Cheap NASCAR The Game: Inside Line

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List Price: $49.99
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i was skeptical about buying this due to my disappointment in 2011, but let me tell you, this game is great! eutechnyx definitely showed that they can make a great game. the racing experience is near perfect, there are multiple difficulty settings (and let me tell you, hard is ACTUALLY HARD and their new mode 'champion' feels like youre actually out there on the track, it is tough!) the damage model was completely reworked and greatly improved also. there are just so many little details that make this game a great experience. definitely get this one.

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If all you intend to do with this game is run a 16 lap race at Daytona after work to wind down, you'll probably like this game. The graphics are stellar and the sound is very well done (The low end another reviewer mentioned is only prevalent when the in-car cams are selected, probably to replicate the sound and feeling one would experience inside a stock car. If you have a subwoofer, it will get a workout during this game), and in short bursts the gameplay is enjoyable. The tracks are perfectly recreated, and unlike the other nascar game most of the paint schemes for the drivers are already unlocked for you.

The challenge mode is be far one of the unexpected surprises of this game. Similar to Madden games of the past, the game comes pre-loaded with 'historic' moments that you can race and try to alter the outcome. Supposedly it's based on actual telemetry from the races which adds to the enjoyment of this mode thoroughly. It makes you feel as if you are really in that situation in real life. And many of these challenges are hard! I didnt think I would enjoy this mode as much as I do, but for those times when I can only play for short sessions, this is becoming my default choice for some quick racing action.

The racing is as hard or easy as you want it to be, although for my tastes it always seems to be a bit too easy or a bit hard...seems like they needed one more setting in between. Also, tandem racing at Talledega and Daytona seems very realistic, and is very challenging. I wont get into the tandem drafting racing debate at restrictor tracks, but suffice it to say I prefer racing the shorter tracks on this game :) The radar system makes it easy to locate your drafting partner...which i mostly prefer in my rear view mirror, thank you!

Play for any extended period of time though, you are bound to notice some glitches as others have mentioned. First, the cautions are still wickedly inconsistent. One of the annoyances of the last game was that if you wrecked another car, a caution would immediately come out. Yet, if someone steamrolled over you into the wall scattering parts everywhere, the race went on, even if you limped along the track at 35 mpg. Now instead of the caution 'never' coming it, it comes out 'sometimes'...but not nearly often enough.

On one very amusing (yet very annoying) instance racing at Charlotte, I was pushed from behind, careened off the wall (destroying the front end) and then barreled across the grass onto pit-row...at 140 mph. I was able to regain control, cruise down pit row, speed UP while ON pit row back up to 170 mph and rejoin the tail of the field. All under green. Since the race was already wrecked at that point on the next few laps I cut across the grass onto pit row at full speed. No cautions or black flags. Which is...i dont know, stupid?

The AI reminds me alot of Ridge Racer, i.e. the other cars seem to ride the rails on a predetermined line and barely deviate or react to your movements. Be prepared to wreck alot (again, see complaint #1 regarding cautions). Not giving up your position is one thing, its another to be outpacing the lap times of the cars ahead of you, and they still are completely oblivious. In real nascar racing, a slower car will often make way for the faster car (well, except for Tony Stewart).

Online play, I have not tried but based on other reviews I dont think I want to.

The biggest beef with the game though, is still no Nationwide or Camping World Truck Series which is an absolute crime considering the price tag of this game. At the very least, there is no reason not to add the Nationwide series since many of the tracks are shared between both series. All they had to do was add the additional paint schemes and the couple extra tracks like Road America that are only run in the NNS. Hopefully by the time Daytona rolls around in a few months they will add those series, but I wont hold out any hope.

Which leads to the last beef with the game. Why release at the END of the season? The Daytona 500 is the superbowl of racing...also in the beginning of the season many of the drivers, sponsors, and teams get shuffled around quite a bit. Right around the time this game was released it was already dated, Kurt Busch moved over to Furniture Row racing in the 78, Kenseth announced his departure to Joe Gibbs, and Logano announced the move to Penske. I would prefer to have the game released at the beginning of the year so i can play along with it all year, as opposed to having the 'new' game be dated by the time nascar's biggest event rolls around. But im sure the week of the 500 there will be a nice (20 dollar) add on pack available.

And come on, put the beer logos in the game already, will ya? I would think Miller Lite should receive some sort of a bone tossed their way after sponsoring the 2012 Champion and all instead of having just "Brad" on the hood. Just sayin.

So its a mixed bag. There's enough there to make it entertaining, but it isnt worth the full price (I traded in 2011 for this). It seems the series is heading in the right direction but it still doesnt feel 100% authentic yet. (Hint: Give DW a buzz for some in-game voice work, will ya?) But if you like NASCAR, this is pretty much your only choice. But its alot like the aforementioned Miller Lite. It tastes great, but its less filling.

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I was a PC sim racer for about 10 years and just got burned out on GPL, Nascar 2003, Crammond's F1 games, r factor, etc etc and just stopped playing about 5 years ago. Since then I've played a few of the Nascar releases on 360 and also the F1 releases in 2010 and 2011. The F1 game just took too freaking long to get to a race with the ridiculous trailer cut scenes. The Nascar games I played were just not drivable and just did not feel right. Over the last several months I have been following the pre-release of Inside Line and actually got quite excited about it and picked it up over the weekend. Some things are really well done but it needs work:

*The graphics with HDMI 1080 look fantastic. Everyone who walked into the room commented on how great it looked. Really well done folks. Sound not bad, for some reason I am not getting a lot of low end though.

*The load times are some of the best I have ever experienced and great framerates.

*Some of the on track action gave me the same feeling I used to get with GPL and F1 Championship Season, like I was really challenged.

*But OMG, there are some epic fails with the AI. At some tracks they make it almost impossible to race so I just drop back and let things get sorted out. Random stops, crazy lines, weird pit entrances, turbo race starts at a couple of tracks and on and on.

*The setup saves are somewhat confusing, half the time I do not know what setup I am going out in.

*Some bizarre yellow flag bugs or rules that don't really mimic Nascar racing at all. I can't even explain it to you, you had to be there for some of my WTF moments!

*Why can't I reduce the number of racers? Some of the greatest races I have ever had racing off line in other games were 30-40% runs vs. 10-15 drivers at highest skill. This game, at least from my 3 days of playing, makes you play with all 43. Given the AI problems that spells restart after restart after restart.

I don't race online so I can't comment but looks like they have a lot of problems. While I am obviously not real happy with the AI issues overall I really like the game. I think it was a tactical mistake to leave the obvious AI and online issues BOTH not fixed. You end up not making the off line sim and casual crowd happy or the online racers happy. Lose/lose. There is no one on this planet that could spend several hours with this game and not notice the glaring AI problems. But there is enough here to warrant your playing time, not so sure about $60 though until it is patched.

Honest reviews on NASCAR The Game: Inside Line

a few glitches but nothing a patch wont fix. I've come to expect games to not be finishes when I preorder.

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My copy of Nascar Inside Line arrived on time and well packaged which is important to me when purchasing exspensive games. This game is not perfect but is a HUGE step up from Nascar 2011 with the deeper career mode and well developed versions of the All Star race and even the entire speed weeks event at Daytona. Graphics and sound also are a touch better and a download with the new Gen-6 cars is now available as well.