13.6.2010

my favourite type of game for pc, is a sim, its the main reason i got into pc gaming and gaming in general back in the early nineties, flight sims like f19 stealth, f29 retaliator, fleet defender kicking me off.as the years rolled on, i still maintained my penchant for sims, and readily bought the next one, and the next one etc etc, never really fully devoting my attention to that new game and soaking it all in properly, as consoles arrived and other games and style of game stole my attention, real life also took its toll on my gaming world.gtr2 was one such game where i bought, skimmed, and uninstalled in eagerness of trying the next "new purchase"of recent times this has stopped,as i have made a genuine effort to rid my computer of "crap" and stick with my main first reason for pc gaming, th "realistic/hardcore" sim.therefore, games like falcon were reinstalled, black shark, shiii (not strictly a "sim" but with LSHiii v5 installed, close enough) and an abundance of other great sims. dusted down my g25 and went to workbeing both ex military, and a huge motorsport nut, the military sims, and the driving sims take up most of the hard drive space.the driving sims on the hdd currently are:nr2003 with a huge abundance of mods and cars installed, making it 2010 up to date.arca sim racing, quite a brutally realistic oval racer too i feel, on or offline. couldnt get into iracing and the subscription idea sucksrace 07, touring cars are a good base for some great road racinga modded up to 2010 season gp4, shows its age and some dodgy elements but some great physics and race strategy implemented.richard burns rally with rsrbr2010 and all vehicles installed (from a car physics and realism viewpoint possibley THE best driving game ive ever played, all cmr games need to go and stand in the corner!)and finally gtr2, with more mods and tracks than i can list. but i will say Knockhill and thruxton are 2 of my fave tracks! thruxton being literally only 15 minutes away too.nr2003, im pretty good at,ever since ,like 93 ,when i first saw days of thunder i have been mad on nascar. now granted the real nascar is nothing like that film, but nonetheless, i love it and the game, so this one has been a pretty permanent fixture, in whatever guise, all the way from the first one. (papyrus only of course, ea ones were pap) papyrus indycar racing was cool too, but its cheesy early 90's film wasnt quite as awe inspiring (think it was called chequered flag, not sure, google it, it had leilani sarelle in it and was quite badly and epic fail.)the other games i enjoy but am not Quite as accomplished at.GTR2, however, i feel has now become my new "GO TO" sim for driving, now that i have taken the time to get into it, have located an abundance of mods and tracks, and really get my teeth into it, im obssessed, im constantly thinking about the best racing line, whether i could take the second castle coombe chicane faster, which version of the pug 908 to take round le mans, do i fancy another few laps of the full 24 km nordschleiffe, can i find and download a version of "that track ive just seen them go round on top gear/fifth gear" and throw my v10 r8 round it?the possibilities are almost endless, ive even got last years f1 season in there, dodgy ish physics granted, but still fun to take the mclaren mp4 24 round monaco or blast round the gilles villenuve (i did that this weekend as thats where the grand prix is running, only managed 1.17's though)i cant believe i had just not bothered with this game up until recently. everything about it screams "CAR PORN FOR GEAR HEADS!!!"this and RBR are the ones i play the most now, not just driving, but in general. ive not touched SH4 op monsun of late, havent even thought about freefalcon 5.5, steel beasts pro hardly gets a look in anymore (200 dollars!) and yankee air pirate 2, which up until recently was all i was rocking (love those phantoms), has just not even been run in 2 months.you gotta have a wheel though,you can MAYBE get away with a gamepad for nascar and arca and maybe even this one, but the wheel is the way forward, especially with the g25, as that force feedback makes the cars truely talk to you, you dont realise how integral a part of your driving it is until you drive without FFB and think, "i have no idea what this car is about to do....oh, off the track again/ive gone all lairy arse out fishtail again"im sure there are negatives out there and or bugs etc, if there are though they dont really bother me as i have not noticed anything that really stands out, sure, someone is bound to, but you know what, its a pc game/sim, we should have come to accept those sorts of things with our games by now.like most people, i dont have one killer game i play and play alone, for instance as ive mentioned before, there are other top racing games i play, and also various other sims, but this is definitely a keeper, and will remain at the forefront of my racing toolbag.i must say that from what i can tell, the circuits in this just feel so real and just like i imagine the majority of them to be like. i know that the rockingham, thruxton, donnington and silverstone ones are (combination of standard and mod downloaded tracks) as i have had the pleasure of doing a few laps of each of those. silverstone was in a mini fair enough, but it was still a few laps.with that in mind however, ive not played gtr evo, could be different/better? though i doubt it. and im guessing i WILL be disappointed at codemasters effort at F1 (no parade lap? no safety car...!!!???) but ill buy it anyway.buy this game if you:like sims in generallike racing in any form (four wheeled)like to tinker tune and faff with your chariotlike to soak in the feel of real racing, with fairly decent immersion.want nearly all types of motor racing in some form or otherdont buy this game if you:get bored easilywant to just dive in with all aids on, you can, but whats the point? play GRID or NFS instead.like the whole "toca race driver film game feel"are a bit too much into using "NOS", blurry side vision, and "talking street"you think need for speed SHIFT is a hardcore driving sim and colin mcrae rally is just like the real thing.it doesnt even need a high end system really, not by nowadays standard. my 2 year old alienware lappy runs it perfectly, all full, and at 1920x1200. nice and smooth and fast.while youre at it, get arca too, and RBR. serious, youll be in sim motoring heaven.

