NASCAR Thunder 2004

"Axles & Allies"

Introduction-EA Sports's NASCAR Thunder series offers another year of stock car action with NASCAR Thunder 2004. New features such as a ''rivals & allies'' interactive AI system, new car physics, new drivers and paint schemes, etc. allow for a more in-depth NASCAR experience. The Career mode has also been revamped to include the ''rivals & allies'' system, along with a physical representation of shop improvements. These factors lead to an enjoyable NASCAR experience, but not quite a perfect one.

Gameplay-EA seems to fiddle with the handling of the cars each year, as they changed from 2002 to 2003, and they have done so again this year. It seems that the car breaks loose, (or oversteers, for our open-wheel readers) much easier this year than last, and can lead to some aggravation at some tracks. This effect is most noticeable at Atlanta, Las Vegas, Michigan, and other similar tracks. Apparently, this was done in order to promote smooth braking, as that is a remedy that has worked well for me. Care must also be taken in order to avoid contact with other cars, not only to avoid damage, but to avoid a rivalry that can have ugly results. EA has developed a system of interactive AI in Thunder where if you treat your opponents with respect, such as passing cleanly and drafting along with other cars, they will treat you with that same respect. However, if you should beat and bang with another driver, watch out! Drivers now have the memory of elephants, and they do not forget the time you ran them into the wall at Martinsville. This feature really comes into play during the Season & Career modes, where relationships can come and go as the season progresses. Speaking of Career Mode, EA has made a few changes this year, as it is now seemingly harder to win races. Whereas you could be very competitive in your rookie season last year (if difficulty was set on rookie) it is now nearly impossible to be competitive early in your career. If this kind of thing would be frustrating to you, i will tell you now, don't buy this game. I heavily doubt anyone can win a race outside of Daytona or Talladega. Patience will be required in Career mode. If that isn't your cup of tea, then Season Mode is probably for you, where you simply hop in an existing car, such as Tony Stewart's #20 Home Depot Chevrolet, and hit the track. With Season and Career Modes as the meat and potatoes of Thunder 2004, there are also a few other modes to whet your racing whistle. Thunder License and Lightning Challenge make a return this year, and there are several new Challenges for you to prove your racing prowess. From a hard charge at Darlington, to gaining back a lap at Homestead, to blocking at Rockingham, the new Lightning Challenges will have you busy, or annoyed, for hours. I am currently frustrated with a Challenge involving a certain Valvoline Pontiac. At any rate, as you complete the challenges, you unlock (not so) useful Thunder Plates, which give you ''secret'' paint schemes, tracks, and create-a-car sponsors. A new game mode for this year is SpeedZone, where you get to draft, pass, block, and drive around on road courses that don't exist. Though useful for the beginner, a long-time racing gamer really has no need for this mode, unless you have time to kill. As always, there is Race Now, where you hop in a car and drive one single race. Lastly, the feature that sucks....in a lot of people to buy the game is Online gameplay. This is really a double-edged sword in my opinion. It is fun to drive with other real people online, but some people would make New York City cab drivers look like the chauffeur from Driving Miss Daisy. Before you race Online, check who you are going to be racing, because there are several bad eggs in the carton out there.

Graphics/Sound-The graphics seem to have dropped off a little from last year's version. I'm not sure if they are grainier or if the frame rate really is slower, but something is off. I know that the frame rate in the mirror isn't the same as the one in front, so be careful of that, it might throw you off. The sounds are pretty good, considering there really isn't much for sound aside from engines and squealing tires. One thing I noticed is that the engines at restrictor-plate tracks, which usually hang around 6500 RPM, actually sound like an actual restrictor-plate engine. This is a nice feature for a die-hard NASCAR fan like me.

Replay Factor-If you are a NASCAR die-hard, like me, you'll like the Season or Career modes, depending on your patience level. If you are more of a Gran Trismo type gamer, you will probably get your jollies by beating a few Lightning Challenges, or running around on road courses, but it won't be incredibly appealing. A NASCAR fan is more likeley to have fun for the long-term with this game, as opposed to the Gran Turismo/F1 fan.

Conclusion-Thunder as a series has a lot of untapped potential. If EA would forget about getting the Gran Turismo audience and focus on the NASCAR niche, then they would produce a much better game. They fail to get the Gran Turismo types year after year, and alienate the NASCAR fans in the process. Until EA puts in the type of effort that they put into Madden and NCAA Football into Thunder, then the series won't reach its true potential. This isn't a NASCAR sim by any means, nor is it an arcade game, its more of a simu-cade game. That is the one major flaw that keeps Thunder from getting a 10. Until EA decides on Thunder's identity, I give NASCAR Thunder 2004 a 9.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/04/03