I've been playing a preview demo on PS2 for a week now and I'm pretty much amased with some aspects of the game.
Sound is the best sound in any video-game ever. High-gearing of Koenig Diablo GT on Nurburging GP straight is a heaven. Dolby Pro Logic II is in, and being chased by Modena for 0,300 is a bliss.
Ferrari 360, Diablo and 911 GT's are in - in GT World Championship, under the liveries of Koenig and Gemballa. In Touring Championships I've raced Clio V6 Cup which is fun as always, and DTM - which is probably the most demanding race I've ever particiaped in TOCA series ever. With opponents set on 90%, damage on and 10 laps, I've never managed to win, not even with the pole. DTM cars are very demanding to drive - gearing is strange, tyre lock is awwsomly incorporated and handling is a true challenge - I just can't wait the full game to race with the wheel.
In-car side-looks are now more detailed and clutch is finaly made properlly, for all the masochists in the world. You can apply clutch on any button, but just few gear-changes late or without it and you can kiss your gearbox goodbye. Very hard to do with the controller.
Damage modeling is great, but I guess the final game will provide more in field of new model they've been developing. Of course, it is still both mechanical and visual, and I like the fact that hard-driving on/over side-bumpers damages the suspension. If the "sand-trap" option is enabled, you need around 15 second to get out of the sand if you're lucky. Nice RL detail.
All races I've raced - and there are just few things open since it is a preview demo - have a 20 cars racing field. Pit-stops and tyre/fuel management is not enebled, but it is visible it will have a significant role.
Only few tracks are in - Nurb GP, Hockenheim, Brands Hatch (rallycross and GP), Sundown and few more, can't remeber right now. Intresting is that Classis Series offers a "Silver-Arrow Endurance Champiosnhip" so I guess we could maybe expect full-Nurb and Spa, due to heavy-licencing and overall reality-aspect of the game.
However, browsing trough locked races/championships unviels a lots of nice races and historic classes we'll race. One of jewels is unlocked - it is a Classic Mercedes race of W125 models, car which I still find impossible to race on both D-pad or sticks. Rally races have been significantly increased, featuring rallycross and Dakkar-styled cars, togetther with many historic races . Tried rallycross with nowadays cars and it is very nicely done. There are Oval Races for USA open-wheelers, many Open Wheel series-events for European F1 lovers, from 60's till late 90's Williams races, all of them locked.
Wheel support is promised, but DFP does not work still - it calibrates to 240 deg, but it does not respond - it is a demo after all.
Network (LAN) and online is in the menus, both locked of course.
The main part of the game is Carrer mode, also locked. Codies promise a enhanced Career, with parts-management as seen in GT game-series, more focus on tuning and more focus on overall racing-experience. In Movies section there are two videos with "yours beloved yellow-shirted manager" which means the "story" mode is still in. I must say that those 2 movies looks awsome - twice as better and realistic then in first 2 Race Driver TOCA games.
There is probably something more, but I can't remeber now. What to say? Waiting for February.
That list has more than what they said. They said this.
Why!?
