Autoblog

Forza offers Top Gear car pack for April [w/video]

Seyth Miersma — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:44:00 EST

Forza Horizon fans will be pleased to read that a new car pack is available for download today, this latest one selected by the editors at Top Gear magazine. True to the Top Gear image, the selection of rides is both worthwhile and pretty quirky, too.

A 2012 Aston Martin Vanquish and the legendary Mercedes-Benz AMG CLK GTR would seem to lead this class in terms of performance metal, though the utterly lovely Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale Zagato is no slouch, either. You might not instantly remember the Bowler EXR S, but rest assured that the love child of Land Rover and a rally raid outfit is a high-horsepower SUV that should be fun to use on the unpaved sections of the Horizon universe.

Still, the big win here is absolutely the 2011 Ford Transit SuperSportVan. A full-size Euro cargo van, pumping out an whopping 198-horsepower and with a center of gravity roughly eight feet off the ground. What's not to love? Follow on below to watch a video introduction to the Top Gear car pack, as well as a short description of the full list of available cars.

Continue reading Forza offers Top Gear car pack for April [w/video]

Forza offers Top Gear car pack for April [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Apr 2013 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Grid 2 video reveals new story elements, race locations

Seyth Miersma — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Toys/Games

The steady drip of GRID 2 teasing, leading up to the game's May 28 release date, continues with a video, a press release and some new images from Codemasters.

The new video features a few more looks at USA-based racing in GRID 2, including cut scenes from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the California coast and on the streets of Chicago. Narrated by the game's fictional, racing series-creating Patrick Callahan, the trailer also hints at some game mechanics for you, the driver and star of GRID 2.

Essentially, the better you race, the more fame (GRID 2 experience points) you gain to recruit fans, gain access to new events, attract sponsors and, of course, win new cars. Apparently there's also a tie-up with ESPN's SportsCenter for the new title, offering "live-action" cut scenes of your rise from nobody to big shot. Click here to watch the new video, or check out the Codemasters press release below.

Continue reading New Grid 2 video reveals new story elements, race locations

New Grid 2 video reveals new story elements, race locations originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 17 Mar 2013 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forza Horizon welcomes December Car Pack with Halo-inspired Raptor [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Toys/Games

The team at Turn 10 has rolled out the first expansion pack for its Forza: Horizon driving game. The December IGN Car Pack features seven all new cars ranging from the lusty 2012 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta and the 2012 Aston Martni DBS to a 1971 AMC Javelin AMX. The pack even boasts a few toys for the off-road minded, including a Halo-themed Ford F-150 SVT Raptor and a Hummer H1 Alpha Open Top. Those are fun and all, but we're just as intrigued by the prospect of getting our virtual hands on the 2006 Ford GTX1.

That's the machine built on the bones of the legendary Ford GT but with a body by Mark Gerish of Genaddi Design. Think of it as what would happen if the good parts of SEMA got spilled on a GT. But, we'd be lying if we said the star of the December pack was anything other than the McLaren F1 shown above. That car's still the stuff of teenage fantasies all these years later, and you can whip it around the virtual hills and valleys of Colorado. Check out the teaser video below for a look at the full pack, and look for it to go live on December 4.

Continue reading Forza Horizon welcomes December Car Pack with Halo-inspired Raptor [w/video]

Forza Horizon welcomes December Car Pack with Halo-inspired Raptor [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Nov 2012 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First GRID 2 gameplay trailers released

Seyth Miersma — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:44:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Toys/Games

The racing-fueled programmers at Codemasters have been pretty busy of late, it seems. The crew recently pinned a bow on their latest racing game, F1 2012, and has just shown off another highly anticipated sequel, GRID 2, at the Eurogamer Expo.

GRID 2 seems to incorporate a lot of what we like about F1 2012, including, we're guessing, the physics modeling behind a new TrueFeel Handling System. We've got a bit of a wait before we can test this out for ourselves - the new game is due out in the summer of 2013 - but there will be many a promo trailer to watch between now and then, including this first set of two.

In the first video, a new Ford Mustang Boss 302 and a vintage Mach 1 dice for position on a redwood-lined California coastal road. In the second, the streets of Chicago are the venue, and a Chevrolet Camaro SS, Corvette Z06 and a Mustang are included amongst the motive combatants. Scroll down to check them out.