17.10.2006

GTR2 will not disappoint any of the simming fraternity. Anyone familiar with its predecessor, GTR (or any other serious sim such as GPL, GTL, rFactor, NR2003) will immediately feel at home driving one of the machines modelled here.I tried the demo and didn't notice much difference (from GTR) apart from the weather but the full version is a definite improvement in handling, particularly exiting low speed corners where the cars used to spin unrealistically. There's nowhere I've driven in the sim where the car didn't feel like a real car should; nowhere where I had to make excuses for it being just a game.Correcting a late braking error with a rally style cornering technique works here just like in the real world - it's not as fast as correct technique but adds to the sense of control totally absent in its predecessor. Real world skills are rewarded and encouraged.They aren't fast cars, by F1 standards, but the new Letter Box mode (first used in GT Legends) and the new, less intrusive cockpits add to the sense of speed. The AI cars are fast enough to provide an engrossing challenge and compared to open wheelers allow a more physical style of driving.Wet and mixed weather driving is finally rewarding without suspending disbelief. There are no obvious shortcomings in, sound, graphics or car handling. The Force Feedback with my Logitec MOMO Force wheel conveys all the information I need to control the car at the limit and feels as good as it does in GPL. I'll restate that: the Force Feedback is as good as GPL!In Novice and Semi-Pro modes it won't stretch any experienced simmers but the Simulation mode doesn't let the AI go below 100% (as its predecessor did) and won't permit ABS or Traction Control, though neither are needed with the new physics model, and this is a good challenge but still quite winnable without spending too long at it. Completing the Track specific lessons in the Driving School will provide all the groundwork you need to start bumping up the AI level beyond 100%. I don't think the Driving School will replace books such as Going Faster! by Carl Lopez or Speed Secrets by Ross Bentley but will do enough practical work for the student to learn by example and experience.The Time Trials, chasing a ghost car replicating your best lap so far (or someone else's), will encourage improvement far faster for most of us than poring over any amount of telemetric output or watching the lines and gears used in replays. The ghost car gets fainter the closer it is so it doesn't distract at all from the driving. A great feature!The AI is well modelled. They don't do anything silly if you don't and I haven't noticed any unrealistic behaviour in any of the races so far except their sluggishness off the line and through the first few corners so there's less incentive to do your absolute best in qualifying.There's plenty added and there's nothing taken away. Users of the predecessor are unlikely to ever use it again.Niggles? The user interface, like most driving sims, isn't Windows compliant. I need a mouse to navigate the menus; it won't accept keyboard/controller input. I don't have the mouse close enough when using wheel and pedals to reach it without disturbing my position. I could prop the keyboard closer (but I can't use it one-handed without taking my eyes off the screen) but the mouse needs a good surface. GP3 let me use wheel and pedals in the menus over five years ago and that didn't even support (readily) a separate axis pedal controller (to calibrate the wheel and pedals you had to `centre the joystick' and press 'Fire'!).The replay system is unimproved. Eight years on and can no-one match Papyrus' replays yet (GPL and NR2003)? If I hit a PB in qualifying it still only saves my best race lap and I can't see my speed or lap times during a replay or see what level the competition is at. It would be nice to load my qualifying PB's into the Time Trials feature or to save a PB as soon as I've done one.It's a personal thing but I'd rather crash terminally into a brick wall (in the sim) than end up sitting in life-saving gravel with a running engine and going nowhere. Take out the gravel traps (and chicanes for that matter) and give me run-off areas (and faster corners). In the sim there's no danger to life - I don't need my fun curtailed for safety.The manual (and Help system) isn't comprehensive. It didn't make clear, for example, that I could turn off the Pit Lane Control and drive into the pit box myself.Finally, and it's not a failing of the sim, I don't get to see these cars on TV. Not the cars, not the drivers and not (all) the tracks. I'd be much happier driving these cars on better known circuits such as Suzuka or Interlagos regardless of them not being used by these cars in reality. I can't remember when I last saw Estoril on the TV; I've never seen Pergusa, Anderstorp or Zuhai).Add a user interface to match Flight Simulator and a replay system to match NR2003 (and maybe faster cars) and this would be an ideal sim but its shortcomings are not enough to warrant the loss of a star. It's great fun to drive, it is, I believe, the best sim out there at the moment, has all the necessary features for a long shelf life, and it does merit all five stars.

