Why the heck did they call it Grid.
Grid Redux or Gridier or Grid 3 Clone of the Time Attack. Anything - as searching for Grid to watch pre-purchase videos is a mix of all the Grids that there is, it's so confusing.
What's also confusing is my recent Grid purchase. Having tried the demo on PS4 and driving less than half a lap of "drop in and drive" resulting in my general hate of the game I've ended up with it on PC. I do have a reason though!!
As is the way with wet Sunday afternoons, the desire to have new things, the funds to have old things and the patience of an old dog waiting on couch time, I found myself pondering what Grid Autosport (yes that one) would be like on a current-gen PC. I used to like Grid Autosport, as a learned friend said, it was great elbows out racing. Certainly not the physics fest of current sims, but enough predictability to make it a good racing game - and surprising career depth. I had unfinished business...
So a trip to Steam and I was about to pull the pin on my sub $8 purchase (high roller that I am) when I noticed for $17 I could have Autosport and new Grid. Why not... it looks gorgeous and one never knows. From cart to library was as easy as it ever is.
I'll start this review with why I hated it on PS4, as a demo...
The thing with new games is that they are there to excite you and draw you in within the first few minutes. This is often with an opening cut scene to get you in the mood, and it's no different with Grid - just with Grid you can't skip it and it's way too long. In this day and age where everything needs an ad break I felt they were trying too hard to show just all the things the game can do from 'interesting angles', like a kid who's just got the latest nintenbikeformer thing and is busy showing grandpa just how and what it is. Stop already, I get it. But I couldn't, and that actually soured me straight away. And it got worse, from the cut movie (not scene, movie) it went straight to race. And not just on the line but mid second lap, chase cam, every assist on, auto gearbox the lot. There's a lot going on anyway as it's quite pop-art in its approach, so that plus dropping me into a setup that was far from what I wanted made the start possibly the worst introduction to a game I've ever played, and that's including half-hour Skyrim loading times on a PS3.
I managed less than a lap of driving what I can only assume is a rear steer converted corvette with overly pimped imagery and sounds. It was not for me. Demo deleted.
And so I had low hopes for the PC version, after all the current approach is to have PC and Console games much the same, and it certainly is - navigation of the menus for example is with the G29 controls (mouse optional).
But to gaming... what was it like?
Yep, the same cut scene, but maybe the year or so since I saw it, or the fact I knew it would end has tempered my temper, so I dutifully sat through it (pressing every. single. key) and dropped into the race. And then I pressed escape. Two things... you can restart (yay) and you can also turn off most of the crap that makes it little more than hotwheels* on one of those orange track things that we all had (*I had matchbox, superior in every way, except to siku).
I turned down ABS to three, turned down to two the traction control and ummed and ahhed over the stability control but left it at one. I figured this game was designed with that lot turned on, so why not embrace it. I'm glad I did.
I still am not a fan of the "drop into the race" start to racing games or any games for that matter. I want to learn the controls, spend time checking out what's what before I start and generally wouldn't choose to launch without any time to figure out setup. Still, I persevered and it wasn't all bad. I won two of the insta-races and placed third in NASCAR as I punted P2 and couldn't get the draft back to catch up in the final lap. I had enjoyed it enough to carry on!
The things I like...
It actually drives OK. It's not a constant drift fest in the cars. I bought a Porsche GT2 thing, think GT3, and it went well. Very well in fact. It sounded amazing and I'm running "WQHD" (2560x1440) on ultra at a locked 60fps and it looks amazing, and stable at that FPS too.
Handling is certainly relaxed, and generally you can get away with all sorts. But it's not a sim, and really not even a simcade - which is the copout that most devs make when they fluff the handling and can't get it back in a patch. I'm not sure if there was a physics update for the game that made it to the PC but it's certainly tamer in the tail than I remember. Enjoyable in fact I am pleased to say.
Drifting is still there, but it's more an "oh sh*t" moment followed by some tail out action and feeling like a hero. This is what the game is about, making you feel like a driving genius.
So I did some custom races. You have to buy the car as although there are loan cars they're not the Porsche and you lose 10% of your winnings. Once you have the car though, a few races and you've paid for the cheaper cars at least. And so it was, Suzuka, Brands, Red Bull Ring and some city race and I'd covered the cost of my fancy Porsche. And they were easy races - I'm going to have to put the AI up to hard for sure, hopefully that'll give more credits too as I can see it being a grind to get the more expensive cars.
