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Sharky Extreme : October 7, 2008





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The most important question with any racing game is: "How is the control?" Episode I Racer is an arcade racer through and through. The control is almost perfect! It is a snap to pick up and in no time at all you'll be rocketing down canyon paths at 500 kilometers an hour. As you gain experience, you'll start to explore the various other aspects of control such as turbo boosting, shift pitching, tilting, and sliding. These skills become necessary on the later more difficult tracks. This combination of easy use with a lot of headroom to grow into is the Holy Grail of video game control. Rarely is it found. The only game in recent memory with control this good is Starsiege: Tribes. Now, we're proud to say, Episode I Racer has reached the lofty level of great feel! LucasArts did a superb job of designing control in Episode I Racer! They should be applauded!

The tracks in Episode I Racer are a real treat to the arcade-racing fan. Tracks vary widely in graphics and layout. There are several tracks where, in the same race, you will travel through two or three different environments, which other games would have split into different races. This huge variety in even a single race really makes things interesting. A track made of mostly wide paths with easy turns can change into an underground tunnel killing field, which emerges onto a cliff side filled with sharp turns. And that's not all, there are also many side-paths and alternate routes which can save you time, or get you into serious trouble. Some paths are difficult to get onto but once you're there, let you go full speed and avoid a difficult part of the track. Other parts are easy to get onto, but require you to pilot your pants off in order to shave just a second or two off your lap time. There are even places where there is no savings or loss of time, but you can pass an opponent without them getting in your way. LucasArts outdid themselves and everyone else with the track design!




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