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RACE 07: Official WTCC Game

This is Serious Racing

The single-player game, be it a Race Weekend or full-fledged Championship, can be daunting at first. The RACE series doesn't have the driving lessons found in GTR, so practice sessions are in order for newer drivers. Because it lacks any in-depth documentation (in-game or otherwise), the learning curve is made steeper. Even a cursory explanation of driving assists and other realism options would benefit new players. Once a driver has determined a manageable starting point in terms of difficulty settings, the game begins to shine. Non-player AI is less formulaic and more fallible, particularly when the field is gunning for the first corner. Frequently, computer-controller drivers make the same errors in judgment that human players do: cutting a corner just a wee bit too tight, for instance, or accelerating too quickly on wet pavement.

One of the course marshals, exhibiting nerves of steel as a collision heads his way. Take a step back, man!

In-depth tuning and setup options are a staple of any SimBin racing title

The flipside of the enhanced realism is the aggressiveness (or, at least, the perceived aggressiveness) of AI drivers, who will bump and nudge in tight spots and flash headlights as if to ask for right-of-way. Computer AI is adjustable on a percentage scale, and I found the window between 70 and 95 percent to be a reasonable facsimile of a human opponent's abilities. Any lower, and the number of yellow flags becomes ridiculous; any higher, and the competition is merciless to the point of frustration.

Expanded and More Open

Branding the title with a WTCC license may be a bit misleading, as RACE 07 is more open than previous SimBin titles. The stable of available cars has been increased with the inclusion of some new open-wheel models (listed later in this review), an addition that fans of SimBin titles have been requesting for some time. A customizable (and optional) Car Filter gives players freedom in setting up events and championships. Want to pit Mini Coopers against 1987 BMW M3s? No problem - any combination of classes, makes and models can be combined into a custom filter. It's not exactly a sandbox world, but the expanded content is a step in a new direction for a SimBin title.

While many of the shorter WTCC tracks aren't the ideal playpen for high-output open-wheel vehicles, it's still a blast to open up a Formula 3000 car on the streets of southern France. The open-wheel cars dictated an updated to the already-detailed damage system, and now wheels (along with body panels) are detachable, given the right crash scenario. I verified this (intentionally, of course) by consistently entering turns far too hot with the BMW FB2.

Windscreens and visors have a habit of getting dirty in inclement weather (they'll collect unfortunate insects, as well)

Solution? Wipers and tear-offs.

Gamers (or at least game publishers' marketing staff) are obsessed with bullet points and numbers. As is often the case, creative accounting is used when listing the number of tracks and cars in RACE 07. While the ad copy claims a total of over 300 cars and 32 tracks, the true numbers are much lower. Without including track variations and duplications from the 2006 WTCC year (which are included), the total number of tracks adds up to 14. This isn't disappointing, though, as the attention to detail in each track is superb. Tracks have an additional level of detail this year, though the courses still fail to capture the organic feeling of real environments.

With regards to cars, the actual number is significantly lower than the advertised number. Not counting the various team and driver affiliations - skins, essentially - the number of distinct car models adds up to 28. Of course, current WTCC makes and models are included, as well as the BMW M3 and Alfa Romeo 75 from the 1987 WTCC series. Mini Coopers are back, but the real excitement comes in the form of open-wheel rides, including the Lola B02/50, BMW FB2 and three Caterham models. Topping things off are several SR3 and SR4 Radical models.

Page 1: IntroductionPage 2: What's New?Page 3: GameplayPage 4: Controls, Replays and MultiplayerPage 5: Graphics and HardwarePage 6: Summary and Scores

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