GT Legends, a racing simulation based on classic 60`s and 70`s muscle cars, will most likely go down in my personal history as the best racing game that I`ve ever hated passionately. Wow, there are two pretty strong sentiments in that statement, so I guess I had better explain.
Being a reasonably optimistic person, I`ll start with what`s good. 10tacle Studios has found a great niche in the racing sim genre that has been neglected since Sierra`s Grand Prix Legends, which was based on the 1968 Formula 1 Grand Prix cars and tracks. GPL was the first racing sim I remember that actually challenged the PC racer to practice, practice, practice to master the realistic physics built into the simulation. Many complaints were heard far and wide about how difficult it was to drive well, which is of course exactly the point. Racing is hard - that`s why not everyone does it. To race well in GPL required a complete understanding of the forces acting on a race car combined with a subtle touch on the controls. Released back in 1998, however, GPL has been left behind the progress made in physics engines, graphics, and sound. GT Legends picks up where Grand Prix Legends left off, albeit with cars available to the weekend racer rather than the complex and insanely expensive F1 cars.
As with GPL, unless you select Arcade-style difficulty levels you will definitely be challenged by the realistic physics that are made possible be the venerable Image Space engine. The type of challenges you face will naturally depend on the type of car you are driving. The low-powered cars such as the Cooper will require a smooth driving style since any speed lost through scrubbing or sliding the tires will be difficult to regain, and the pack will soon pull away. Conversely, cars like the Shelby Cobra require a light touch on the accelerator to avoid spinning the rear tires and causing the car to swap ends, and will require a bit more forethought as to where to begin braking for the turns, but with plenty of raw horsepower in reserve can actually be a bit more forgiving of a "throw the car around" driving style. No matter which car you are driving, though, you can be pretty sure that any challenges you face will be nearly identical to those dealt with by real-world drivers of these cars. The secret to success is, of course, copious amounts of diligent practice. It is not easy, nor should it be. On the plus side, this is the kind of difficulty that really gives a game like this staying power. As we will soon see, though, there is also an unwelcome type of difficulty imposed by the designers.
But before we get to that, there`s still more good stuff to talk about.&nb...