TVG takes an early build away for a spin and comes away wanting more, more, more...

Let’s admit it, there’s few developers out there who can touch Codemasters in the racing genre; whilst the likes of Polyphony Digital and Bizarre Creations have created exceptional racing titles and built up strong series, the truth remains that Codemasters have tried their hand at virtually ever motor sport going – Rally, Touring Cars, Indy 500, you name it they’ve done it.

So when Codemasters announced ‘TOCA Race Driver 2: The Ultimate Racing Simulator’ last year, you can understand why the racing fanatics began to get very excited indeed. Whilst it would have been easy to make a few changes and release an updated version of 2002 ‘TOCA Pro Race Driver’, Codemasters have taken it back to the drawing board and created quite possibly the “ultimate racing simulator”.

Whilst the tagline may be an intentional quip at Gran Turismo, it’s certainly more then that as the game features the most comprehensive list of vehicles we’ve ever seen in a videogame. Not merely content with touring cars including the likes of the Nissan Skyline; TOCA 2 features such classifications as Formula Ford, Super Trucks and Vintage Cars to mention but a few. Whilst this sheer scope may have impeded any lesser developers, Codemasters have fully embraced it and I’m happy to say that from extensive play the racing aspect is quite unlike anything else, whether it be racing Formula Fords on the circuits or taking a Land Rover for a spin across the country.

The handling system may not make any bold changes like that featured in Gran Turismo 4; however the sense that you’re controlling such a wide range of vehicles is quite unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. We can always expect a solid handling system in Codemasters racing titles, however not many titles can claim to such a wide variety of choice.

Returning from ‘TOCA Race Driver’ is the excellent Career Mode, which features a running narrative complete with cut-scenes during your progress through the Championships. Sadly what appears to be a bug stopped us from progressing further through this mode, however from our brief time it does appear that Codemasters have made a number of enhancements to the formula. Without doubt the biggest innovation comes from the fact that Codemasters have adopted more of an open-ended approach, so you won’t find yourselves watching the same cut-scene over and over again; instead these are based on your performance on the track, so storming to a clear lead will earn a congratulations from your Scottish team leader, however if you’ve taken a few too many knocks and not earned it back in prize money then you can expect a severe ear bashing from the volatile Scot.

The lack of a damage model in the Gran Turismo series is certainly beginning to look very weak, as Codemasters renowned damage model makes an enhanced appearance in TOCA 2. Fans of the original should know what to expect, as impacts shatter windows, dent the bodywork and leave bumpers hanging by a bolt; however this time around it’s far more crucial then ever before. Marking something of a return to the racing genre, big collisions can now leave your car a twisted wreck and force you out of the race. This is a feature that used to be in racing titles but has sadly been missing during the last few years; it certainly adds depth to the game and ensures that you’ve got to concentrate throughout the entire race even if you’re lapping everybody. However it’s the integration between the damage engine and the sound system that impresses the most, with all manner of noises used to distinguish between faulty parts such as gear-shift slipping and engines over-revving.

Although Codemasters are hyping the AI of your opponents in the game, we have to say that this is one area we’re a little disappointed by in the current build. Recent press releases claim that you’ll have a hard job distinguishing between AI and real-life opponents, with each computer-controlled driver in the game having their own driving habits and characteristics, whilst tantalisingly claiming that they may even bear a grudge and come looking for you if you force one of them off the road. Whilst our build is only 80% complete, virtually all of our races depicted the traditional racing experience of cars hugging to the racing line and obeying the correct strategies to employ at corners; ok so it’s no Gran Turismo and you’ll certainly see fellow racers colliding with each other and an odd spin here or there, however it’s nothing that we’ve not seen before. Codemasters are claiming that other drivers come to light during the Career Mode and that rivalries will develop so it pays to keep an eye on who does what; however sadly our brief stint in the Career Mode only revealed a cut-scene depicting an irate driver who we knocked out the race previously. We’re hoping that this degree of non-linearity surfaces in the final copy, and that other racers within the game actually have a presence instead of feeling completely anonymous.