TOCA Race Driver 3 (PS2)

Toca Race Driver was a rubbish game, only to be replaced by a huge improvement - Toca Race Driver 2 - not the best game around, but a good one that was worth buying. Now Toca Race Driver 3 is aiming for the title of the best racing game around, hence the slogan on the box 'The Real Racing Simulator' instead of GT4's 'The Real Driving Simulator'. However, whether Codemasters like it or not, I am comparing this game to a number of games including Gran Turismo 4 (GT4), F1 06 and WRC Rally Evolved since it claims to have all of these competitions in one game.

Like many games now, you are thrown straight in the deep end at the start, driving a DTM V8 Mercedes C Class for a lap round Nurbouring, chasing the 7 cars ahead of you and trying not to get passed by those behind. Should you overtake at least one of the cars ahead of you, you unlock DTM mode straight away on the Simulation and Free Race modes, which is handy if you don't have time to invest in a Pro Career at some point and just want a quick race in a powerful car.

A neat feature of the game is, after you have driven that lap of the DTM, you will then be taken to one side in the game by your team boss and shown what you did, and what is the perfect racing line and how you could have won the race, had you done perfect. This helps if you want to learn straight away and are a perfectionist.

You then get to choose of the following modes,

World Tour - this is were you are taken on an ultimate tour of the extensive features of the game and the many racing disiplines. For the sort of people who don't have the time to invest in Pro Career and want to learn how to beat Expert mode.

Pro Career - This is the much acclaimed feature of this game, although it doesn't quite sometimes live up to your expectations. For example you decide how many laps for each track, what car you want (you can pick any, which is a bit annoying, since I would have preferred a 'rise through the ranks' option but there you go), and whether you want yellow, blue and black flags on. Then you must choose which disipline to race in, although you can race in more than one at once which is a bit strange. The touring car mode feels the best thought out, closely followed by the GT mode and single-seater modes. However, the oval mode is very poor, TRD3 has only aqquired four licences for oval tracks, so there are only four tracks in the championship, which is seriously bad, although one of those is the Indy 500. This makes the IRL championship feel really down market. Rally mode is also bad, only three rally stages, with gpN cars, surely you can bother to get the proper WRC cars?

Simulation - The usual free race, time trial and stuff modes. Also includes the internet mode and multiplayer modes.

Recommend to a Friend? Yes, but only if you are willing to accept the faults of the Pro Career mode and like Touring Cars.

Verdict - TRD3 is unique in the fact that it doesn't pretend to excel in any one area of motorsport. Rather, it offers you a cut down version of all the main racing disiplines (apart from the touring car and gt modes). If you fancy that, then you'll love it. But prepare to be dissipointted if you are expecting F1 06, WRC Rally Evolved and Gran Turismo 4 in one ultimate package - because it isn't that.