"Not a bad attempt by Sega."

Racing games come in all shapes and sizes these days and have for many years. Since the late eighties and early nineties, there has been a surge of different style racing games that take it from the original overhead view and put you right into the driver’s seat. F1 Exhaust Note is no exception to the rule, placing you in the driving seat of a super fast F1 racing car. Though there is a limited selection of tracks, Exhaust Note is still a hell of a racing game for those fans out there that are looking to quench their need for speed.

-The Game Play-

The game play is set up in the same style that you would find different racing games throughout the arcade, consisting of a car selection and then a track selection. Like most racing games, your performance on the track is dependant on your ability to read the track map and use it to your advantage. Though the car selection is limited between manual and automatic transmissions, there is plenty of skill that you’ll need to use during the races that include downshifting, speed breaking and the use of the track to get ahead of your competition. Once you’ve started the game, there really isn’t much to it other than completing the track within the allotted time and passing through the different checkpoints.

The computer difficulty isn’t anything that you have to worry about, in which you merely have to get ahead and stay ahead. Getting through most of the pack isn’t much of a problem until you start breaking into the top four position spots, and then you literally have to be on your game in order to get into the top two. From there, the computer is a perfected racer, making no mistakes, and you’ll have to learn how to emulate this behavior if you really want to take the checkered flag. Be aware though, the mistakes that you make once you’ve gotten into the top five spot will cost you most of your position spots through the rest of the race.

Control is easy enough to work with, with the control schematic being set up just like any other racing game that you might come across. The control is easy enough to use, with a gas and brake pedal with most of your driving revolving around getting used to using the gear shift and pedals together so you're not smashing into the wall. Outside of that, it's a simple interface that a racer of any age can learn and use effectively with a few races under their belt. Just remember that the higher you get in the pack, the more flawless your racing skills with the controls have to be!

-The Visuals-

The visuals aren’t quite as clear as they might be in more modern racers, but you’ll still find plenty of smooth moving sprites that roll across the screen. With the race taking place in the first person view, you’ll have plenty of scrolling effects and otherwise that look almost realistic. Shadow and lighting were also taken into effect to show you some semblance of the sun in the sky when traveling beneath trees or structures over the race track. Add this in with cool car designs and different race views that include first person, just ahead or just behind the car, and the ever popular chase view, and you've got a race experience that is pleasant to the eyes!

-The Audio-

The audio tracks are adrenaline pumping themes that are automatically selected for you at the beginning of the race. Something that is a little bit of a disappointment is that Sega did not include a music selection button like they have with most of their other racing games. With that being said, the speakers rest behind you in the top of the driver’s seat, and immerse you in a realistic world of racing with all of the usual sounds that are not limited to squealing tires and the high pitched whine of an engine that is coming to its red line capacity.

-The Verdict-

Exhaust Note isn’t a bad game by any means and ranks up there with the rest of the racing pack at the above average level. With the lack of a selectable music feature, the audio is pretty much fixed and you’re out of luck if you want to listen to something else while you race. The visuals and the control are above standard in the way that the game is presented and how it feels, reacts and presents itself to the gamer. However, the lack of additional tracks leaves a little to be desired when there is only one player playing through the game. Definitely a step away from the Out Run games by Sega, with just a few needed pit stop adjustments!

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 08/09/02, Updated 08/09/02