The things I don't like...
I'll skip past this not being a sim, it has no intention of being one, lovely as it looks it's just not that.
I don't like the career menu format. Certainly, it's all a bit better since the updates (three 'seasons' added) and without that it would have been a shell of a game. But I do like the PCars2 approach of pick a car and race and go, though apparently that's changing on PCars3 - much contention over that release though.
I don't like the never-ending "perfect corner" pop-ups, again they can be turned off, but really stop trying too hard to make this outrun, I know it's a perfect corner as I'm a perfect driver. Mostly.
I am in fact sitting here wondering what I don't like about the game, it is what it is and doesn't pretend to be anything else.
Ah yes... my pet hate... If you're going to implement H pattern support, let me use one or the other in-race, don't make me go to options to change it. Driveclub did this oh so well, and RFactor2 does it too if you have auto clutch (heresy!). I can use either paddles or H pattern to shift. In fact, Assetto Corsa took it to the next level with forced shifter use on specific cars, that's awesome, and surely not hard as you're supporting the device anyway. It wasn't too bad last night when racing apart from racing some old classics, which surely are H pattern. They felt awkward.
What about online?
I had a look, two servers in our antipodean area with under ten racers across both servers. Poor show.
Mind you, I can create a session and fill it with AI and invite a friend or two (so all of them) to race. Not sure how long the Grid servers will bother to stay up though, it's not been the most successful of games after all.
Overall...
Well worth the Steam sale price, even on its own (I've not installed Autosport yet!).
I've not bothered with the season add-ons. I had a look at the reveal videos and really the only one I like the look of is the hot hatch one (the first one), the other two are exotica road cars. The add-on tracks and other updates are all added in anyway so I'm going to wait and see, I have another fortnight of this game before the sale ends.
And I think that in a fortnight I'll be done with this game other than occasional nostalgia, for two reasons, 1. It doesn't have replay depth that I can see, just not enough post-career, and 2. I'm probably going to play it to death in the next few weeks as it's actually good fun.
And that's it - if you set your expectations low enough you'll always be pleasantly surprised!
Grid Redux or Gridier or Grid 3 Clone of the Time Attack. Anything - as searching for Grid to watch pre-purchase videos is a mix of all the Grids that there is, it's so confusing.
What's also confusing is my recent Grid purchase. Having tried the demo on PS4 and driving less than half a lap of "drop in and drive" resulting in my general hate of the game I've ended up with it on PC. I do have a reason though!!
As is the way with wet Sunday afternoons, the desire to have new things, the funds to have old things and the patience of an old dog waiting on couch time, I found myself pondering what Grid Autosport (yes that one) would be like on a current-gen PC. I used to like Grid Autosport, as a learned friend said, it was great elbows out racing. Certainly not the physics fest of current sims, but enough predictability to make it a good racing game - and surprising career depth. I had unfinished business...
So a trip to Steam and I was about to pull the pin on my sub $8 purchase (high roller that I am) when I noticed for $17 I could have Autosport and new Grid. Why not... it looks gorgeous and one never knows. From cart to library was as easy as it ever is.
I'll start this review with why I hated it on PS4, as a demo...
The thing with new games is that they are there to excite you and draw you in within the first few minutes. This is often with an opening cut scene to get you in the mood, and it's no different with Grid - just with Grid you can't skip it and it's way too long. In this day and age where everything needs an ad break I felt they were trying too hard to show just all the things the game can do from 'interesting angles', like a kid who's just got the latest nintenbikeformer thing and is busy showing grandpa just how and what it is. Stop already, I get it. But I couldn't, and that actually soured me straight away. And it got worse, from the cut movie (not scene, movie) it went straight to race. And not just on the line but mid second lap, chase cam, every assist on, auto gearbox the lot. There's a lot going on anyway as it's quite pop-art in its approach, so that plus dropping me into a setup that was far from what I wanted made the start possibly the worst introduction to a game I've ever played, and that's including half-hour Skyrim loading times on a PS3.
I managed less than a lap of driving what I can only assume is a rear steer converted corvette with overly pimped imagery and sounds. It was not for me. Demo deleted.
And so I had low hopes for the PC version, after all the current approach is to have PC and Console games much the same, and it certainly is - navigation of the menus for example is with the G29 controls (mouse optional).
