TOCA Race Driver 2: The Ultimate Racing Simulator - PC

The sequel to Toca Race Driver's most obvious selling point is its multitude of motorsports. There's everything on four wheels that we can think of here, apart from soapbox racers, and there's a different way to race every type. Piloting a super-fast GT Lights and lumbering around Kyalami in a huge truck is not the same game, but they're both here. Be prepared for one or two failures as you get to grips with the different kinds of vehicles: conversely, be prepared to punch the air when you've finally mastered them, and are able to move on to the next level of competition. The game structure is such that whatever you do in the Career mode - the heart and soul of TRD2 - opens up more options in Simulation mode, meaning more free races and more time trials in more locations in a greater selection of cars: exactly what a 2004-bred racer demands, and then some.

TRD2's control system will be familiar to players of the original, and easy enough to configure for novices. A big improvement has been made with the vehicle handling and physics, and it's consistent too. Whatever kind of motor you're driving, the forces of gravity, the acceleration and braking, and the occasional prang with an opponent of course, it all adds up to a realistic experience. Speaking of prangs - something the Toca series has always proudly featured - vehicle deformation is still intact and some of the AI driver behaviour has to be seen to be believed. Never predictable, on the whole the other cars on track (up to 20 at a time, folks!) do the business. Once in a while though, and just when you least expect it, things get a little hairy. And that's just racing against the computer. Going online is an even more hair-raising experience, with all those pesky humans out to get you - fantastic! Try not to deform your vehicle too much however, as the more damage you do, the more your performance will be affected. A major change from Toca Race Driver is the forced retirement you may have to face if you're too careless in your driving. A really big impact can force you out of a race in TRD2, preventing you from pootling along at 55mph, sparks flying from tyre-less wheels.

Toca Race Driver 2 is everything that we had hoped for and more. As a solo experience, you can spend hours in practice or building a career for yourself, but this game is crying out to be 'multi-played'. Get online, get some like-minded opposition, and get your motor running. more