Golden Age of Racing (PS2)

Nothing special - fairly poor AI and sometimes impossible and unfair advantages given to the computer cars. Don't waste your time, buy a proper racing sim or arcader (depending on your driving game preference).

I saw a movie of this and it looked a lot of fun, so I bought it - and I wasn't disappointed. The cars do take a while to get used to with their tendancy to understeer, but with 'feathered' braking, the cars steer in a lot better. The instant replay mode works very well to show off the spectacular crashes. It's also nice to see 10 cars out on the grid for a change. Just having more cars out on track makes the racing experience more interesting. There is a nice selection of tracks, with nice variety in corners. It would have been nice to see a track map though. With the lack of any track map, you can sometimes struggle to know where the other cars are on the circuit. Graphics are OK, but this this a budget game remember. Overall I was impressed with the game, and would recommend it to anyone wanting a quick, cheap open-wheel racing fix.

Sorry - even if you can get this for the postage cost ... don't bother - a total stinker. Main problem is the cars seem to steer from the rear wheels ... oh dear. Run and hide .... you can get TOCA Race Driver 2 for about the same and that is a solid, classic, clever, CHEAP PS2 game ...buy it!

The control on this game is like a drunk driving simulator, you swerve around all over the place like you're on ice. It makes racing very difficult and the worst part is that this is the only entertainment to be found in this game as it's so bog standard and basic that it's boring. Overall, you can do much better, unless it HAS to be this game? Then I'd suggest geting Gran Turismo or something over this. To see what I'm talking about, I've added a video of me and my friend playing this game: [...]

I've got to say that for the price this is a good little game. It's easy to get going and while the cars do seem to want to understeer more than they should it's got that 'one more go' appeal. The Time Challenge mode where you have to keep beating your own best time is great fun, although once you get used to the 'handling' it's pretty easy to win most of the races on Easy and Normal. It's no GT3 to look at but the graphics are passable and certainly better than most 'budget' efforts. My son loves it and I'd say that it's a good buy for someone in the 10-12 age range. The two player mode is good in head-to-head racing, but there's a bit of slowdown if you race with a full grid. I'd say give it a go.

I think this game is ok - the physics are the best part of it, but even they are limited. I like that it requires delicacy of control, but you can ram barriers and rivals with relative impunity, and you can get as much traction from grass and gravel as you can tarmac. Not good. Even worse are the missing details - no way to turn the menu music off, no way I can find to use a manual box, no way to even slightly change the car set up. I like that it's easy to lock the wheels under braking, but hate how effective those locked wheels seem to be - you can outbrake a rivel with locked wheels, when you should realistically be sliding off into the undergrowth in front of them. But the big killer for me is the made-up cars and made-up tracks. I had it in mind that this would be a simulation, but there's nothing authentic about it to even hint at reality. If the cars OR the tracks were real, that would be one thing - that both are fake turns the game into an irrelevance.

I had fairly low expectations of this game before I played it (having read some of the other reviews here) but was in for a surprise. The graphics aren't great, the sound is pretty poor and the choice of cars, circuits and game modes is very limited. But the handling... oh wow! If you have ever driven single seater low downforce racing cars (Historic Formula Ford, Formula 2 etc.) you will recognise immediately the techniques required to 'drive' these cars. Unlike other games (dare I criticise Gran Turismo?) you can't just throw the car into a corner at whatever speed you like and then expect to pull off physics defying miracles through a flurry of button pressing. You need to brake correctly (and in a straight line), position the car correctly with a late turn in and actually drive it through the corner before accelerating again on the exit. When racing with the AI competitors you have to observe the proper racing behaviours of flowing with the pack and holding your line in corners to avoid heavy accidents. If you try and drive this like you would other video games you are going straight to the scene of the accident. And, ok, if I'm being honest, it is quite nice to own a racing game that an 8 year old kid isn't going to be able to come along and beat me on at his first attempt. If you don't understand the principles of driving you are really going to have to work at this one. If you are going to compare this game to other video games you are likely to be both unhappy at the lack of whistles and bells and frustrated that you can't get the round the course without crashing. If you are going to compare it to the real thing you are going to be a very happy petrol head indeed.

woefully bad! don't do it, you'll be disappointent like i was. i can't think of one good thing to say about it, i'm so glad i got it dirt cheap