Continue reading First GRID 2 gameplay trailers released

First GRID 2 gameplay trailers released originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Behind the scenes of Forza Horizon

Zach Bowman — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Toys/Games

Forza Horizon is set to hit shelves on October 23, and the good people at Turn 10 have been kind enough to give us all a glimpse at what their new video game will bring to the racing table when it bows. Unlike previous racers, Turn 10 says Forza Horizon will be more of an open sandbox, allowing players to race around on hundreds of miles of simulated Colorado roads while facing down oncoming traffic. We're sure there will be some sort of appropriately lengthy disclaimer discouraging players from street racing like they do in the game out in the real world.

The newest addition to the Forza library includes plenty of night racing, dirt road action and a massive in-game motorsports festival called, fittingly enough, "Horizon." At any point, players can stop and photograph the scenery and their cars within it. Looks very cool to us. You can check out the first behind the scenes video below for more information as well as plenty of in-game clips. Stay tuned for more videos as they're released.

Continue reading Behind the scenes of Forza Horizon

Behind the scenes of Forza Horizon originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Sep 2012 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mario Kart meets F1 in new Codemasters game

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:47:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Toys/Games

Where better than Comic-Con for Codemasters to announce the deceptively titled F1 Race Stars. A 180-degree hairpin from the other Codemasters F1 game, this is less about the stars and much more about the wild, arcade-style racing with weapons and bonuses on "fantastical" versions of real Formula One tracks. It looks like McLaren's Tooned as a video game, with more drivers and cars.

As for those stars, your driver lineup will be Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, Sebastien Vettel, Nico Rosberg, Romain Grosjean and - eyebrows raised here - Bruno Senna. There'll be lots of arcade options like online racing with up to 12 players, split screens with up to four players, and carerr modes. It's arriving in November for PCs, Playstation and xBox 360. Check out the promo video below.

Mario Kart meets F1 in new Codemasters game originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This is how good car crashing in video games is about to become

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:58:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Videos, Toys/Games

It is evident even with the most realistic car games that crashes have mainly been left off of the realism menu. Sure, hit a wall or another car and there will be some damage and crumpling, but it usually doesn't look like a genuine car crash. A start-up company called BeamNG is working to change that, developing a physics modification for the Cry Engine 3 to create wrecks that appear to be lifted from a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration crash-test video.

They team has been at it for a while, and the latest multicore version shows off one- and two-car collisions that feature shattering glass and more realistic deformations. They're still at work on it and have promised more improvements, but the video below shows off just how real things are about to get in the world of video games. Well, once a game maker decides to use the Cry Engine 3 for a driving game, that is...

Continue reading This is how good car crashing in video games is about to become

This is how good car crashing in video games is about to become originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Take a virtual lap of Austin's Circuit of the Americas

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 16:03:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos, Toys/Games

Hermann Tilke designed the Austin F1 circuit, and no one is quite sure if he's recreated the magic of Turkey or the borefest of Valencia. With 133 feet of elevation change, though, the 3.4 mile Circuit of the Americas and its 20 turns should be closer to the former. The track will feature in Codemasters' "F1 2012" video game, and Motorworld Hype was given a virtual tour by Codemasters designer Paul Jeal at E3.

Aside from the overexposure, the track and the game both look worthy of further investigation. Scroll down to check it out, as well as a longer video of chief designer Stephen Hood doing three laps in Lewis Hamilton's McLaren Mercedes.

Continue reading Take a virtual lap of Austin's Circuit of the Americas

Take a virtual lap of Austin's Circuit of the Americas originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Jun 2012 16:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Austin's new F1 track will debut in video game

Zach Bowman — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:15:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Toys/Games, Racing

Workers outside of Austin are still hammering away on the new Circuit of the Americas Formula One track, but race fans and gamers will get a shot at driving the course before the first tire hits the tarmac. Codemasters' "F1 2012" will feature the track in all of its pixelized glory. The game will officially hit the market this September, but players will get a chance to grab the controller for the first time at E3 early next week. Codemasters has been kind enough to slip the world a few screen shots of 2012-specification F1 cars prancing around on the new course.

