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December 7, 2006 | 8:14 AM PST
by: Tanner Smith
As the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Season fades into the past, Electronic Arts is still going strong with NASCAR 07 for the Microsoft Xbox. Last year’s title succeeded in capturing the spirit of the high-speed sport while providing marked improvements over its predecessor. The game included all-new “teammate” controls and vastly improved vehicle handling. By comparison, NASCAR 07 feels far more like a meager roster update than a fresh title to the franchise. In some ways, the game even takes the franchise several steps backwards. Long time fans will be hard pressed to find any real noticeable improvements.
Gameplay modes introduced to gamers throughout this generation of consoles all make their way back in strides. Race Now mode allows players to jump directly into a race of their choosing. A new option to wager earned skill points based on certain odds adds for a new layer of depth not quite seen before. In Fight to the Top mode, players make their way through the ranks to become a Nextel Cup champion. While the mode remains largely the unchanged, the newly added Allstate time trial feature gives player the opportunity to start their racing career at a more prestigious level. While mainly a move to attract more casual players, users wanting to quickly progress into a Nextel Cup car will appreciate the new option. Racing contracts and various messages pertaining to general progress are accessible through the mode’s cell phone interface. Dodge Challenges make a return as well, allowing players the chance to relive some of last season’s most exiting on-track moments.
NASCAR 07 consists of the same solid features that have built the franchise to what it is today. The game features four distinct racing series: NASCAR Nextel Cup, Busch (National), Craftsman Truck, and the Whelen Modified series. Each series is available to play in nearly every mode available. Also returning is the outstanding teammate controls introduced in last year’s title. While nothing has been added nor taken away, the controls work fluidly and the teammate AI reacts exactly as they should. Accessible either through various button combinations on the controller or voice via the Xbox Live headset, players can instruct their teammates to block, pit, or even swap cars real-time. The controls still feel as sturdy as ever, and are welcomed back graciously. Grudges and alliances also make a strong return.
When exploring the latest additions, its best to start off at the momentum meter. Provided via the HUD, the momentum meter slowly calculates your on-track performance as you make laps around the track, increasing or decreasing depending on various circumstances. For example, performing a clean pass causes the meter to increase, while falling out of line and scraping the wall will decrease it by a slightly larger amount. When filled to the max, the car gains and extra boost of both speed and car handling. Veterans will feel a bit let down by the meter, as it adds a noticeable incentive to strive to be a better driver, yet rewards in such a way that takes the difficulty to a far simpler level. It’s hard to argue that the meter is little more than a gimmick added to differentiate itself from previous iterations in the series.
Next up is the “Driver Attributes” feature. While the momentum meter may do little in the way of moving the franchise forward, the addition of driver attributes takes it in a firm step forward. Featured in Race Now mode, real-world statistics based on the current NASCAR driver’s today aid in each driver having his own unique attributes for each style of track. For example, while veteran Dale Jarrett may have an “A” rating at a super speedway such as Daytona International, rookie David Stremme may hold a “D” rating. The AI is affected by this in such a way that it feels incredibly realistic to the player. The ratings effectively determine the general starting position and how well the driver runs through the course of the race. It’s not uncommon to be competing against Jeff Gordon near the front of the field while more inexperienced rookies may be struggling to remain on the lead lap. The ratings are able to be dynamically affected by the player providing driver is actually used. Increase the momentum at a specific track and the driver’s attributes will increase, and vice versa. The entire system adds a deep sense of realism to those familiar with NASCAR. The days of seeing fantasy cars or old has bends qualifying first and leading every lap in route to victory are finally over.
While developers typically improve on the graphics as they become more familiar with the hardware, EA Sports has taken a strikingly severe step backward. This lies mostly in part to the afore mentioned motion blue effect, which attempts to aid in creating an extra allusion of speed as the environment and other cars on the track whiz by in a blur. When moving at top-speed, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinct between the cars. Sponsors and paint schemes begin to mesh together, and the cars themselves start to look warped. Not only do the cars blur, but the environments do as well. Instead of looking sharp and detailed, objects such as track surfaces and grass begin to look bare and void as everything starts to mesh together.
Gameplay modes introduced to gamers throughout this generation of consoles all make their way back in strides. Race Now mode allows players to jump directly into a race of their choosing. A new option to wager earned skill points based on certain odds adds for a new layer of depth not quite seen before. In Fight to the Top mode, players make their way through the ranks to become a Nextel Cup champion. While the mode remains largely the unchanged, the newly added Allstate time trial feature gives player the opportunity to start their racing career at a more prestigious level. While mainly a move to attract more casual players, users wanting to quickly progress into a Nextel Cup car will appreciate the new option. Racing contracts and various messages pertaining to general progress are accessible through the mode’s cell phone interface. Dodge Challenges make a return as well, allowing players the chance to relive some of last season’s most exiting on-track moments.
NASCAR 07 consists of the same solid features that have built the franchise to what it is today. The game features four distinct racing series: NASCAR Nextel Cup, Busch (National), Craftsman Truck, and the Whelen Modified series. Each series is available to play in nearly every mode available. Also returning is the outstanding teammate controls introduced in last year’s title. While nothing has been added nor taken away, the controls work fluidly and the teammate AI reacts exactly as they should. Accessible either through various button combinations on the controller or voice via the Xbox Live headset, players can instruct their teammates to block, pit, or even swap cars real-time. The controls still feel as sturdy as ever, and are welcomed back graciously. Grudges and alliances also make a strong return.
When exploring the latest additions, its best to start off at the momentum meter. Provided via the HUD, the momentum meter slowly calculates your on-track performance as you make laps around the track, increasing or decreasing depending on various circumstances. For example, performing a clean pass causes the meter to increase, while falling out of line and scraping the wall will decrease it by a slightly larger amount. When filled to the max, the car gains and extra boost of both speed and car handling. Veterans will feel a bit let down by the meter, as it adds a noticeable incentive to strive to be a better driver, yet rewards in such a way that takes the difficulty to a far simpler level. It’s hard to argue that the meter is little more than a gimmick added to differentiate itself from previous iterations in the series.
Next up is the “Driver Attributes” feature. While the momentum meter may do little in the way of moving the franchise forward, the addition of driver attributes takes it in a firm step forward. Featured in Race Now mode, real-world statistics based on the current NASCAR driver’s today aid in each driver having his own unique attributes for each style of track. For example, while veteran Dale Jarrett may have an “A” rating at a super speedway such as Daytona International, rookie David Stremme may hold a “D” rating. The AI is affected by this in such a way that it feels incredibly realistic to the player. The ratings effectively determine the general starting position and how well the driver runs through the course of the race. It’s not uncommon to be competing against Jeff Gordon near the front of the field while more inexperienced rookies may be struggling to remain on the lead lap. The ratings are able to be dynamically affected by the player providing driver is actually used. Increase the momentum at a specific track and the driver’s attributes will increase, and vice versa. The entire system adds a deep sense of realism to those familiar with NASCAR. The days of seeing fantasy cars or old has bends qualifying first and leading every lap in route to victory are finally over.
While developers typically improve on the graphics as they become more familiar with the hardware, EA Sports has taken a strikingly severe step backward. This lies mostly in part to the afore mentioned motion blue effect, which attempts to aid in creating an extra allusion of speed as the environment and other cars on the track whiz by in a blur. When moving at top-speed, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinct between the cars. Sponsors and paint schemes begin to mesh together, and the cars themselves start to look warped. Not only do the cars blur, but the environments do as well. Instead of looking sharp and detailed, objects such as track surfaces and grass begin to look bare and void as everything starts to mesh together.
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