Well thanks for your very well-thought out analysis of this game.
I'm going to disagree with this review on a few points though.
Sound - 6
It's average sound, it's that simple, none of the cars sound remarkably different and when the nitrous kicks in the game has thay cheeze F&F sound. Also I'm not a big rap fan so it's either turn down the music volume or deal with it. There's no support for custom soundtracks. Also if I recall correctly like 1 or 2 songs are pretty much milked for the majority of the game from the soundtrack pool.
Graphics - 6
Again average graphics, your car doesn't take damage? What the heck? I understand in the early PSX days car damage wasn't all that important, but to not have it at all? I want to see what really happens when you try and take a fiberglass body kit over a 3 inch curb and it splinters everywhere. I did like the customization factor and being able to do your car you way, but that's one small aspect of a bigger picture that they missed.
Gameplay - 4 (if going for realism) 8 (if going for arcade)
I'm splitting my gameplay vote here because if you're looking for a street racing sim this isn't it. First they'd need to make something that shrinks the penis of the gamer because we all know true street racers have small dicks hence their need to prove how awesome their import is. Real cars break down, they shatter, and everything else when smacked into a corner or clipping another car or anything else, this isn't touched on at all in this game, you can even jump your car. Speaking from experience you can't jump a car at any speed. Just more arcade-type gameplay. It was fun, but realism is nowhere in the cards.
Story - 8
I'm going high score on the story because it is what it is, a be the best work your way up story, but the magazine covers you can win featuring your car sure is a great addition and increases the fun factor.
Overall 6.5 on this bad boy, very fun, very arcade like, if you're a NFS fan like me you'll like it, but it's too much of a cliche game, you're always racing cars just like your own (suped up imports or the Neon
wtf would they include a Neon in this game? I mean then put my Saturn and Rylinkus's Probe and your mom's Chevy Celebrity in the game too cater too much to the F&F wannabe and reinforce a negative racer stereotype (keep it on the track boys where it belongs)). Coulda been great, ended up average, worth a buy in my opinion or at least a rent.
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