SORE THUMBS - Video Game Review (PS)
Need for Speed, Porsche Unleashed - "Porsche Fanatics Only!"
by Steve Egan

Yet another installment in the Need for Speed series, Porsche Unleashed (henceforth PU), by Electronic Arts, offers the average Joe a chance to experience some of the fastest and most exotic automobiles to come from Stuttgart. Developed with the auto enthusiast in mind, PU will take you through the storied 50-year evolution of Porsche. With cars ranging from the very first 356 #1, all the way up to the current 911 Turbo (993). Another added feature is the ability to drive the Factory racecars like the 917, 911 GT3, GT2, and the awe inspiring ‘98 LeMans winning GT1.

The game has several different racing modes and tracks too numerous to mention. The first racing option would probably be to become a Factory Driver. To achieve this dream job, you must successfully navigate a series of different tracks in varying vehicles in a specified amount of time. To continue your pursuit of becoming the stud-bull factory driver you must be able to not only finish in under the time limit but cleanly complete the tracks without hitting any safety cones. If you clip a few cones, penalty seconds acrue against your time. Be careful, this is the best way to NOT get the job.

After learning the tricks of the trade from your cohorts on the factory team, try building a career in the Evolution Mode. You begin the Evolution Mode in the classic era by being able to pull from the original stock of cars Dr. Ferdinand Porsche so skillfully designed. This era oozes with nostalgia from the likes of 356’s, 550’s, to the initial 911. This is immediately followed by the Golden era and finishes in the Modern era.

Within all eras, you will need to compete in weekend races, tournaments and race car series which allow you to use the 917 and GT cars against exact replicas for a real test of your ability.

When I first got my hands on PU and ran through a few races I became very annoyed. Not because the graphics were bad or the music was irritating but because it was too easy. Rolling through the classic era career mode really made my interest in the game wain. But as I passed this stage and moved on to the golden and finally modern eras, it got unquestionably harder. I realized that this was a well-orchestrated move by EA to draw you into the game. Although not a terribly difficult game I was enthralled with the development of difficulty throughout the career modes.

Unlike other games that make you perform upgrades in order to go faster or corner better, PU only allows for buying a faster version of the model Porsche you need. This is the key to winning races and series in PU. Spend the most money you can on the model you want. For example if you need to race in the 911 Turbo category don’t puss out trying live a frugal life with the $85,000 version. Belly up to the bar, drop your wad on the table and spend the $225,000 it will take to get you the 911 Turbo GT2. While technically it resides in the same car class, this GT2 is exponentially faster and handles better than its modestly priced brother.

Another interesting aspect to this game is that you must make repairs. If you slam into a wall at 100mph you WILL need to make repairs. If you hit enough walls or rub against enough of the other racers your automobile’s appearance and performance will bear the brunt of said operator errors. During one of the races my car had taken so much banging around that the windshield was cracked, the headlights and taillights were out, the sides of the body were all dented in, and the once beautiful 550 PanAmerica now had a nasty limp/lean to the right. Thankfully this rare beauty was easily repaired with a minute outlay of credits.

The game, as exciting as it may have been, had a few things that made it a little disappointing. First and foremost are the graphics. I understand that they fit a lot of historical information into the game but the graphics were sub-par. I was hoping for more realism in not only the cars but the surrounding tracks. Here’s a thought: While trailers are nice, when it comes down to eating up space with useless intro movies or increasing the deatil in the actual game, always go for the latter. Sure, it seems obvious, but the boys at EA need someone standing over them day-in and day-out, cat-o-nine-tails in hand, beating this simple logic into their design philosophy.

Another aspect worthy of a task-master’s attention was the music. With its Pulp Fiction-like melodies and monotonous thumping I found myself looking to, as they said in the aforementioned movie, bring out the gimp. The harsh mumblings of a leather clad zipper headed idiot would probably have been more entertaining. Come on fellas, we can do better than this.

The last of my Archie Bunker-esque diatribe concerns the interface. It reeked of poor design and dibilitated functionality. Very non-intuitive and difficult to see what it was you wanted to do. Instead of going to the “dealership” and having centrally-located options to buy new and used vehicles or sell your old cars, you had to choose a route and if you did not like what you chose or wanted to look at another option you had to go back to the original screen and start over. I’ve attended Catholic weddings (the long version) that absorbed less time. I found the lack of attention to detail in certain aspects of the game to be a little disconcerting.

Don’t get me wrong, I think the game play of Porsche Unleashed is great. For me, a long time Porsche fan, this game offers the chance to virtually sit behind the wheel of historical masterpieces and for but only a fleeting moment know what it was/is like to drive Art. Whether you choose to become a factory driver or decide to build a career and prove your worth, PU will offers endless hours of thumb cramping, body leaning fun. Porsche Unleashed should be able to satisfy your need for speed.

