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FIM Speedway Grand Prix
by
Jolex Del Pilar
Wednesday, May 28, 2003
Featuring promising gameplay aspects, somehow FIM Speedway Grand Prix ends up ultimately lacking.
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Title:
FIM Speedway Grand Prix
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Platform:
PC Windows, Pentium II 500, 128MB Ram, 16mb video card |
Publisher:
Big City Games
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Developer:
Techland Software
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#
of Players: 1 - 4
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Genre:
Racing
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Origin:
Canada
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Expected
Release: 4/15/03
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Grapevine:
"In the end though, there are many parts to a game that make it a whole and fulfilling experience for the gamer, and FIM Speedway Grand Prix is missing many of those integral parts." |
Once in a while, there lands a game on the desk of one of our editors that is so completely enthralling that it captivates imagination and brings our thanks to the gaming God for providing us with such great entertainment goodness. Unfortunately, FIM Speedway Racing Grand Prix is not that game.
What can be said about this game? Well first off, it's a game based on a sport that isn't particularly popular in America. It is based on motorcycles, but it isn't based on those ultra cool looking sports bikes you're used to seeing in the movies, or the sports channel on Digital Cable. Instead they're based on, from what I can tell, half-breed dirt bikes. The game features 11 licensed tracks including the Syndey Arena from the 2000 Summer Olympics, and 22 real-life racers. It doesn't matter though, because the tracks are all exactly the same, flat and oval. They feature different models and graphic sets, but other than that, they all are the same oval dirt track with very little variations. There are no jumps, tricks to be done, or even any crazy dirt biking music to go along with the action. It's just an oval track and four racers circling the track until someone finally reaches 4 laps and ends the monotony. As for the real-life drivers, I was able to win the Grand Prix mode with a racer who was supposed to be the best in the game, and with a racer who has placed in 20th in his past five races. This illustrates the game's lack of variation yet again as the 22 licensed racers only seem to be there for appearances sake as there really isn't any added difference to the gameplay experience by picking different racers. Just pick any racer and head down the track as fast as possible, making sure to break at the two turns on each track, and the start the process all over again.
From a visual standpoint, this remains the one saving grace of the game as it features a very clean menu system, and decent graphics once you are inside the game. It also isn't a system hog as this game will run very well on the stated system minimum.
There is a little customization to be had in this game. Unfortunately it doesn't really affect gameplay to a far extent.
In the end though, there are many parts to a game that make it a whole and fulfilling experience for the gamer, and FIM Speedway Grand Prix is missing many of those integral parts. If this game was supposed to draw a young crowd to FIM Speedway racing, then in that aspect it has failed as well.
--- Jolex Del Pilar
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