NASCAR The Game 2011 Review

I’m back!  Sorry for the absence everyone!  Below, is my in-depth reveiew of NASCAR The Game 2011 courtesy of our friends over at Eutechnyx, and Activision.  I reviewed the Xbox 360 version, since i only have an Xbox 360 console.   Now, when i review games, i review them as a whole.  Both multi-player, and single player.  Just as a side note, my review is not biased, nor is it bashing Eutechnyx.

We would like to thank Eutechnyx  for allowing Stock Car Spin to review this game, as well as supplying us with a review copy.  Here is the long awaited review.

Overview:
The last two years have been a very dreadful one as far a NASCAR video games are concerned.  In 2009, EA Sports decided to give up the license to make NASCAR licensed video games after “poor sales’ of NASCAR 09 and Kart Racing.  After EA canned the license, people were asking one question, and ony question only.  Who is going to take on the license to make a new NASCAR game?!   

Fortunately for us NASCAR gamers, NASCAR signed an exclusive agreement with British racing game developer Eutechnyx, who have worked on racing games like Ferrarri Challenge, Big Mutha Truckers, and Pimp My Ride.  They have alot of experience making racing games, as they have been doing so for the past 20 years.  That is really impressive.

Will NASCAR The Game 2011 be the most realistic console game to date?  Lets find out shall we?!

Single Player:
Eutechnyx wanted to make the game a very detailed, and realistic NASCAR experience.  I truly believe that they did just that.  Single player is definitely one of the modes that Eutechnyx needed to get right.  Even though there are people who buy games just for online, there are people who start with the campaign, or single-player.   It looks as though Eutechnyx got it right.  

Lets take a look at the different single player modes….

Track Testing:  This mode just allows you to test each track, and adjust my setups.  

Pros:   Testing the tracks in the game will make the gamer alot better at the tracks they test on.  Plus, i like the fact that you can change around your car setup.  Thats the best part i think.  

Cons:  The only problem i have with Track Testing, is that when you get damage, you pause, and select “return to pits”, and still have damage after you return to the pits.  Not sure if this is how that should be, or its just a bug.  

Eliminator Mode:  Eliminator mode is where you run in a room with other cars (which is customizable) and one car is eliminated after the timer runs out (which can also be customizable).  

Pros: This mode is very fun.  I liked how i was able to start in last, but pass people as i go.   

Cons:  I don’t have any cons with it.  Its fun overall, and i dont have any issues. 

Single Player AI:  This is very crucial to every NASCAR game.  The AI is basically the computer controlling the cars around you  

Pros:  The AI is the most realistic ever in any NASCAR console game period.  You bump Kyle Busch, you’ll be paying the price.  On very hard, they are hard to pass, and get by.  That is pretty incredible.  

Cons:  The AI on lower difficulties like hard and medium are still very easy to pass, and beat by several seconds, but still the AI is the best i’ve ever seen. 

Overall Rating:
Eutechnyx spent alot of time on the offline portion of NASCAR The Game 2011 and that time definitely paid off.  The offline is definitely better than NASCAR 09 ever was.  The AI’s are the best ever on a console game, and the career mode is even more exciting than NASCAR 09.  The eliminator mode is also fun, and exciting.  I have nothing but great things to say about the offline. 

So….  I rate the offline with the following…

9.5 out of 10. 

Online Multiplayer:
Like i said earlier in the post, most people are buying video games mainly for the multiplayer side of the game.  In NASCAR The Game 2011, you are able to race with 15 other people in a online race (for a total of 16 online players in one room).   You can do an online race, and you can race others in a leaderboard challenge.    You can also host your own private match, and choose a specific track, as well as specific rules.   What did i think of the online multiplayer?!  Here’s what i thought. 

Pros:  I like the fact that for the first time they have a game like this, they use Microsoft’s servers.  We had alot of unpredictability with EA’s servers in NASCAR 09. 

Cons:  Unfortunately, i think the online multi-player needs to be Eutechnyx’s TOP PRIORITY when it comes topatching up stuff in the game.   There are definitely alot of issues with the online multiplayer so far.  I will go off the top of my head and name a few of them.  Cautions are not coming out when someone spins out, cars are under control by AI even after the start, cars flipping before the start, people getting jumps at the start, and so on…..   

Now Eutechnyx have already addressed all the online/offline bug madness, and are currently working to fix these bugs/issues.   They are currently getting the information that they need in order to make a patch to fix issues that i have mentioned, as well as other bugs/glitches that the NASCAR The Game community has mentioned on the official game forums.

I have the total confidence that they will get these bugs/glitches fixed, and make the online multiplayer playable.   I totally believe that Eutechnyx is in this for the long haul, and by coming out and saying that they are willing to fix everything within NASCAR The Game 2011, makes me believe that they are very passionate, and very understanding about what the fans want to see, and need to see fixed in the game.

Overall, online definitely is going to be one of the biggest tasks Eutechnyx needs to take head on.

My rating for online is the following….

5.0 out of 10 (as is right now) 

Final Thoughts/Overall Review:
NASCAR The Game 2011 is definitely a level up over the features that were included in NASCAR 09.  This game definitely gives the gamer the feel, and the realism of NASCAR.  It is also completely authentic as well.  Overall, even though its Eutechnyx’s first game as NASCAR’s official licensee, its definitely a great game that people will enjoy.  The game to me is worth the 60 bucks although, if you are playing this only for the online multiplayer, you may want to wait until patches have been released to fix issues with the online multiplayer before you purchase it.    Once the patches fix everything wrong on both online and offline, this game will be a fantastic game to play, and be the best NASCAR console game, it was meant to be!

With all the poor reviews by both gamers and websites alike, if you were to review this game as a whole, this game is definitely a step forward.   Here is my final overall review.

Overall Review: 7.0 out of 10