"Inventive and enjoyable"

Believe it or not, Tokyo Xtreme Racer is actually the second in Genki's Tokyo racing series; Tokyo Highway Battle actually starting off the series for the PlayStation in 1996. Since then, many more games have been released, with the series spreading as far as the PS2 and PSP.

Story
A rare racer with an actual story. You've come to the Tokyo equivalent of the London M25 in search of every single street racer to be crowned the king of the expressways. There are over 150 of them to defeat and you'll have to overcome the challenges of every one to be the very best. Not much of a story, granted, but still something to be working on.

Gameplay
Well, TXR is a fresh racing game in that the style offered is different. At startup, you're given a few modes to choose from: Quick Race, Time Attack, Quest and Free Run. Naturally, the main bulk of the game lies within the engrossing Quest Mode, but there's fun to be had in Quick Race as well.

In Quest Mode, you prowl the highways at night in search of rivals to defeat. When you come across one, you have to press the B button to flash your highbeam headlights. Next, you'll get a cool scene where the camera pans around yours and the rival's cars, and then there's a countdown until the race begins. Right, you're now in an SP Battle - the unique style of racing only this game offers. Both players have Beat 'em Up style health bars, and the player behind will lose health, the rate of which increasing the further he/she is behind. It sounds simple, but the rivals do become extremely difficult to defeat as time goes on. This is the basic style of racing the game offers, but it is surprisingly addictive and will keep you playing. Promise.

There is only the one course, the Tokyo Route C1 Loop. Both directions are offered, inner and outer, and your choice does affect the rivals who race, as well as the surprises that direction offers. Collectively, the game has two courses - both loops offer different scenery, tunnels and turns, and are different enough to be classed as two. There are many cars to choose from, and obviously at startup, you're going to have to settle for a cheap one. Gradually, as you earn more money as you beat rivals, you'll be able to buy a more able one and eventually tune it up the max to create your dream car. There is a very good selection of parts, including the cosmetic ones to customise your car as you want it. Unlike Gran Turismo and other racing games, there actually is a Paint Shop, where for a cheap price you will be able to paint the car in the colour of your own choice (with R-B-G sliders, making the colour number almost infinite).

None of the cars are licensed - yes, this is a budget price game, but the depictions are superb and you'll be able to tell the car type by looking at it (and the names give it away too).

The game's other modes will also have you playing. It's recommended that you try out Free Run mode first, to familiarise yourself with the course and to get used to the games slightly wacky physics. The Time Attack will allow you to rush around the highway and get times for it. Quick Race mode is a challenge where you need to defeat 100 rivals in succession, without regaining your health between each one. There is a very nice surprise at the end which I shan't spoil.

However, much of the game depends on whether you actually like the style of racing. If you aren't a car fan or your much prefer track racing, you might want to rent it out first to see if you like it. The physics engine does leave a lot to be desired also, with bad crashes into walls like to to be the order of the day.

Graphics
They've recreated the Tokyo C1 almost perfectly - every turn, every building, every side road, has been included in striking detail. The cars have been well done with decent detail and clear variety between rivals; the framerate is high meaning everything flows smoothly. Can't really fault the graphics, although the highway does disappear rather fast in the rear-view mirror. The night sky could be a little more detailed also, and where are the weather effects?

Controls
Standard Dreamcast affair - thumb pad for steering, back paddles to accelerate and brake. This is a tried and tested formula and works comfortably.

Audio
The game certainly picks up marks here. A good variety of tracks, from rocky to quieter, all suited to the night racing. None really get annoying or sound bad from the start. Well done.

Challenge
Well, it's quite an arduous game from the start, but the last few rivals are extremely difficult to beat and will drift off into the distance most of the time. Solid playing, it will take a week or so to get through to the last rivals... beating them could take weeks in itself. Not for anyone looking for a doddle of a game to get through!

Lifespan
With only one course, many will get bored after finishing it once and might not return. There are, however, a decent number of rivals anyway (171) and you'll need all your skill and time to beat all of those. Upon completion, there really is little reason to keep playing other than to customise your dream car even further or to max out a new one. The rivals remain random after you finish up as well. Average really.

Overall

Overall Score: 8/10

Final Thoughts:
TXR is an acquired taste on the whole. You'll either like the style or you won't. If you like cars, buy it at once, but if you don't, you'd be wise to rent it before you buy it and see what you think. This won't appeal to everyone, certainly isn't perfect, but is still a very good racer on the whole. One of the best budget-priced titles we've ever seen.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/01/05