Cross Racing Championship 2005 Review

My main problem with simulations is that they are always too in-depth, while arcade games lacked depth. Of course it all depends on what you're looking for--in my case it was a racing game having realism, but not too much of it. CRC comes with a decent range of tuning options which don't go into deep detail, requires precision and concentration yet never feels frustrating (thanks to a broad physics model) and has looks combined with attention to detail. These attributes suck you into one of the most enjoyable racing games in recent years.

I can't tell how well this game simulates real life, but I know that everything in it seems to work like as expected. If you jump high up and come down on the road again, you'll bounce off a bit losing traction and control for a short time, but enough to throw you into the fences. Making sharp turns at high speed can flip your vehicle over. Landing on your tires after a long jump can easily break them. Going from rear wheel to all wheel drive improves acceleration, choosing stiff suspension on bumpy road decreases both speed and traction. The great sense of speed and control over the road is accomplished by the solid physics model, and you will see your car performing in a very believable fashion. What separates CRC from purely arcade titles is that the vehicle behaves in a natural way, and the game never broke the illusion that I was driving a race car.

The cockpit view further reinforces this feeling, as interaction and animation are improved from Insane which was already ahead of the competition. You can now adjust a few sliders which control head movement due to steering or acceleration, and if you're a fan of headaches feel free to pull them to the end. I actually found it impossible controlling the car with any other camera. The driving model as I already wrote requires precision, something which you can't achieve with a keyboard and external views. Playing against the toughest opponents can't be done successfully without a wheel, or at least using your mouse as one. That's exactly what I did, having A and Z for throttle and brake, two mouse buttons for shifting up and down, and of course moving the mouse left and right substituting the motion of a wheel. I thank Invictus for including this option as I've been playing Live for Speed this way with great results, and it actually works better than a wheel for me.

You can race through six separate environments, all made up of roads connected in various ways forming different tracks. The beach setting has about a dozen races, with each representing some configuration of these roads. You will get familiar with the tracks a lot faster since you'll come across known terrain more often had they been completely different, but the absolutely superb track design will keep boredom away from you. Cars themselves are not as numerous, but each feels, performs and looks distinct; so countless laps with the same vehicle proved rewarding rather than tiring. You'll also find that some vehicles work better than others depending on the track, be it because of better traction, or more precise handling enabling them to get through with less effort. Choosing the appropriate setup is just as important, and for those like me that have little knowledge of car mechanics, Invictus has included a hints section outlining how different components affect the vehicle.

The scope and flexibility of the game are some of its best features. Track, road, rally and off-road racing all at once has never been done before, and unlike Race Driver where each discipline feels like a separate very limited game by itself, Invictus were able to blend all styles, cars and tracks in one complete experience. You can take your Quattro for a hike around the French Alps, and then refit it for a bit of mud sliding in Hungary . The combination of high speed door-to-door action plus the skill and patience required for good results is outstanding. However crashes, shortcuts and selfish driving are welcomed here, they actually make the races extremely enjoyable and more than a few times I've finished the track with sweaty hands. If you want to get the best out of CRC forget about keyboard, driving aids or easy AI; the game is certainly of the rare kind which holds your interest no matter how many times you fail.

Graphics:
Similar to its gameplay CRC's looks are without competition. Effects such as pixel shaders, high dynamic range, self shadowing, or dynamic lightning are there only to enhance the graphic quality created with the already crisp textures and detailed world. There is something about the visual style of the game that makes it look a lot more real than other racers which compared to it seem fake and outdated. I guess it's the combination of a potent engine with a few skilled artists, or maybe it's my imagination, fact is that CRC is among the best looking games out now.

Car deformation is nothing spectacular, but thanks to sparks, body parts and debris the actual crashes are. Flatout used the same effects with similar results, however it did not deliver the expected consequences as I could always finish a race regardless of what my vehicle looked like. Here you have to be a little cautious since a blown engine or even a flat tire will seriously cripple your progress. (repairs can be done only on low difficulty settings)

I did a benchmark with fraps, one lap with five opponents, and my average framerate was 31. To my surprise I found it very acceptable, I usually see a clear difference between low and high FPS, but CRC seemed completely smooth to me. This is on a modest A643200+/1GB PC3200/6600GT 128mb 550/1125, maximum in-game settings, 2xAA/8xAF/High Quality. Be warned that this game was worst when it came to overheating my video card, even turning on the air conditioner did not help. I finally decided to replace my stock cooler, and a drop of twenty five degrees saved the situation.

Sound:
What's supposed to be there is there is all I can say. I am fine as long as I can hear my engine work and tires screech on the ground and CRC has certainly done it very well. I personally play without music but if you wish you can import your own tracks into the game, and just as easily, completely new vehicle and environmental sounds if you're not satisfied with what is offered.

Multiplayer:
As it stands now the online portion of the game is a bit quiet, so it was hard for me to get a steady flow of games. As far as netcode and performance go I have no complaints, but there are some minor inconveniences which are annoying enough and should be addressed. Still, setting up a game couldn't be easier, and naturally I found online play better than racing against the AI, especially with drivers who match my skill level. With the Sep15th North American release I hope the server population gets a boost, which will of course depend on CRC's popularity.

Invictus also let us know they will keep supporting the game by releasing an add-on pack/patch and their car development tool for modders. The update featured classic Insane game modes which fans of the game had requested, and actually fit CRC better than I expected. Overall you get a fair amount of races and interesting gamemodes, what is really needed is an active community.

Conclusion
With this game I can honestly say that Invictus have become favorites of mine. Hopefully they will continue in the same spirit and pass on the quality we've seen in Insane and CRC to all their future projects. They seem to be really adept at building their games around a sim-like physics model, then adjusting it in a way which fits their idea of fun while retaining the realism. I know a lot have been a little disappointed at their decision to develop a closed circuit game instead of a sequel to Insane, as I'm sure I'll be when I see Insane2 rather than CRC2. This is only proof of their ability as a flexible and competent developer, and whatever we see come out of them will surely please one way or another.

Pros:

- Brilliant replay controls

- Realistic and detailed visuals

- Polished gameplay

- Varied multiplayer

- Should be easy to mod

Cons

- Heavy on the hardware