Auto Modellista

This games focuses on street racing. Pick a car from the likes of well known licensed manufacturers such as Subaru, Nissan, Honda and Toyota. Next pick a colour scheme and design, and this is where you can express yourself. Auto Modellista allows you to mix and match colours, experiment with various decals in order to make your wheels the coolest on the track. Car customisation is the key to sucess, so tuning your motor is essential. There are countless parts available to your vehicle, interior and exterior wise. Engine tune ups, extra spoilers, new tires and stylish side skirts. It's all there. Graphics are simply superb for a game of this calibre. Everything looks astounding, even the rain effects and the wind effects that represent your slipstream. Animated skid marks and water effects have never looked better, and all this is accompanied by a buzzing sound track!

However, although this all seems good, that is where it ends. The single player mode is too short, and you can complete the game in a couple of hours. Also, at the beginning of the championship mode you get to tune your motor, and anyone who has a clue about how to tune will thrash the first couple of tracks. Two player mode does increase the longevity of the game, and there are an endless amount of possibilities on how your vehicle performs and looks.

Sadly, this game was meant to have online capability functions, so you can really show your skills and show off your stylish car. However, at the moment there is no UK online PS2 capability, so no chance to test out your 900bhp Supras then!

One more mode adds to the game, the VJ theatre. This allows you to view your replays and customise them with stylish effects, in order to jazz up the appearance whilst you are watching them. You can spend hours here, designing your perfect race with a perfect appearance. Many options include special camera effects, incorporation of colour streaks and for something different, and inverted colour option.

To sum up, Auto Modellista is a great game, but lacks replayability and longevity, but this is made up by the beautiful cell shading graphics, endless amount of customisations and the chance to feel truly original.
In other words, if you loved The Fast and the Furious, you're gonna love this!

So anyway it looks good but does it play good?

Graphics 5/5
Brilliant cell-shaded graphics that do the cars justice. It almost like your playing in the pages of a comic book. This is the games biggest strongpoint.

Gameplay 3/5
The cars handling is slightly weird and takes a little time to adjust to. It not quite arcade or simulation it falls between the two. The career mode is fun and rewarding but ultimetly the game lacks difficulty. The game is still alot of fun and I would reccomend getting it. Last time I checked it was listed at £14.99 on Amazon so its certainly worth its money.

Lastability 3/5
Lots to unlock and collect however may lack the difficulty for more experienced players.

Summary/Overall 3/5
A great looking game thats alot of fun to play. Just a few minor flaws.

Perhaps Auto Modellista 2 will be good -- there's a lot to build on here, but this title fails to deliver the goods. It's shame -- I remember when Capcom was a marque of guaranteed quality.