Players will be able to command every official team from 2012 on all of the official courses. Look for the game on multiple platforms, including Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft xBox 360, PlayStation Vita and Nintendo 3DS. Head over to the game's site for more information.

Austin's new F1 track will debut in video game originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 Jun 2012 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Codemasters announces free-to-play, browser-based F1 Online: The Game

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:58:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Toys/Games

Attention Formula One fans, your work day is officially ruined. Well, it will be come the first quarter of 2012. That's when Codemasters plans on releasing a new browser-based F1 game. Top teams, tracks and cars will be available on the same machine that you normally use to read Autoblog.com when you should be updating the TPS reports.

F1 Online: The Game will allow you to race for McLaren at Silverstone or Lotus at Monaco. Feeling more adventurous? You can create your own team and manage all aspects of it. That means running the research, marketing and team functions of your very own F1 entity. Excited? We haven't even told you the best part yet - the game is free. Hear that noise? It's the sound of IT departments battening down their firewall hatches across the country.

If you can hardly contain your excitement, you can sign up on the game's website for updates on its launch.

Codemasters announces free-to-play, browser-based F1 Online: The Game originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Aug 2011 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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iRacing star gets chance to try real thing at Road Atlanta

Jeff Glucker — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 18:28:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Toys/Games, Racing

Most people would love a chance to show their stuff behind the wheel of racecar. Problem is, most people probably wouldn't be any good at actually driving one. We can all try to hone our skills through the use of racing simulators, but just how much can they actually teach you without the visceral feedback and life-or-death consequences that you can only get from real life? Apparently, they can teach us plenty. One person in particular, who goes by the name Greger Huttu, got to put his virtual racing prowess to the test.

Greger Huttu hails from Vaasa, Finland, where he can be found spending putting a lot of time into the iRacing simulator. Huttu is not just good at the game, he utterly dominates it. For the last six years, he's turned 2,581 laps and led for 2,339 of them. He's won every race from the pole position, including the iRacing World Championship that netted him a cool $10,000. Still... he's never actually driven a real racecar, and the folks at Top Gear were curious to see if he actually could.

Top Gear flew Huttu out to Road Atlanta - one of America's toughest tracks - and stuck him in a Star Mazda racer. Both the track and the car are familiar to Huttu because he's experienced both in the iRacing simulator. How did he do? Quite frankly, he did amazingly well. Entering corners at 100 miles per hour, which is just 10 mph shy of where experience drivers come in, Huttu was able to rip off clean lap after clean lap and eventually came within three seconds of what the experts consider a solid time at Road Atlanta.

The difference between a professional driver and a professional simulator driver soon became apparent, however, as Greger Huttu's body began to be affected by the G forces. The pros work hard to stay fit for a reason, and the toll on Huttu resulted in a helmet full of vomit. Though he wanted to continue, Huttu had to eventually throw in the towel because his body could take no more.

Still, his accomplishments are pretty remarkable and suggest that a good simulator can indeed prepare the armchair racer for a car and a circuit. Head over to Top Gear to get the full scoop on Huttu and his real-life racing adventure.

[Source: Top Gear]

iRacing star gets chance to try real thing at Road Atlanta originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 02 Dec 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Lexus shows off world's coolest driving simulator in new safety commercial

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:01:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Videos, Lexus

Lexus' next (really) big thing - Click above to watch commercial after the jump

It's no longer kosher for carmakers to run simulations on computers that can fit on desks, because that's for chumps. If you don't have gear fit for a Hollywood blockbuster or a trip to Mars, well, you're not really serious about this whole car thing, are you?

Lexus has joined the latter camp with its new driving simulator, built to simulate crash avoidance. Inside the metal bulb is a Lexus LS460, surrounded by a 360-degree facsimile of a real driving environment. It's their next big thing, so they say. Us? We just want to reserve it when Gran Turismo 5 finally comes out. Follow the jump to watch the spot.

