Players can race in several official seasons
including a new Chase for the Cup mode, where you can build up an unknown
racer into a champion. For novice players, there are two modes of
controls, and an extensive tutorial section where Jeff Gordon shows you
the inside moves. These features give the game a lot of polish and depth,
making NASCAR 09 a solid title that delivers the excitement and intensity
of professional racing. |
With NASCAR 09, EA has improved the series
with the casual gamer in mind. While there are some tweaks under the hood,
most of the game's new features are aimed at the less hardcore players.
This is somewhat understandable since the glut of hardcore racing sims on
the market has that area covered. Instead, the game focuses on giving the
NASCAR audience a game that's accessible, yet offers the challenge and
excitement without becoming overly complex. To that end, the game provides
two basic modes of play: Standard and Pro. The difference between these
lies in how the controls are set. In standard mode, things are much less
complicated and the game offers more forgiving controls but fewer car
customization options. On the other hand, the Pro mode allows you to go
deeper under the hood and creates a much deeper challenge with more
complicated controls and more options. These modes allow NASCAR 09 to have
it both ways, aiming for both the simulation and casual racing fans. What
this means is that NASCAR aims for, and succeeds at is giving the broader
NASCAR audience an opportunity to race as their favorite drivers on the
famous courses such as Daytona and Talladega without spending hours
learning the controls while those who want more detail are given that
choice if they want it as well. All of the famous drivers and their cars
are here, with the likes of Kyle Bush, Rusty Wallace and Dale Earnhardt,
Jr. to name a few of the better known names. Each driver's unique
sponsored vehicle and paint job has been faithfully recreated in the new
game, which adds to its authenticity. Once you've selected your vehicle
and driver, you can choose which mode to play. You can choose to play a
single race, or play a complete race weekend where you can practice, run a
qualifying race and then move on to the main event. Players can also
choose to participate in a full season race with their favorite driver or
go online and challenge opponents to race, which helps to earn reputation
in other modes as well. NASCAR 09's basic modes are fairly simple to
understand and largely unchanged from last year's installment, but there
are some cool new features which help to extend its longevity.
 The
gameplay itself is fairly intense and reflects the strategy and velocity
of a NASCAR race. One of the key things you have to worry about during the
game is when to pit, since this can make the difference between winning
and losing. For example, you can choose to pit early, but you might run
out of steam early - on the other hand, you can pit too late and cost
yourself valuable time. This is one of the key differences between a
NASCAR title and other games. The driver AI is fairly smart and the other
racers will take advantage of any mistakes you make, so you'll have to
keep your eyes out behind your car and make sure you don't give your
opponents the opportunity to pass you from the either side of your
vehicle. They'll sneak up on you and take the outside corner if you give
them enough space, so you have to keep blocking them throughout. Another
key element comes when there's contact between vehicles or a crash. This
sets up a caution mode where all the cars are required to stay in
formation. You can choose to pit during these race pauses, but you'll be
sent to the back of the pack if you do, which is another strategic
decision you'll have to make. The single-player game is fairly challenging
and intense, but NASCAR 09 delivers more than this as well.
Obviously, playing online gives you the
opportunity to test your skills against the best players around the world.
The game's set-up and customization options allow you to get up and
running in no time while also giving you the chance to create a unique
identity online. Navigating the menus, setting up games and playing is a
fairly simple task and once online, the game doesn't suffer from lag or
drop-outs, which makes for a somewhat seamless experience. NASCAR 09's
other major addition this time around is the inclusion of a new Chase for
the Nextel Cup mode. In this mode, players can create a novice driver from
scratch and build them up through the rankings by competing in races
against other drivers. As an unknown, you start off near the bottom with
limited sponsor and team choices. You need a contract to begin your
career, and these have expectations, such as finishing races and
qualifying positions that you need to beat in order to win. If you live up
to the conditions, your character will advance in the rankings, earning
better racing teams and richer sponsors. Fail to live up to expectations,
and you'll find yourself out of contention quickly. It's a fun
role-playing style mode that adds some depth to the game and gives you a
few additional things to worry about between races, though it's not
overwhelming.
 NASCAR
09's presentation is fairly interesting, with some impressive 3D menus
which allow you to go through your team garage in real-time which helps to
immerse you into the action. The game's extensive customization options
allow you to create your own car and give yourself a unique identity,
which is a fairly cool feature. Once you're ready to race, you can see a
brief overview of the action narrated by Rusty Wallace, which also gives
you techniques and tips for the race itself. NASCAR 09's graphics engine
is fairly decent with nicely rendered tracks and a good, consistent
frame-rate throughout that makes for some intense action. Its car models
look great as well, which shiny, reflective paint glowing in the night
races. There are several camera angles including out of the car, first
person and in the cockpit modes if you want to really get inside the
action. You can also choose from a variety of soundtracks, mostly country
rock that accompanies each race. During the race, your pit-leader will
contact you and let you know what the other cars are up to. All of these
elements combine to make a polished, authentic title that should please
racing fans from at least an aesthetic standpoint.
While there have been some tweaks and
adjustments made in NASCAR 09, this installment doesn't offer too many
surprises. There are some good ideas, such as using Jeff Gordon to teach
you the ropes, which is nicely presented and implemented. Using both an
easy and pro control mode allows players to either jump right into the
action or go slow as they master the nuances of NASCAR driving. Since you
can run a practice lap and see which mode is right for you, it has the
added benefit of making the game appealing for players of different
abilities. The game's controls are decent, though the experience benefits
immensely if you use one of the supported steering wheels. Depending on
which mode you select, NASCAR 09's AI allows for some surprisingly
aggressive opponents, and the strategic pit elements only add to the
challenge. From a visual standpoint, while its graphics engine feels quite
similar to last year's edition, it's still a sharp looking title that
features some impressive lighting effects, with the night and dusk races
offering some very cool effects. While it represents more an evolution
that a revolution for the series, NASCAR 09 delivers some significant
changes and improvements from last year's edition. It exceeds expectations
because it delivers a solidly entertaining and challenging racing
experience that effectively brings the thrills and excitement of
professional racing home in a slick, easy-to-play package.
- Michael Palisano
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