game: GRID
developer: Codemasters
genre: racing
platforms: PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
release date: October 11, 2019
star rating: four out of five

review by Patrick Madden

The first game I really sank many hours into was Rush 2 for the Nintendo 64, so getting back into the racing genre recently was kind of a shock. I honestly have to say, between this game and another Codemasters title, DiRT4, I am liking the more laid-back, arcade-y driving options of this game. To say the least, it is a lot more forgiving.

It has one of the greatest ideas I have seen put into practice. When you are approaching a corner, it shows you roughly where the racing line is with a set of arrows and rewards you with XP for following the line. The arrows will also change color from green to yellow to red if you are approaching the corner too quickly. The GRID franchise is known in the genre for an aspect called “Flashbacks,” which gives the option of going back in time a short period. This mechanic lets you undo a bad corner or give way to a racer who cuts you off and sends you into a wall.

GRID gives players a good incentive to learn how to drive properly around a track. For example, run into the computer-controlled drivers too many times or too hard, they will become your nemeses and will try to crash you when you pass them later on. However, you do have a teammate on your side, and he or she can be asked to either fall back or put pressure on the car in front of him or her. It is important to note, though, that – like with the other NPCs – if you push them too far, their emotions will trump their loyalty, and you will have another nemesis.

The “Career” mode is great. There are six different classes of races, and there are easily over 60 events to complete. Once you have won the final challenge in four of the the classes, you can then actually compete in the GRID World Series. There are two main race types: the regular races and my personal favorite, the “Time Attack” challenges, in which the winner is the driver with the fastest lap.

While GRID is not as realistic as other games, it makes up for it by simply having such a large variety of vehicles and a great difficulty curve. You can even (if you’re brave enough) try tuning the cars to help with specific tracks or weather conditions. So, whether you’re a noob looking to learn or a great looking for a new game, this might be for you.