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Need for Speed: ProStreet (PS2)

Electronic Arts
Gran Turismo 4 (PS2)

Sony

Polyphony Digital's Gran Turismo 4 is one of 2005's biggest releases and, to boot, one of the most important PS2 games yet. What makes it such a significant title?
First up, Gran Turismo 4 is bigger and better than previous games in the record-breaking series. Much bigger, in fact: there are some 500 cars to drive, and around 100 courses on which to take those motors for a spin. Every single car is a perfectly modelled replica of its real-life equivalent, containing much more detail than the car models found in Gran Turismo 3. And it shows: thanks to this increased level of detail, GT4 edges the series ever closer to photorealism.
By far the biggest of Gran Turismo 4's many attractions is its online play. Over the Internet or using a local area network of PS2 consoles, it will be possible for six people to meet and race, each with their own cars. The prospect of an online Gran Turismo community is certainly something to look forward to.
As Gran Turismo continues to evolve, Polyphony Digital ups the ante by making each new instalment more comprehensive than the last. Gran Turismo 4 follows that admirable trend: its driver AI is more lifelike, its physics engine is more complex, its engine noises sound closer to the turbines mimicked... and there's more of everything. To top it all, GT4 boasts improved handling over GT3. All this work should achieve the desired result: Gran Turismo fans will be kept happy and new converts will be made. --Jonti Davies
Need for Speed: Carbon (PS2)

Electronic Arts
Need for Speed: Most Wanted (PS2)

Electronic Arts

If there's one thing to be said of the Need for Speed series, it's that it never stays the same for long. After only one sequel EA have decided to give the underground night racing theme a rest and let you drive in the sunlight for a change. You're still a super-illegal street racer though and indeed much of the game revolves around you being pursued by the police in some very Blues Brothers-esque chases.
Appearing to take a leaf out of Burnout's book, the game encourages you to make the most of traffic and roadside objects, in order to put off the long arm of the law or simply one of your fellow racers. The demo race so far seen features a lot of weaving in and out of traffic and some very cinematic touches such as zipping underneath a giant lorry carrying tree logs, which then spill out on the road behind you further aiding your escape.
The graphics in the game have definitely received a boost from the last one and appear far more detailed and ambitious in scope than Underground. Unsurprisingly the ability to customise your car is still a large part of the appeal, although again there's a big distinction between extras that are just for show and performance tuning that actually has an effect on the way your car performs.
It probably still won't please hardened petrolheads but if you just want a simple, accessible racing game it looks like Need for Speed is set to deliver once more. --Harrison Dent
This preview is based on an incomplete version of the game; features or problems mentioned above may not appear in the finished game.
Gran Turismo 4 (PS2)

Sony
The Simpsons: Hit & Run (PS2)

Sierra

Up to now The Simpsons games have been nothing if not consistent: they've all been completely rubbish. However, The Simpsons: Hit & Run thankfully breaks this 100 per cent record, and although it's hardly a classic in its own right it's just the thing for fans who want to worship their favourite characters through the medium of the joypad.
Like many of the more recent Simpsons games Hit & Run is primarily a racing game--a racing game that's very obviously using Grand Theft Auto as its primary inspiration. There's less swearing and gore but just as much running people over and driving lots of different vehicles. You can't steal them off the street, admittedly, and the missions are presented in a much more linear fashion, but otherwise this is GTA: Springfield through and through.
Somewhat embarrassingly for GTA, the on-the-foot sections are actually handled rather better than Rockstar's game, with a fairly non-rubbish camera and a decent control system that actually makes the occasional platform sections rather fun.
Most of the game is about driving, though, whether it be racing Principle Skinner to school in order to give Lisa her homework or helping Bart buy some illegal fireworks from around town. It's only when controlling underage characters such as Bart that the game's concept really starts to seem peculiar (he only drives unmotorised vehicles) but otherwise the addition of all the proper voice actors from the TV show make this the first Simpsons game ever that is in any way worthy of a purchase. --David Jenkins
Crash: Action Pack (PS2)

Sierra
Gran Turismo 3: A Spec (PS2)

