Indycar Series 2005 (PS2)

IndyCar 2005 is basically the exact same game from last year with updated rosters and more detailed graphics, bumpier tracks and more sensitive cars. You'll still love it though so I recommend it!

For those new to the series:

IndyCar 2005 is oval racing at its finest. 25 cars speeding effortlessly around a track at over 180mph - sometimes 3 or 4 abreast is a completely nerve wreking experience. Forget all the glitch filled mundane F1 games, this is where you will get your racing car kicks from if you like your racing as offical as can be.
15 tracks, 25 cars on a track at once (33 on the Indy 500!) and up to 8 AI drivers on 2 player mode makes for excellent racing.
The graphics are detailed with gradient, bumps, sparks and debris adding to the look of each track although in some views the cars look a little wooden. In replay mode however things always look fantastic - especially the crashes. The AI are very intelligent and theres no real bugs to ruin your race.

The key to keeping yourself busy is in the tactics of adjusting your fuel intakes, keeping your tyres up to temperature and usuing the slipstreaming and pace car periods to your advantage.

However there is one thing that is currently driving me mad on the game. Whenever you are about to start off racing from a pace car period, if you try to speed up to keep up with the AI cars you generally loose control of your car and crash out. By staying off the gas you loose so much time it annoys. This wasnt in the previous game to if that puts you off this game, try the original instead!

However nothing can match its speed, fun and hairraising moments and for that it still gets 5 stars!

As in the last game the crashes are amazing. You can watch them on the replays from any car and from many camera angles in full speed or slow motion.

This is a brilliant game which fans of racing games should buy.
It is also cheaper than full price. I only payed 25 pound for it. A bargain

Graphics - 8/10
Gameplay - 9/10
Sound - 8/10
Lifespan - 10/10

Total - 9/10

The initial impression of IC05 is one of production value under a constraint. The graphics and sound do not impress. The AI routines on the higher difficulty levels are questionable, working at times in a contrived and unrealistic manner. Backmarkers suddenly run at your pace and will not be lapped, cars line up behind a leader running at an unreasonably slow speed. With perseverance however, the game really starts to work.

Although an oval racing game, each track is different and offer up a variety of challenges. For some reason, which cannot be worked out, certain ovals are more interesting than others.

Car set up is crucial to success and as the championship progresses, each round pushes the technical skills further. Although time must be spent on testing, every set up alteration results in a perceptible change in car behaviour and can lead to an immensely satisfying quick lap. Never has optimum spring and damper rates been so important; bumps start to appear with increasing lap speed! Sometimes a "best" set up does not have a winning pace and the race is a battle from start to finish. Bizarrely, there is an occasional inaccuracy in the lap times.

Because of the very nature of Indycar racing, the speed can be an intimidating experience; lap averages can be over 220mph! Correcting a rear step-out over a bump at 200mph has to be a great console racing moment. The closing rate on corners and accidents can be immense!