GT Legends (PC DVD)

The range of feel in the cars is superb. The mini is light and has very direct steering, the Mustang heavy and slow to turn but surprisingly responsive to smooth inputs. The Lotus Elan is very light on the brakes and needs a little practise after the muscle cars. This is great stuff!
It's easier to tell when the brakes are locked by seeing tyre smoke in the rear view mirror than from the tyre squeal and this is quite realistic though I'd prefer an audible warning.

There's a bit of a jump from Amateur to Semi-Pro and a bit more practise is called for but the AI is consistent and once followed for a couple of laps in practise the racing is much easier than in qualifying. At Professional level they're tough enough to make the wins hugely rewarding. Just like the top cars at Monza and the Glen in GPL, you know when you've driven well and the joy is equally long lasting.
Once the line and braking points have been established for the car the racing is very close and a smooth right foot is very effective. You can feel how much to give it through the wheel; very satisfying!

These cars, like those in GPL, would benefit from using the original, classic versions of circuits like Monza, Imola and Zolder without the anaesthetising effects of chicanes but the modern Spa is magnificent.

The setups supplied are very driveable and since there's no aerodynamic adjustments, the changes will affect feel rather than speed so it's easy to experiment but they can be left alone without jeopardising the chances of winning at the highest level.

Just like GPL this game both benefits from real world driving experience and improves real world driving skills (such as smoothness and driving the tyres rather than the car) and it's no less enjoyable if you don't win all the time. Driving your socks off and coming second is just as elating if you've done your very best and the game stands up because it encourages you to do just that.

Graphics- The graphics are very good, even on the lower resolutions, very sharp detail. Be warned, though, for higher resolutions, you need a very good PC.

Sound- The cars' engines sound excellent, all giving the impression that you really are driving GT's from the 60's and 70's. All engines are unique.

Space- Surprisingly, the game only takes up about 1.5GB, which today really isn't very much, particularly in relation to MGS2 and GTA San Andreas.

Gameplay- Pure simulator. Even more so than Toca. If you are looking for an arcade, it's maybe best to buy NFS: MW because there isn't anything arcade about this game. But, that's a good thing. There are very few genuine driving simulators on the PC and this is a refreshing change. If you're used to driving automatic cars in driving games (like me) you'll have to learn manual, just as it should be. After all, racing cars of the 60's and 70's didn't have automatic gear shifts.

There are many ways to tune your car for best performance, too, although it's still over my head, at the moment. One thing which is a little misleading is the claim that you can collect over 90 cars. Well, I suppose you can, if you look at it a certain way but there are some cars (like the Mustang) which come in 9 different liveries and this is what the game designers mean.

There are, in fact, only 27 (I say only but that is more than enough) cars in the game. However, it's a great range, from Minis to Porsches and even the now defunct DeTomaso. Plenty of championships to race, or even test drive the car and track to get a feel for them. All real tracks too, including Imola and Zolder. There are also 5 difficulty levels, ranging from the Beginner (me) to Professional. Beginner gives you plenty of assistance during the game, showing you the angle of the next corner and which gear you should be in. Truly a great help for those just starting out.

I highly recommend this game to anyone interested in the classic racing of years past and to those who enjoy driving simulators. Well done 10TACLE Studios!