 

Panel	Graphics	Sound	Playability	Replayability
Charlie Baird Creative Director	6.5	6.5	8.5	9.5
	Middle of the road even by PSX standards. The drivers are nicely rendered as are the car models. And while I applaud Electronic Arts for including environmental effects like snow and rain, I was more than a little upset when the driver in front of me trailed an opaque dirt cloud on an off-road portion of track. Great idea, but poor execution.	I do have a major gripe with the game's sound. Though, really, I suppose it's more a matter of controller configuration. The up arrow actives the car's horn. At first I thought, "hey, cool!" However, as the track got a little more snaky and my accuracy on the D-pad slipped, that incessant horn noise really got my nerves.	Overall, the game is laid out in fine fashion. Like items are grouped together and it is accessible in an intuitive. There is a little redundancy that the game could do without, but other than that, no major complaints. Well, there's that whole horn thing, but I've already dealt with that.	Whoa Nelly! I can't keep away from this game. With so many modes for 2-player, I'm even dragging other people's productivity down with me. After all, who's going to refuse an offer to get a quick race in before beginning the next item on the agenda? I'm considering buying this game for my house just so I won't be without a fix when that itch hits me.
Lane Singletary Design Editor	5.5	5	8	8
	I was a little disappointed in the graphics for this game. Even though the cars are well depicted and very close to the real thing, they are lacking sharpness in quality. On the other hand the environments in which you race in are well laid out. Details such as road signs, light poles and pedestrians add more to the game graphically.	When playing the game the sound effects are pretty sweet. Screeching tires with your engine backfiring makes driving a Porsche all the more fun. The effects when crashing your car into a building or running over a traffic sign have that feel of realism that you don't get with many car racing games. The music soundtrack is lacking something...what's the word I'm looking for...MUSIC!! Don't plan on cranking up the music volume for this game unless you want to hear an endless barrage of mindless noises.	This game can be very addictive. With plenty of options for racing such as chase mode, time trials and regular races you can count on spending hours glued to your screen. Adding to mayhem of racing is the evolution mode where a racer must earn credits and points to advance to different levels of play. There is also a great choice of Porsche's to choose from such as vintage classics to new sleek racing models.	You might as well plan on purchasing this game. A five-day rental at your local video store isn't going to cut the mustard, unless you plan on playing it for five days straight, 24 hours a day. With a great selection of vehicles and game modes including 4 player mode plan on staying up past your bedtime and an affliction of sore thumbs.
Gary Briddle Accounts Manager	8.5	7	9	10
	The graphics in Need For Speed Porsche Unleashed could be a little sharper and have better definition. On the up-side, fast curves and high performance engines make this game a real winner. The "chase mode" is fast and exciting through the streets of France or Tokyo. Just when you think you have out-run the chase car it is right on your bumper again. Keep your finger on the hand brake and use it for hard cornering to gain distance between your closest opponents.	The exciting engine noises along with skidding, hard braking, and sharp cornering add to the sound quality and fast paced script of the game. This game really needs some hard rock and roll to keep the high-energy competitive racing scene fueled up.	The playability was fast and furious. Once I got started I didn't want to stop. The one on one racing against a friend once again wins out in the playability mode of NFS. There is nothing like being chased by player 2 knowing he or she can't catch you. Better luck next time Kelsey and Jake.	The replayability of NFS is awesome. Get started with a little chase through the streets of a major city and finish with an all out one-on-one race in the desert with a friend. You might find yourself feeling a little addicted to this game when you try and quit, unless you are the one doing all of the winning.
Troy Parrott Marketing Manager	8.5	8.5	8	8
	This game had some of the most realistic graphics I have seen in a video game in some time. I caught myself being swept up in the scenery so much that I took out the occasional street sign, tree, or on-looker before jerking the car back on to the road. I have never been an extreme fanatic about video games, but this game does pique my interest enough that I am eagerly awaiting PlayStation II due out later this year.	The sound effects for "Porsche Unleashed" literally blew away the sound that I encountered on the last racing game I played (Sega Rally II). Though I am still waiting for a game that will have a realistic scream of agony as I accidentally flatten a bystander. I wonder how the makers of this really know what it sounds like to crash into a brick wall at 110mph? This game also throws in the vibration effect in the controller that makes you feel the car shifting and accelerating through the race.	It took me awhile to figure out all the pre-race criteria, but once I was finished, WATCH OUT! I got some good performance and mechanical advice from my crew chief, Charlie Baird, before purchasing my vehicle, but I still couldn't shake that 4th place stigma. The courses were definitely manageable. For me it was the controller that seemed unruly. A slight over-steer here or not enough brake there and BAM... 4th place again!	To replay this game was not too much to ask. When you drive as bad as me, you continually want to get back in the driver's seat and try to beat your previous time. If any of these racing games ever throws in the cost of car insurance to play, I may end looking for a game that races mopeds. I did not like the navigation layout when dealing with game modes. There were too many levels to back out of to get from, say, a 1-player to a 2-player race. Thus taking away a few moments of valuable time that could otherwise be used for repairing my Porsche 959.