Auto Modellista

"Capcom should stick to fighting games!"

This reviews the UK version of Auto Modellista.

Graphics 4/10

This game looks very much like a cartoon. The colours are very bright and loud. The night-time racing with neon lights make the game stand out from others. The graphics are very smooth, as there is a 60hz option (60 frames per second). The level detail though in most of the tracks is quite good but in some parts it is lacking. The car detail is pretty high though. Also there are cartoon effects like speed lines when your car is going fast which is pretty cool. The menu graphics are good with quite a lot of detail. The rain effect is quite realistic.
The two player mode graphics are good with small loss of detail and speed.

Sound 8/10

The engine sound of the cards are realistic compared to some other PS2 racing games, especially the cars with turbos. The sound level of the engine noise is quite high so it is easy to hear the engine. This helps when having manual gears, as it’s easy to tell when to change gear. There is good selection of music tracks that are easy to change and get the adrenaline going. The commentator gives the game a very arcade theme with short sharp sayings like “crash” when you crash and he praises you for taking good lines through the corners.

Gameplay 3/10

There are about 6 tracks to choose from and one secret. Reverse versions of these features in the championship to add challenge. Most oft the tracks are set on streets complete with road markings etc. Two of the tracks are point to point (just 1 lap as similar in rally games) The rest of the tracks are all circuits (requiring on average 3 laps).
The handling of the cars is quite easy to pick up and has arcade feel, which suit the graphics.
The main part of the game is the career mode. This involves taking part in races and winning to unlock car parts and extra decals for the cars.
The cars are fully customisable in this mode and everything from mirrors to bonnets can be changed. This means you can make a very unique car with your own design of stickers. There are also all official tuning parts available for your car such as HKS. Everything from downfoce to tyres can be changed
The controller set-up for the game is very poor, with no analogue acceleration.

Lifespan 2/10

The main part of the game is the championship mode there are few races, which offer any real challenge if you use a high powered car. The customisable car option adds to the games life span, as there are 20+ real life cars to customise. This game will last longer for you if you enjoy changing your cars look and parts. It is also possible to customise your garage, but this is not much use.
As you advance through the game more cars are available but some are not worth unlocking as they are very slow.
The two-player mode adds to the life span and races can be quite close due to the catch up option (this means the last position car gets a speed boost).
There is an also an option to save your replays and edit effects, which is original.
This game is quite short compared to other ps2 races such as gran turismo 3, toca, need for speed, ridge racer 5 etc.

Overall 4/10

Overall without the option of online play this game is a BIG let down. The option of all the high powered cars available from the beginning of the game sounds good but this takes all the challenge away from the game. It has some good ideas. but the game is let down by its short length. Its feels like half a game and does not warrant its price tag. Renting this game is a sensible idea as you’re probably complete the game quickly.

Good points
+ Real licensed cars
+ Real tuning parts
+ Fully customisable parts
+ Replay editor
+ Some original courses

Bad Points

- Short Lifespan
- Lack of courses
- Bad unlocking option
- Lack of online play
- Commentator can get annoying
- Poor control

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 12/17/02, Updated 12/18/02