[Source: Lexus]

Continue reading Video: Lexus shows off world's coolest driving simulator in new safety commercial

Video: Lexus shows off world's coolest driving simulator in new safety commercial originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Oct 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Gran Turismo 5 demo coming to PSN on Dec 17, GT Academy returns [w/VIDEO]

Chris Shunk — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Technology, Videos, Nissan, Toys/Games

Click above to watch the video after the jump

Just when we thought we were going to wait until the end of March to get our hands on Gran Turismo 5, our friends at Joystiq tell us that Polyphony Digital will release a demo version of hotly anticipated racing game on December 17. The demo will be available on the Playstation Network for download both in Europe and North America, giving long-patient fans a taste of what the full game will be like when it finally arrives in stores.

And as cool as it is that the demo arrives within two weeks time, even cooler is the fact that gamers will be given the opportunity to compete for some nifty prizes. All you have to do is post your best time trial by January 24, 2010. The best time from the U.S. and Canada wins a trip to the Indianapolis 500. A sweet prize, no doubt, but it doesn't come close to the top Euro prize. The best driver from select European countries gets to enter the GT Academy. After completing training the ~~lucky~~ skilled gamer will race in the European GT4 Cup in a non-virtual race-spec Nissan 370Z. How amazing is that?

It would be even better if GT5 actually shipped on December 17, but it looks like we won't be racing one of the world's best driving simulators until March at the earliest. Hit the jump to view a slick video that contains more information about the GT Academy.

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5 screen shots

Gallery: Gran Turismo 5

[Source: Joystiq]

Continue reading Gran Turismo 5 demo coming to PSN on Dec 17, GT Academy returns [w/VIDEO]

Gran Turismo 5 demo coming to PSN on Dec 17, GT Academy returns [w/VIDEO] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Dec 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT track guides for Road America, Willow Springs and Laguna Seca

Noah Joseph — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Toys/Games

Click above to watch the videos after the jump

Make no mistake about it: the racing games are coming. But while it may be all to easy to get lost in all the hype over the latest from Microsoft's Forza or Sony's Gran Turismo franchises, Electronic Arts has a trick of its own up its sleeve. (We're just kidding, everyone knows gamers don't wear sleeves.) And they've just given us a glimpse of what to expect. Three of them, actually.

The benchmark of any good racing game is how faithfully it reproduces some of our most favorite race tracks. And if that's the gold standard, then Need for Speed SHIFT is shaping up to be a great one. If you'll follow us after the jump, you can enjoy three new videos outlining EA's take on three of America's best circuits: Laguna Seca, Willow Springs and Road America - complete with run-downs of each track's histories and intricacies. The game launches in North America on September 15, but you can check out the videos now.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT track guides for Road America, Willow Springs and Laguna Seca

VIDEOS: Need for Speed SHIFT track guides for Road America, Willow Springs and Laguna Seca originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 03 Sep 2009 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Video Exclusive: Bugatti Veyron joins Forza Motorsport 3

Jonathon Ramsey — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Videos, Bugatti, Toys/Games

Exclusive footage of the Bugatti Veyron in Forza Motorsport 3 -- Click above to watch video

Forza Motorsport 3 developer Turn 10 Studios has decided to share some exclusive video footage with Autoblog (and our sister site Joystiq) that features one of our favorite cars: the Bugatti Veyron. When the game is released, you'll be able to take the wheel of the world's most expensive 'bug' without having to drop $1.6 million large. And of course, you'll get to customize it all you like. Take that, Sang Bleu...

Said Turn 10 head Dan Greenawalt, "Including the Veyron allows our fans and community to experience one of the world's rarest supercars at an unparalleled level of realism. Few people will ever get to see this car in person, let alone race or drive one, so the fact that we have it in Forza Motorsport 3 where it's fully drivable, tunable, paintable and even damageable is a very exciting concept to us. We hope our community shares that passion and enthusiasm!"

Damaging the Veyron in the game wouldn't be as bad as overcooking the real thing into the Armco, but we still recommend against it. However, having driven the thing twice, we can say that if you can get the actual Veyron to lay down rubber or drift through corners, then please give us a call - we have a trophy for you... Check out the video footage after the jump.

[Source: Turn 10 Studios, Joystiq]

Continue reading Autoblog Video Exclusive: Bugatti Veyron joins Forza Motorsport 3

Autoblog Video Exclusive: Bugatti Veyron joins Forza Motorsport 3 originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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STUDY: Video driving games promote risky behavior in real life

John Neff — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc.

