- The game was intended as a realistic simulation of IndyCar's 1993 PPG Indy Car World Series. The game featured a selection of the contemporary chassis and engines and eight circuits which could be raced individually or as part of a championship season. Subsequent expansion packs added a further seven tracks and, later, the Indianapolis Motor.
- Indy Car Racing is a bastard hybrid of Formula One and NASCAR, and IndyCar Series (made in Cheshire) is a comprehensive simulation of the popular American sport. And while much of the marketing has been aimed towards our Stateside allies, it shouldn't be dismissed over here simply because we know nothing about the sport.
We've done the gags in Reality Check so let's crack on with the facts. Indy Car Racing is a bastard hybrid of Formula One and NASCAR, and IndyCar Series (made in Cheshire) is a comprehensive simulation of the popular American sport. And while much of the marketing has been aimed towards our Stateside allies, it shouldn't be dismissed over here simply because we know nothing about the sport.
All you really need to know is that the cars travel in excess of 230mph on a series of left-hand ovals, and that the races are very, very long. Naturally, truncated versions are on offer here - from 10 laps and upwards - and it is wise to start with reduced length races, unless of course you are serving a medium to long-term custodial sentence. IndyCar Series falls comfortably into the genre of 'Prison Gaming', in so much that nobody outside of Her Majesty's Pleasure will be able to find enough hours in the day to enjoy it to the full. Even so, anyone thinking of attempting a full-length race might be advised to consider somekind of horse tranquilliser opponent for a couple of laps.Getting a decent position on the grid is crucial.
As it's titled IndyCar series, the game includes all the tracks and most of the drivers you'd find in the Indy Racing League (IRL). You won't find any road courses or street courses here. It's all ovals, and they are a subset of the same set of ovals you'll find in NASCAR titles. Indy 500 Racing Strategy Game This is a new one for BATracer - a single race played across several days - allowing for the very first time the ability to modify settings and strategy during the race. It is recommended you play through the original 2008 Indycar carset first, which this series is based on. May 12, 2021 indycar Hard Work, Experience Keep Firestone Rolling during Busy May Firestone is ready to go for all four NTT INDYCAR SERIES races during May.
The antithesis of a throwaway arcade game, concentration is paramount and the key skill involves sticking to the racing line like shit to a blanket. Making up tenths of a second on the car in front, it can often be like the gaming equivalent of watching a progress bar. Patience is required though, as an over-ambitious manoeuvre can set you back a few seconds, which can in turn take several laps to claw back.
Getting Ahead
Overtaking has to be planned days in advance, and it is perfectly feasible to remain wheel-to-wheel with anand with only two qualifying laps available, it is worth familiarising yourself with the tracks beforehand. Believe it or not, there are marked differences between them.
Respect
In easy mode, your car is invulnerable and you can largely bludgeon your way to the front. But it's a measure of how much respect the game instills that you won't want to, preferring instead to wait for an opening and use skill and timing. Split-second precision is called for, as the speed of the game is impressive, with the scenery flashing past in a mildly terrifying blur.
Clearly a labour of love, the attention to detail is almost perverse, with one of the circuits offering less downforce and slipstreaming due to it being a mile above sea level. The realism continues under the bonnet, and almost every aspect can be tweaked, assuming of course you're a fully trained mechanic. Laden with extras, including a Masterclass and unlockable footage of the history of the sport, there is enough here to make you go blind. Not everyone's bag admittedly, but if you accept the challenge of the mind-numbing action, it's oddly satisfying. Skeeter, pass me the horse tranquilliser.
IndyCar Series | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Codemasters |
Publisher(s) | Codemasters |
Platform(s) | PlayStation 2 Xbox Windows |
Release | PlayStation 2, Xbox
|
Genre(s) | Racing |
Mode(s) | Single-player, Multiplayer |
IndyCar Series is a racing simulator developed by Codemasters.[1] The game was released in 2003 for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. The game is based on the 2002 Indy Racing League. A sequel to the game, IndyCar Series 2005, was released in 2004 for PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Windows based on the 2003 IndyCar Series. For PC, the recommended requirements are Windows 98, Millennium, 2000 and XP, but the game also works with Windows Vista and Windows 7.
