- 1-2 Players.
- Multi Tap 1-4 Players.
- Analog Control.
- Vibration Function.
Product Description
-------------------
The next installment in the ever-popular Need for Speed racing
series straps virtual racing fans into Porsche's fine line of
automobiles for a fast-paced open-road experience. Featuring 70
past and present Porsche models, from the classic 356 Roadster to
the engineering marvel 2000 911 Turbo, racers stretch the
boundaries to unleash the potential of these incredible vehicles.
The tracks are as varied as the car selection. Traffic-heavy
city streets provide a white-knuckle race against tough
competitors, including the bumper- tailing . Peaceful
country roads allow for a brisk Sunday drive. From the Highlands
in Scotland to industrial Japan, Need for Speed: Porsche
Unleashed offers open and closed circuit racetracks set in five
different countries.
For multiplayer action, this game features split-screen racing
for up to four players (via multitap support).
.com
----
It's obvious that the developers of Need for Speed: Porsche
Unleashed put a lot of research into their creation. There's
enough information about the legendary series of Porsche
automobiles to satisfy any car aficionado, and this game contains
tons of models--from late 1940s cars to recent 2000 models--from
this marquee brand.
Despite concerns that the presence of a single car brand would
result in a lack of variety among racing options, Need for Speed:
Porsche Unleashed does offer an impressive a of diversity.
Not all Porches are created alike, and the old 356 handles much
differently than a newer 911. Thus, there is much potential in
this all-Porsche offering.
Unfortunately, while this game has received strong critical
accl in its PC incarnation, the PlayStation conversion
contains some problems. For example, the track graphics are a bit
muddy, and the cars appear fuzzier in this game. Worse still, the
physics model for driving is way off. Surprisingly, older titles
in the Need for Speed series look and play better than this.
Unless you are a Porsche nut, steer clear of this one. --T. Byrl
Baker
Pros:
* Great collection of Porche facts and memorabilia
* Models tons of Porches, from 1948 models to modern supercars
Cons:* Bland graphics, especially on the tracks
* Edges of the tracks are ill defined
Review
------
It's been a few years since Sony released its one-note wonder,
Porsche Challenge, to the masses. For Porsche fans it was a
notable title, as it gave gamers a chance to drive Porsche's
brand-new Boxster and, unfortunately, only the Boxster. Despite
the fact that Porsche Challenge looked good (though it had some
serious pop-up) and played reasonably well, it proved to be an
aberration and was never graced with a sequel. Well, Porsche
fans, languish no longer. Electronic Arts has secured the Porsche
license and created what it hopes will be the ultimate Porsche
racing game for the PlayStation. Fitting neatly into the Need for
Speed series, NFS: Porsche Unleashed is an extension of the NFS
brand, focusing solely on the Porsche legend. As with any driving
game before it, Porsche Unleashed puts you in the position of
trying to drive faster and with more skill than your competitors,
with the intent of being the first to cross the finish line.
Unfortunately, for every game that gets it right, there are five
more that simply do not. Porsche Unleashed, sadly, falls into the
latter category. It's not as if developer Eden didn't try. The
team had a rich legacy of cars and car data to work with, which
is seen in the ample number of options available. There is an
evolution mode, which lets you start off with a new or used
Porsche, similar to Gran Turismo's advancement process, where you
buy a car and attempt to earn money via high-place finishes in
competition races. Compete for cash and prizes, and when you
accumulate enough money, you'll be able to compete in a circuit
race. Eventually you'll hopefully attain and fine-tune your
ultimate Porsche and receive the resulting awards and trophies.
There is the prerequisite quick race for gamers who don't want to
go through the hoopla required in evolution mode. In quick-race
mode, you can select from a number of different minigame-style
races: capture the , chase (a high-speed version of tag),
race (the most straightforward mode), and time battle. Then
there's a tournament mode, where you make your way through
Porsche's various historical eras. Win each tournament, and
you'll advance to a higher class. There is also a weekend race
option, which lets you take your Porsche and race against older,
classic models that you wouldn't normally find in a generic
racing game. Porsche factory-driver mode emulates Gran Turismo's
license mode. In this section you start as a rookie who must
accomplish different tasks and missions to progress through the
ranks of professional Porsche test-drivers. Along the way your
coworkers encourage you as you attempt to hone your skills.
Ultimately, your goal is to become the hot accredited Porsche
factory driver. The tests are reasonable, with a fair learning
curve. There is, of course, the mandatory split-screen two-player
mode, which is handled as well as can be expected, but the game
is still amazingly drab, despite Porsche's rich heritage. The
controls are typical fare, with digital and analog control
supported. In the game's front end menus, the car models look
great, easily as nice as Gran Turismo's, but in actual gameplay,
they all look a little flat. To be fair, there are a variety of
car models available, some with their tops down and sporting
polygonal drivers, but the graphics fall short of expectations.
While the game moves at a smooth frame rate, it is a grainy
affair that doesn't look like a fifth-generation PlayStation
game. Graphical oddities, such as not having headlights on night
courses (though the competition has working headlights) and
ill-advised light-sourcing in all the wrong places, make for a
graphical presentation that pales against the efforts of other
popular racing games. Track design is especially weak, with lack
of distinction being the game's worst enemy. Porsche Unleashed
possesses one of the worst collision-detection routines ever seen
in a racing game, and the soft control is hampered by the fact
that your car can stick to almost anything in the game, making
racing more of an obstacle course than anything else. At some odd
moments you will find yourself completely stuck on a fence or a
tree or rolling the car because of a sharp turn and a steep
embankment. While stuff like this is all well and good in a game
like Destruction Derby, you'd be hard-pressed to find someone
enjoying this sort of behavior here. The sound effects are
presumably sampled from real Porsche cars, but they often sound
unclear. Conversely, the music is a wicked blend of lounge tunes
and more modern, funky beats. Thankfully, the game steers away
from the harsh Gen-X th metal/techno trend heard in recent
racing games. Perhaps the game's saving grace is its awesome
array of Porsche memorabilia, doled out in equal as of FMV
and actual drivable Porsches. For the Porsche fanatic, Porsche
Unleashed is a worthy investment. It's just a real shame it
didn't come on more powerful hardware, as the PlayStation's guts
simply don't do justice to the game. But while you're waiting for
a sequel, consider yourself cautioned to rent before buying this
well-intentioned but utterly flawed driving game.--James
Mielke--Copyright © 1998 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without
express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. -- GameSpot
Review