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Speed Devils Review
Noel Brady
00/12/0000
Speed Devils may just suprise you.
Speed Devils, from French devleoper Ubisoft, is one of the few Dreamcast titles that has been overlooked, unjustly. As people looked at the Dreamcast release schedule they noticed many titles such as Sonic Adventure, House of the Dead 2 and Sega Rally 2 while this humble little racer rested on it's laurels. The sad fact is that Speed Devils matches if not betters any of the titles above with it's lightning fast gameplay and oh-so cool graphics. So, where's the hype?
There are many racing titles in the first of European releases for Sega's new machine but, after all, racing games and beat-em-ups are the biggest grossing genres in the US and Europe. However, each racer has it's own trademarks. Sega Rally 2, for instance, is a fast blast along some shorts but pretty goes tracks, a game that you have to learn like the back of your hand to master. Monaco Grand Prix, on the other hand, is a game that requires plenty of lavish attention before it rewards you with Formula One success. Speed Devils is that little bit different though. It leans towards the Sega Rally camp, as without doubt it's an arcade game, but after that the parallels between these two titles immediately end.
For a start, the tracks are far from straight out of real life. Loosely based on locations from around the United States, the developers were clearly very happy when they start designing these. Shockingly long, each track is liberally plastered with ingeniously frustrating traps desperate to send you spinning off the road; rock falls pick the most inopportune moments to be disturbed; JCB diggers swing their buckets like they've got to build a new motorway in a week; and dangerous invisible corners leap out of the distance like disturbed cats.
There are also short cuts everywhere, some clearly marked, others that you only discover by taking quiet wanders around the landscape. These might involve leaping onto the top of a train and enjoying a free ride, leaping into a large concrete tube, or handbrake turning into a seemingly invisible right-hander.
Each track is 'themed' to add to your driving pleasure. For example, the Hollywood track charges through a film lot scattered with set-pieces such as sharps leaping out of water or King Kong pounding on the floor with it's gigantic fists. Other tracks have you slip sliding away through the snowy wastes of a Colorado ski resort, or through a 'fictional' gambling city in Nevada.
Speed Devils looks stunning and despite the huge leap in track detail, this title still runs at a comfortable rate of 30fps. It's a stunning demonstration of what Dreamcast is capable of displaying, and blows away anything seen on previous systems. What's so surprising is that despite the length of each lap there are no repeated sections. Several miles of track have been painstakingly created, each packed with so much detail that we'd be tempted to say you can have almost as much fun watching it as playing it.
It's not just the tracks that award Speed Devils the grand prix. There's a huge variety of cars (more about these later), each of which can be increasingly damaged and upgraded, but of particular interest is the wholly original method of gambling in the championship.
It all begins like Gran Turismo on the Playstation where you compete in a lowly championship driving a jalopy of a car. Succeed at this beginner level and you're awarded hard virtual cash, not just for winning races, but also for finding short cuts, top speed and getting the fastest lap times. This money can, as you would imagine, be squandered on upgrades, new nitros for an instant acceleration during a race, or a complete new car, but you can also wager some of the dosh against a competitor. Getting the fastest lap time, for instance, can double your pile. Should you rather overtly nudge a competitor during a race, you may find him exacting his revenge by challenging you to a one-on-one, again for money.
As you move through the four classes of race the competitors and the courses get tougher, you notice that each driver has his own distinct personality. This can be seen through the windows of their distinctive cars. This feature gives the single-player game even more appeal, as you become increasingly familiar with the different driving styles of various computer-controlled competitors.
The other most important aspect of Speed Devils has to be the cars. There are ten different models, based on real vehicles from the 1950's and 1990's, including the more unusual limousine and jeep. Each handles differently, as you'd hope, and expect, but of particular interest is the damage modelling. Each car has six different damage points on the body, each of which has three levels of destruction. In order for the cars to behave as if they're falling apart section by section, each proportion of denting must correspond to a negative effect on handling and performance, as well as updating the image of your motor on-screen. And just when you are getting used to the handling of your car, a new upgrade is bought and you're back to the same old story of mastering the physics.
As you'd hope, there's also a split screen two-player mode, which still doesn't slow the frame rate. Head-to-head battles have never looked quite so good, and in the tradition of Mario Kart, it could be essential that you make it through the tricky short cuts if you intend to win.
With all this talk about Gran Turismo 2, Speed Devils has to be the surprise hit of the year. It's a stunning title and one that is a notably essential purchase for all Dreamcast owners. It's so good, you can't miss out. Get it now if you can. If you can't, buy a Dreamcast and a copy of this stunning title.