Sony Computer Entertainment UK

The most eagerly awaited PlayStation 2 game of 2001 is finally here. It's about motor racing, it's called Gran Turismo 3: A Spec, and it's utterly superb. Much has been made of the appearance of Sony's flagship title on the PS2. Detractors have complained it has fewer cars than GT2, it only has a couple of extra tracks and it's really no more than an update. But then it's easy to knock it before you've tried it. To be fair the detractors have a point and for the seriously hardcore driving fan "only" 183 possible vehicles might be a bit of an issue, but to the vast majority of racing gamers GT3 will be a fabulous gaming experience and will really prove what the PlayStation 2 is capable of. In essence, GT3 is a series of sub-games combined by a motoring theme. There are driving licences to gain which open access to racing events, which in turn provide cash to buy bigger and better motors. There's a full arcade section in which it's possible to choose from a pre-determined selection of cars and tracks on time trials, first-past-the-post and free-run races and there's a huge section of game time devoted to tuning and maintaining your garage of racing machines. Graphically, this is the best-looking PS2 title yet. It's crisp, smooth, frighteningly quick and there's no invisible scenery in evidence. Lighting effects are truly awesome--wait 'til you see the setting sun of Laguna Seca--and the engine sounds are ear-burstingly impressive. Control is smooth and precise; the DualShock controller is used to good effect but playing with a suitable steering wheel adds a whole new dimension to things. A number of top-name bands have their musical wares shoehorned into the soundtrack so expect the company of Ash, Feeder and others to keep you company during the long hours of gawping at the TV. Playing GT3, you get the feeling that the PS2 is finally starting to show its worth. This is professional games software of the highest quality. Buy it now. You know you want to. --Chris Russell
WRC Rally Evolved (PS2)

Sony
Simpsons Road Rage (PS2)

Electronic Arts

The first thing that leaps out at you when you pick up Simpson's Road Rage is Crazy Taxi--it's an unashamed copy of the Sega hit. The premise is simple: drive around Springfield picking up popular characters from the popular TV show and depositing them at their requested destination for cash. The graphics are colourful, yet not overly detailed--but then that's in keeping with the cartoon style of the show. This enables the PS2 to keep the action at a nice and frenetic pace. The levels are pretty big, with a multitude of flash jumps and short cuts for show-offs; most of the scenery is destructible, too, and that can add to the game's satisfaction. All of the locales are recognisable, from Moe's Bar to Grandpa Simpson's retirement home.
The main element of the game is the aforementioned Crazy Taxi-esque "Road Rage" mode. There are also Sunday Drive, multiplayer and mission modes. Sunday Drive allows you to pootle round the various levels at leisure for both sightseeing and tactical route-planning reasons; this is the best way to find those sneaky short cuts and hidden areas. Story mode adds a little extra sparkle to the game, with a set series of missions to complete--for example, Homer's skived off work for the afternoon and you, as Bart, have to sneak your dad past the evil Mr Burns and back into work.
As with most racing games, you're rewarded for reaching set point totals and completing the missions, but the difference with Simpson's Road Rage is that you get to choose your reward, be it unlocking one of the secret characters like Groundskeeper Willie and his tractor or opening extra maps like the Springfield nuclear power plant. The real high point of Simpson's Road Rage, though, is the sound. No Homer-a-likes here--each character has their own real voice from the show, the one-liners aren't too repetitive and do lend themselves to the type of situation that the characters find themselves in, and some of the lines are laugh-out-loud funny. All in all, recommended for fans of the show, Crazy Taxi nuts and those gamers who are partial to unpretentious pick-up-and-play gaming. --Laurent S Hall
G1 Jockey 4 (PS2)

Koei
Formula One 2006 (PS2)

Sony
Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity (PS2)

Sega
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 (PS2)

Activision

The best extreme-sports game gets even better in Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3. The elements that made the last two games a success are back: tight controls, a deep trick system, a wide selection of skaters (including Tony Hawk, Bucky Lasek, Rodney Mullen, Chad Muska and Elissa Steamer) and a slick soundtrack (featuring the Ramones, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Motorhead, KRS-One, Redman, and more). Adding to the already brilliant formula is a new trick, updated graphics and Internet/LAN play.
In Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2, players were introduced to the manual--a move that greatly revolutionisd the series' gameplay. This instalment introduces the revert, and while it isn't as significant an addition as the manual, it does add another layer to the already deep trick system. The game features solid graphics but a level of detail was sacrificed in order to make the game's levels so large. There are a few moments of frame skipping and polygon clipping, but these instances are rare and don't overshadow the stellar gameplay.
Career mode is as deep as ever, with eight objective-filled levels. In this single-player mode players traverse their way through some" find hidden videotapes and interact with level-specific objects. Two players can participate in the five multiplayer mini-games, which include "king of the hill", "horse" and "trick attack". In a PS2 first, up to four players can join Internet or LAN games through the use of the PS2 Network Adapter (to be released in the UK after the game) or a USB Ethernet adapter or USB modem; the connection is made through your own Internet service provider ("a wide range" of ISPs are supported, though at time of writing AOL isn't one of them) so calls are charged at your usual rate.
On its own, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 is a top-shelf title, but with its Internet capabilities there's no reason for fans of sports, action and platform games not to have this title. This game will satisfy them all. --Raymond M Padilla
Colin McRae Rally 2005 (PS2)

Codemasters
Downhill Domination (PS2)

Codemasters
TOCA Race Driver 3 (PS2)

Codemasters
Powerplay Travel Pack (PS2)

Powerplay
Le Mans 24 Hours (PS2)

Atari
Driven To Destruction (PS2)

Atari