6.12.2008

I have owned both GTR2 and rFactor since I bought my Logitech Momo wheel, and I can say categorically GTR2 is superior in every conceivable way with the possible exception of mods.I have chosen to mention rfactor because it has swamped the PC driving sim community, and undeservedly so when placed next to GTR2.What makes GTR2 so good? For me it's 3 things.Firstly, driver AI, particularly when it comes to defending position. In other games, such as TOCA 3 and rfactor, the AI follows the racing line. In GTR2 they don't - they will block the inside of a corner, but you can always get them with a switchback on the exit. They might let you have the inside, then as you run wide on the exit they reclaim the place.I am involved in motorsport and these are the sort of real moves that happen in real racing. Too many people watch BTCC and think that banging door handles is the only way to overtake.Secondly, realistic car handling, and particularly the way the force feedback actually tells you what the front tyres are doing. Even just crawling down the pitlane, put on full lock and you can feel the moment the tyres break their grip and the car enters understeer. On the approach to a fast corner, the same sensation is a vital part of balancing the brakes and steering. No other game, not even its much hyped successor GTR Evolution, has force feedback like this. It's like a real car, but maybe since power steering was invented we've all forgotten what real car steering feels like.Related to this is the physics model, so advanced it can output MoTeC data files and you can actually use the MoTeC software to analyse the car's behaviour. Fine tuning suspension settings and ride height was maybe not meant to be this complicated, but a bit of time and effort does yield results.Thirdly, the graphics engine is excellent, combining very good graphics with high frame rates. Lens flare in low sunlight, reflections shimmering off a wet track, and highly detailed cars contribute to making it look good as well as feel good.If I have a complaint it is that many of the custom championships are locked and need to be unlocked by completing "driver school" challenges. Eventually these become tediously difficult and leave me resentful of the fact I've paid for this game but can't access all of it.Mods don't seem to work very well at all, and I have yet to find any that come close to the standard of the FIA GT championship that the game is based around. Amusingly, someone converted all the cars to a mod for rFactor, and playing the rFactor mod only serves to highlight the superiority of GTR2.I have played the demo of GTR Evolution and it seems very disappointing, a step away from realism and towards an arcade game. If you have a more modest PC, you love real racing, and you are prepared to spend a bit of time learning to control the cars - buy GTR2 and you won't be disappointed.

30.10.2006

The next release in Sinbins GT series. This game follows the similar and popular GTR game using the same game engine with a few tweaks. On initial examination there not much changed. A few more cars in the race, the same familiar tracks and the 2003-2004 GTR challenge season. Its all there, the same challenge options for playing on and offline in championship mode. The ability to tune and alter every aspect of your car from the tire pressure to the rear wing angle.What remains in the easy mode (for people who just want to pick up the game and play), intermediate where you can disable some of the incar assistance, and the very unforgiving simulation mode.However something seems different.

