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Codemasters takes us back to the Indianapolis 500. When I reviewed IndyCar Series, I noted that though the game was solid it was definitely made for Indy fans, not general racing fans. The basic gameplay is the same this time around but thankfully Codemasters has added a good bit of modes, most noticeably online gameplay to satisfy Indy fans even more.
IndyCar Series featured a healthy amount of gameplay modes. These modes are Quick Race, the IndyCar Series (play through a series as a pro racer) and The Indianapolis 500 (the pinnacle of the franchise). A remarkably helpful mode is the Masterclass mode, game’s tutorial mode. You will learn the in and outs of IndyCar racing such as how to drift properly in order to shave off those 0.2 seconds per lap. You’ll also learn how to read the track and turn properly. The single player modes are joined by the multiplayer modes, which are discussed below.
The multiplayer modes let you play a race with a friend via splitscreen. You can set all sorts of variables like the track, whether there will be AI drivers and the number of laps. The big multiplayer draw is 12-player Xbox Live support. You can still set all of the options you can in split-screen via the OptiMatch feature. If you don’t have much time, you can simply select a quick race. Doing well online will result in a high ranking and a lofty spot in the Leaderboards.
The actual racing in the game is true to the IndyCar Racing League. There is a lot of turning left, as expected, but IndyCar fans wouldn’t have it any other way. Since the numerous races in the game contain so many laps, it doesn’t matter too much if you mess up a lap or two out of twenty. But even though it won’t knock you out of the race, it is noticeable. You can pull off a perfect race and only win by a second or two since the AI keeps up with you very effectively. If you do mess up you’ll only have yourself to blame since the cars handle exceptionally well. And trust me, at the beginning you will mess up quite a bit. You need to get back into the groove of things since its all about losing a second or a fraction of a second as you race. Still, it isn’t all “serious” in the game. You can still have fun crazy-fun as shown by the massive car pileups. Of course, if this happens to you, you’re better off restarting.
The visuals have remained pretty much intact. IndyCar Series 2005 isn’t a looker by any means but the visuals are solid enough to get their job done. The courses look pretty good; as do the various car models you’ll find (33 on screen at a time!). Thankfully, the jaggies found in last year’s versions have been fixed, probably due to more powerful Xbox hardware.
The background music is pretty forgettable although it is fitting in context with the game. The various sound effects are crisp and sound excellent, especially in the supported Dolby 5.1. You will also hear a spotter who tells you how you’re doing and how the other drivers are doing.
IndyCar Series 2005 won’t covert anyone to IndyCar racing since the game is narrow in scope. It doesn’t attempt to be a forgettable, quick racing title. If you’re a fan of the IndyCar Racing League, you’ll definitely enjoy the game. If you’re a racing game fan in general and can get accustomed to the typical IndyCar Racing League races, you’ll find a depth of gameplay modes to last you well into the summer. -- Jose Liz, PGNx Media
---- Jun 28, 2004
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