Remember that spikey-haired titbag from the last ToCA Race Driver game? The whiney little stain's been dumped, so you won't have to play as him any more. Thank the sweet Henry Ford for that.
ToCA Race Driver 2 still has a story mode, but it's got a much better lead character. You! You're the star! See, if Pop Idol has taught us anything it's that lack of talent is no barrier to fame. Woo-hoo!
We haven't played far into the story yet, but so far it's looking good. Cutscenes are viewed in first-person, so you happily imagine yourself dropping the throttle and slicing corners, rather than forcing yourself into Ryan McKane's meathead or that bird from R: Racing's wonderbra.
But what impressed most during our early look at ToCA 2 was how mint the driving feels. Handling hovers perfectly between simulation complexity and arcade fun. You'll need to brake early, go gentle on the throttle and all that other boring stuff, but you'll also be able to powerslide till you puke and batter the crap out of the other 21 drivers on track. It always feels like you're in charge, so any muck-ups are your own fault, dirtbag.
Don't Lose Your Throttle Even more impressive is how the handling has been tweaked for the different motors on offer. Drive a traction-controlled Nissan Skyline and you'll really have to bugger up to spin, but just one squeeze of the throttle could send your skinny Formula Ford into a full-on pirouette. Add in Supertrucks, pick-ups and Land Rovers and you've got the most eclectic selection of wheels we've seen.
You'll want to look after them, too, since ToCA 2 flaunts a Terminal Damage feature that'd give any insurance man a loose arsehole. Every shunt and bump causes fibreglass to shatter and metal to buckle with some wicked eye-watering sound effects. Thrash your motor too much and it'll splutter to a grinding halt.
Which, apparently, is the last thing that's going to happen to the ToCA series. We're placing this firmly at the front of the grid, and the April release gives it a head start on GT4.W
The driving feels great, the storyline doesn't make you want to drink anti-freeze, there's tons of racers on the track and online support's a cert. Five-star potential.
ToCA 2 doesn't discriminate. We're talking seriously equal opportunities here - there's a truckload of refugee motorsports to try out featuring cool and unusual motors. What's more, they all race differently enough to prevent the game feeling middle of the road. Neat!
Go for the usual array of international Touring Car championships, like Aussie V8 Supercars...
...or you could connect with your inner redneck and race turbo-charged pick-ups! Damn tootin’!
These Land Rovers have so much suspension they bounce around Scotland’s Loch Rannoch
We haven’t been able to race the Supertrucks yet, but just look at them! Mean or what?
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, UK BA1 2BW England and Wales company registration number 2008885