16.12.2007

I have read reviews of quite a lot of people saying that this is a difficult game and that it is too "real". Well, don't get this game if your planning on drifting round corners, or drag racing, this is what it says on the tin basically, it is a simulation racing game.GAMEPLAY:I do not normally like racing games, especially ones such as this, but my friend convinced me to get it so i could go online with him. The online play is great, there is no lag whatsoever, although that is determined on your internet speed as well. The single player mode can get quite boring, so i almost always opt for the onlnie mode as it is a much more unique experience. There are a number of cars and tracks which will satisfy for a lnog time as well.

21.2.2010

I am not really that into racing games on a whole, GTR2 is the only one I have, but I love it. It was hard at first but then I stuck to one track and car and began to get better. I play it in "sim mode" now; still learning though. Due to the realism of the game it is hard and not for someone who is looking for an arcade racer, but the sense of speed is great and the satisfaction you get when you go flying round some corners and then overtake somebody. The variation in track conditions makes it different every time and therefore extending playability, each car feels different and the sounds are great, there is a good amount of variation in car models with the lister storm, morgan aero 8,

8.1.2011

Great realism, for the real racing nerd. Graphics aren't close to current console favourites (GT5/Forza) but for a realistic experience, GTR2 is brilliant. Setup changes give real changes in driving feel, strategic options can make or break a win. The 24hr races are a slog, but can be saved and returned to, so no need for Pro-Plus/RedBull cocktails! Good options on car choice from stable handing Porsche GT3's to the knife-edge Maseratti MC-12. Damage illustration is very good, with a large range of ways to retire from a race. Couple of bugs with the timing system and race school, not sure if the updates sort this out. Overall very very good, graphics: good, playability: addictive,

28.6.2009

I bought "GTR" after playing on the free game "Volvo: The Game" and just to see what GTR i bought it. Im a hardcore racing sim fan and it has to be good for me to keep playing it. Ive played the likes of ...Gran Turismo, Project Gothic racing. i used to think they were the biz...Not any more.If you are a serious gamer like me & want a REAL racing simulator then "GTR" is the the one for you. Like it says on the cover "Get real" trust me there not just saying that...it really is like getting behind the wheel of some of the best modern racers. You will be crazy to miss out on the.....BEST RACING SIM EVER!!!!

20.9.2011

GTR2 is a very good driving game and works well with the Logitech G27 Wheel.The driving experience in GTR2 is better than F1 2010, more like driving a car whereas F1 2010 is more like an arcade game. You can get a good set up on the wheel in GTR2 unlike the wheel set up problems of F1 2010 (where a good set up is nearly impossible!), but the only downside is that the graphics are now a bit old and dated, not up to the level of F1 2010.Overall a good buy and consigned F1 2010 to its box, where it belongs!!!

5.9.2011

GTR2 is the most realistic racing game I have ever played! It gets you into the heart of what racing cars are all about. With the many settings you will find it takes time to get to know just how much you need to understand about racing cars. The options are brilliant and the in game car settings are not found on any other series of racing games. I would recommend this game to all racing fanatics because, all the blood, sweat and tears spent playing this game are very well spent.

18.1.2007

The handling and feel as you drive in this game is breathtaking. However at the best part of 2GB to install this is not the quickest game to get started by any means. The very complicated car setup system and annoying analog steering system sadly prevented me from really getting into it. If you are very serious about driving games, I'm sure you will enjoy this. However if you are like me and just want to relax and have a bit of fun I wouldn't recommend this game.

15.10.2006

After playing gtr1 game alot much was expected of gtr2. It dosn't let down. With all of the 2003 & 2004 offical seasons and a custom championships theres a lot a racing to do. Plus a new driving School/challenge to let u unlock custom cars. The graphics are even better then the last game.With loads of options u can talyor the game to your skills so u get a real racing expericene.Set up of car still a bit complecated:)

5.6.2013

Was exactly as said in description. Shame it was in Italian on the cover, but that was explained in the description, so no problem with that.Was expensive but wanted the physical CD of it rather than buy from Steam. Happy with the purchase, delivered on time.All perfect :)

5.2.2007

This game is brilliant, after I played the demo I really hungered this game, I really wanted it!! Graphics are superb, gameplay is excellent, range of cars is amazing. The whole game was just what I expected it to be, brilliant. A recommended buy for fans of racing games!

29.6.2011

Great game with plenty of challenges to keep anyone happy including the driving school at the beginning. I don't drive so getting the car around a corner correctly had me stumped for quite some time. Enjoy the game and the good value.

GTR 2: FIA GT Racing Game (PC) - Reviews

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