Gameplay[edit]
Drivers[edit]
The game features 26 drivers from the 2002 Indy Racing League. The driver list includes 24 of the regular teams and drivers along with two of the Indy 500 only entries from Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Team Green.
Reception[edit]
Indycar Series Pc Game
Aggregator | Score | ||
---|---|---|---|
PC | PS2 | Xbox | |
Metacritic | 72/100[18] | 69/100[19] | 71/100[20] |
Publication | Score | ||
---|---|---|---|
PC | PS2 | Xbox | |
CGM | [2] | N/A | N/A |
Edge | N/A | 8/10[3] | 8/10[3] |
Eurogamer | N/A | 7/10[4] | N/A |
Game Informer | N/A | 7/10[5] | 7.5/10[6] |
GameSpot | 7.1/10[7] | 6/10[8] | 6/10[8] |
GameSpy | N/A | [9] | [10] |
GameZone | 7.8/10[11] | 8.3/10[12] | N/A |
IGN | N/A | 8.5/10[13] | 8/10[14] |
OPM (US) | N/A | [15] | N/A |
OXM (US) | N/A | N/A | 8.1/10[16] |
PC Gamer (US) | 78%[17] | N/A | N/A |
BBC Sport | N/A | 70%[1] | N/A |
The game received 'average' reviews on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[18][19][20]Eurogamer's Roman Jennings said of the PlayStation 2 version: 'If we were to recommend an open-wheel racing game to somebody, it wouldn't be this. It would be Formula One 2003. If we were to recommend an arcade racer to somebody, it wouldn't be this. It would be Burnout 2. However, if we were to recommend a well-made racing sim to a real fan of the genre, then IndyCar Series would get a mention'.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ abGawith, Nick (June 26, 2003). 'Review: IndyCar Series (PS2)'. BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
- ^'IndyCar Series'. Computer Games Magazine. No. 158. theGlobe.com. January 2004. p. 84.
- ^ abEdge staff (July 2003). 'IndyCar Series (PS2, Xbox)'. Edge. No. 125. Future plc.
- ^ abJennings, Roman (August 4, 2003). 'IndyCar Series (PlayStation 2)'. Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
- ^Kato, Matthew (June 2003). 'IndyCar Series (PS2)'. Game Informer. No. 122. GameStop. p. 105. Archived from the original on January 15, 2004. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^'IndyCar Series (Xbox)'. Game Informer. No. 124. GameStop. August 2003. p. 99.
- ^Goble, Gord (November 5, 2003). 'IndyCar Series Review (PC)'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^ abVaranini, Giancarlo (June 11, 2003). 'IndyCar Series Review (PS2, Xbox)'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
- ^Shirinian, Ara (June 14, 2003). 'GameSpy: IndyCar Series (PS2)'. GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
- ^Shirinian, Ara (June 14, 2003). 'GameSpy: IndyCar Series (Xbox)'. GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^Aceinet (October 10, 2003). 'IndyCar Series - PC - Review'. GameZone. Archived from the original on October 5, 2008. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^Tha Wiz (June 8, 2003). 'IndyCar Series - PS2 - Review'. GameZone. Archived from the original on October 5, 2008. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^Magruder, Randy (May 29, 2003). 'IndyCar Series (PS2)'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^Magruder, Randy (July 2, 2003). 'IndyCar Series (Xbox)'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
- ^'IndyCar Series'. Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Ziff Davis. August 2003. p. 99.
- ^'IndyCar Series'. Official Xbox Magazine. Future US. September 2003. p. 82.
- ^Mahood, Andy (December 2003). 'IndyCar Series'. PC Gamer. Vol. 10 no. 12. Future US. p. 102. Archived from the original on March 15, 2006. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^ ab'IndyCar Series for PC Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^ ab'IndyCar Series for PlayStation 2 Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
- ^ ab'IndyCar Series for Xbox Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
External links[edit]
- IndyCar Series at MobyGames