Auto Modellista

"Barely squeaks by with an 8..find out why..."

To shade a Cel, or NOT to shade a Cel? That is the question. Well, for some games it works. Brilliantly. For others, it's just thrown on top of the game itself, kind of like extra cheese on a cheese pizza. Catch my drift? Some of you may be asking, why am I bringing the graphics into the forefront of this review? Two reasons. It's MY review, and ..well, that's what makes this racer stand out. Can you name another Cel shaded racer on the market? This is the game's selling point. (Other than it being on line) On with the full review.

Instead of taking a full on simulator approach to racing, Auto Modellista falls somewhere in between Gran Tourismo 3 and Ridge Racer. Power slides are common, catching the right point in a turn, all of these things work and are consistent. Yet, I've counted so many times when I've ''pinballed'' a corner, shifted into 3rd and didn't lose a second off the lap time. (Play the game, you'll know what I'm talking about...''pinballing'') This, to me, is a serious problem. Think of it this way. Why let off the gas and clip the turn when you can go head on INTO the turn, ''pinball'' off the wall,and keep going at almost the same speed. This is the only inconsistent thing in the game as far as gameplay. Other than this, the controls are tight, and the cars handle well.

Auto Modellista offers plenty of cars, even letting you tune them any way you like. (within the game's boundaries, of course) The thing is, does it really make a difference within the game as to which computer chip you select? If so, I'm not seeing it. Different springs? Who cares...it really doesn't matter. These features should have been taken out to make way for more cars, or different features which would have upgraded the horse power.At any rate, you have a good selection of cars, ranging from the almighty Dodge Viper to the fan favorite SKYLINE. The game even features older cars, some of which you probably won't even be able to pronounce.

The graphics are the hot topic of this game. Cel shading is everywhere, not just on the cars. The streets are lined with cel shaded lights, lines, trees, and many other things. The game is great eye candy, no doubt. Let me remind you though, that graphics do not always make the game. Some of the backgrounds are bland, especially during the tokyo street races, and the highway level. They shine, however on the mountain races, where you can clearly see trees, rock formations, and even leaves on the road. Nice touch. The game even has a dirt track, although it really isn't any fun to race on, unless you LIKE to race on dirt tracks with a high performance street car. Think of it as an added bonus.

The music......where do I start? Ugh...typical Capcom music. The menu music sounds ominously like the music from every capcom fighter since Marvel VS Capcom. The in game race music itself is uninspiring, if anything. It's as if they allowed the lowest bidder to cut a track on their game. What this game needed was some more upscale liscensed artists, or at least some well known songs. Oh well. Not THAT big of a deal. The announcer IS a big deal, however. The same guy who announced Capcom VS SNK 2 is back with a vengeance. When will Capcom realize that we don't WANT to HEAR this guy! GEEZ!! Not only during the menu screens, but it's as if this guy is riding shotgun with you through EVERY turn, with phrases like, '' SMASH! '' '' WoW, I've never SEEN such technique!'' '' Uh-Oh'' '' KEEP ROCKIN BABY!'' This man will drive you nuts!
The sound effects are pretty good, although most of the cars seem too whinny. Every shift is there, with a deep clunk. Very nice. In first person view, the wind wraps around you, that's also a nice touch. Cars whipping past you, driving over bumps in the highway on a bridge, engine backfires, it's all there, and presented very well.

The game itself is tragically short, unfortunately. It took me, playing half heartedly , under 8 hours to unlock everything in the game. The A.I. drivers aren't anything to worry about, either. The real meat of this game is the ONLINE play. Dress up your car with whatever you like, mod it out, and take it online! This is the most fun part of the entire game. The online interface is pretty much straight forward, with plenty of server room. It even allows you to use a USB keyboard to chat and create race clans. Nice. I did come across a few things that bothered me, though. While online, there is NO voice chat. This game would have been alot easier to deal with online if it were an XBOX LIVE component. Although the interface is straight forward, compared to XBL, it just feels clunky. That's a personal preference, by the way. Also, it seems everyone is avoiding certain tracks, like the US DIRT TRACK (and for good reason...ugh) or one of my favs, the mountain tracks. The majority of players tend to stick with the tokyo street and highway tracks, which severly puts a hamper in any Mustang drivers' online racing time, no matter how tricked out his ride is. It's all about speed on those tracks. Other than that, taking this game online is where the fun's at.
Overall, Capcom did a good job in creating a racer with a unique style. Unfortunately, there just wasn't enough of it to go around. The game flattens out too close to the last stretch. Instead, give Gran Tourismo 3 or Need for Speed a try until Midnight Club 2 comes out. I would give this game a 7.8, if not for gamefaqs own review policy. Online play is the only redeeming quality here. This game scores an 8.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 04/02/03, Updated 04/02/03