But to gaming... what was it like?
Yep, the same cut scene, but maybe the year or so since I saw it, or the fact I knew it would end has tempered my temper, so I dutifully sat through it (pressing every. single. key) and dropped into the race. And then I pressed escape. Two things... you can restart (yay) and you can also turn off most of the crap that makes it little more than hotwheels* on one of those orange track things that we all had (*I had matchbox, superior in every way, except to siku).
I turned down ABS to three, turned down to two the traction control and ummed and ahhed over the stability control but left it at one. I figured this game was designed with that lot turned on, so why not embrace it. I'm glad I did.
I still am not a fan of the "drop into the race" start to racing games or any games for that matter. I want to learn the controls, spend time checking out what's what before I start and generally wouldn't choose to launch without any time to figure out setup. Still, I persevered and it wasn't all bad. I won two of the insta-races and placed third in NASCAR as I punted P2 and couldn't get the draft back to catch up in the final lap. I had enjoyed it enough to carry on!
The things I like...
It actually drives OK. It's not a constant drift fest in the cars. I bought a Porsche GT2 thing, think GT3, and it went well. Very well in fact. It sounded amazing and I'm running "WQHD" (2560x1440) on ultra at a locked 60fps and it looks amazing, and stable at that FPS too.
Handling is certainly relaxed, and generally you can get away with all sorts. But it's not a sim, and really not even a simcade - which is the copout that most devs make when they fluff the handling and can't get it back in a patch. I'm not sure if there was a physics update for the game that made it to the PC but it's certainly tamer in the tail than I remember. Enjoyable in fact I am pleased to say.
Drifting is still there, but it's more an "oh sh*t" moment followed by some tail out action and feeling like a hero. This is what the game is about, making you feel like a driving genius.
So I did some custom races. You have to buy the car as although there are loan cars they're not the Porsche and you lose 10% of your winnings. Once you have the car though, a few races and you've paid for the cheaper cars at least. And so it was, Suzuka, Brands, Red Bull Ring and some city race and I'd covered the cost of my fancy Porsche. And they were easy races - I'm going to have to put the AI up to hard for sure, hopefully that'll give more credits too as I can see it being a grind to get the more expensive cars.
The things I don't like...
I'll skip past this not being a sim, it has no intention of being one, lovely as it looks it's just not that.
I don't like the career menu format. Certainly, it's all a bit better since the updates (three 'seasons' added) and without that it would have been a shell of a game. But I do like the PCars2 approach of pick a car and race and go, though apparently that's changing on PCars3 - much contention over that release though.
I don't like the never-ending "perfect corner" pop-ups, again they can be turned off, but really stop trying too hard to make this outrun, I know it's a perfect corner as I'm a perfect driver. Mostly.
I am in fact sitting here wondering what I don't like about the game, it is what it is and doesn't pretend to be anything else.
Ah yes... my pet hate... If you're going to implement H pattern support, let me use one or the other in-race, don't make me go to options to change it. Driveclub did this oh so well, and RFactor2 does it too if you have auto clutch (heresy!). I can use either paddles or H pattern to shift. In fact, Assetto Corsa took it to the next level with forced shifter use on specific cars, that's awesome, and surely not hard as you're supporting the device anyway. It wasn't too bad last night when racing apart from racing some old classics, which surely are H pattern. They felt awkward.
What about online?
I had a look, two servers in our antipodean area with under ten racers across both servers. Poor show.
Mind you, I can create a session and fill it with AI and invite a friend or two (so all of them) to race. Not sure how long the Grid servers will bother to stay up though, it's not been the most successful of games after all.
Overall...
Well worth the Steam sale price, even on its own (I've not installed Autosport yet!).
I've not bothered with the season add-ons. I had a look at the reveal videos and really the only one I like the look of is the hot hatch one (the first one), the other two are exotica road cars. The add-on tracks and other updates are all added in anyway so I'm going to wait and see, I have another fortnight of this game before the sale ends.
And I think that in a fortnight I'll be done with this game other than occasional nostalgia, for two reasons, 1. It doesn't have replay depth that I can see, just not enough post-career, and 2. I'm probably going to play it to death in the next few weeks as it's actually good fun.
And that's it - if you set your expectations low enough you'll always be pleasantly surprised!