Does a three-hour marathon session of Burnout Revenge on the Xbox 360 give you the urge to go wreak automotive havoc on an unsuspecting public? Perhaps not, but you might be more inclined to run a red light or wantonly speed according to a new study that confirms the correlation between racing games and risky behavior behind the wheels. While surveys have been done to establish this correlation in the past, this is one of the first hardcore studies conducted to back up this theory.

Conducted by Peter Fischer at Ludwig-Maximilians University and the Allianz Center for Technology in Germany (Allianz is one of the largest insurance companies in the world), the study took a very scientific approach. Published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, it began with interviewing a number of subjects on their driving habits and how often they played video games that featured driving in a real-world setting. Next, researchers actually compared the effect of playing games like Burnout, Midnight Racer and Need for Speed on the brain. It was found that such games did increase cognitions that relate to risk taking and arousal/excitement. Finally, the study gauged whether these types of driving games actually translated into risk-taking behavior by using the widely accepted Vienna Test System. Sure enough, it was found that men (though not women) were more likely to take risks in traffic after playing these games.

The linked article from Arstechnica makes the good point that the study steered clear of driving games like Project Gotham Racing, Forza and Gran Turismo that take place on virtual tracks in controlled environments. Such games, if studied, might be found to promote increased motor skills and concentration since the goal is to get the best lap time and not run over granny in your Gremlin.

What's worrisome, however, is if the correlation between these types of driving games might eventually give the insurance industry cause to increase rates for gamers that like to indulge in a little Grand Theft Auto.

[Source: Arstechnica]

STUDY: Video driving games promote risky behavior in real life originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Mar 2007 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Forbes ranks Top 10 video games for drivers

Stuart Waterman — Fri, 06 Oct 2006 14:54:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Etc.

We may not be able to afford exotic cars in real life, but for decades gearheads the world over have embraced video games as a way to unleash their inner Schumacher. Jeremy Rosenberg at ForbesAutos.com (OK, Forbes isn't an obvious choice for a video game survey, but what the heck, at least some Forbes readers can actually afford to buy these cars...) has examined the historical spectrum of driving games, ranging from arcade classics to the current state of the art, and come up with an all-time Top Ten list:

Gran Turismo 4
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast
Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed
Spy Hunter
Project Gotham Racing 3
Sega GT 2002
Test Drive Unlimited
Pole Position
The Fast and the Furious

GT4, not surprisingly, hits the top of the chart for its uncompromising approach to realism in the driving simulator genre. (Of course, as with most games sponsored by automakers, that realism doesn't extend to crash damage.)

You may not agree with Forbes' choices and ranking, but with Sony's much-anticipated PlayStation 3 launching next month, the list might get you thinking about a new driving game to showcase the next-gen platform. Or maybe you'll just grab a roll of quarters and head for the arcade.

[Source: ForbesAutos.com]

Forbes ranks Top 10 video games for drivers originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 06 Oct 2006 14:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Bold Moves: the video game

John Neff — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 10:56:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Ford

If you're a video game freak and a Mustang fan, chances are you're going to pick up Ford Bold Moves: Street Racing for the PS2, XBox 360 or PC no matter what kind of reviews it gets. Manufacturer specific driving games are not a new thing, even for Ford who is now on its third version of the Ford Racing series. Still, they can often devolve into extended digital test drives when there's only one brand to race.

Perhaps Ford Bold Moves: Street Racing is a cut above the rest, as it has some interesting features beyond the obvious draw of driving 18 of the greatest Ford vehicles of all time (see complete list of available vehicles after the jump). Gameplay is structured around short challenges, competitions and league play that takes place on 24 tracks based on the streets of L.A. Why video game makers insist on having us race the streets of the most congested city in the U.S. is beyond us, but we digress. In addition to winning cash to modify your Ford of choice, the game also goes the extra step to simulate real damage. The real hook, however, is a Maximum Team Control Racing mode in which players can control a team of up to three cars at once and can switch which car they're controlling on the fly.

With a name like Ford Bold Moves, we were hoping there'd be a management mode where we could swap out CEOs, bargain with teamsters and close plants, but it looks like game developer Razorworks is saving those features for its follow up, The Way Forward: Turnaround Xtreem.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford Bold Moves: the video game

Ford Bold Moves: the video game originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Sep 2006 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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