NASCAR The Game 2011 Review (360)

[RaychelSnr]

After two full years of having no sim-style representation on any console, word started to spread in mid to late 2009 that a British video game developer was taking over the reigns of the most popular US motorsports license available today. Eutechnyx had secured the license to develop a full scale, fully licensed NASCAR simulation-arcade racer. The excitement and buzz of a new developer taking on this project was palpable. Word started spreading from site to site, and people had visions of a game that would exceed anything Electronic Arts had ever developed -- and maybe a game that would rival what Papyrus had put out on the PC, NASCAR 2003.

March 29, 2011 was the date that digital NASCAR fans had written in their day planners. They had planned vacation days for this date, developed elaborate ideas of how to call in sick to work and school, and told their wives and girlfriends to not plan on seeing them for a solid week. However, all of those plans struggled to get out of the proverbial pit box once they realized that the game they had hoped for and the game they put into their beloved consoles on release day was not the experience they were hoping for.

As a total package, NASCAR The Game 11 was not the whole game that they had envisioned just weeks prior to release, but that doesn’t mean it was time to put the car in the hauler and leave the track for the weekend.

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[Lieutenant Dan]

Well Bob, that's a fair review. I think a 6.5 under the new scoring system is appropriate, tho I might have gone a 7 because the games strengths are really strong (graphics, racing AI, handling, set-ups customization, track detail, sound). Maybe you might rescore after the patch if it moves you? Otherwise, you really nailed it here.

Create A Car is...a disappointment to me. I feel frustrated by it's structure, there is no flow. EA DID do this aspect much better, along with an in-depth career mode in some of their games. BTW, I really like your ideas for Silly Season and sponsor wrangling in the off season, sweet!

I really enjoy 'running' this game at home, but right now I'm just turning times at tracks and getting my driving down (Legend mode, Hard AI). I'm also trying to top your best lap times you've posted so far on 360 lol I've got ya on a few!

For 2012, with such a great engine and racing AI foundation laid down, I'd like to see the career mode really pumped up and PLEASE a new car creation tool; preferably an exportable/importable template solution like NASCAR 09 was so the gifted guys out there can make a car for me

Overall, I really enjoy the game for what it is; a solid freshman effort (like F1 2010) with some bugs to start but should get patched. Great base to build from for future versions, but lacks career depth. Props for great graphics and gameplay, and attention to detail on the cars and tracks.

[cbrigante2]

Is it just me or should this be tagged as a PS3 review?

[Cocca]

Solid review, I agree with all the points. I can't comment on the score since I'm a newbie here and haven't bothered reading up on the scoring system. I think you are being too generous describing green flag pit stops, I normally go from first to last and then shortly afterwards a caution comes out because the AI all tries to pit and crash.

Great review though and I just wanted to add a point about 360 version which is online is really unplayable as I consistently enter races where the cars are stuck in awkward positions and the race is essential broken.

[BaylorBearBryant]

I'm not a very big fan of NASCAR or racing in general, but I bought the game and it's pretty good. Not sure it's worth $60. Maybe $45. In the end this probably more of a rental unless the online issues get fixed.

[stlstudios189]

I will get this when its price drops

[ChaseB]

Is it just me or should this be tagged as a PS3 review?

Our tagging system just tags multi-platform games for 360 first.

[PaperBoyx703]

The career mode will more than likely be changed along with the DLC coming at the end May because of the fact that only the 2010 cars are available now and not the 2011 yet. For year one attempt I highly doubt that they would be able to get too in-def to the career anyways with silly seasons n etc. With the quick progress of the on going patch fix the game should be completely enjoyable without those nagging bugs and other nonsense.

[Zzzz24]

I bought the game for the ps3 on a 1080p tv. Why am I the only one who thinks the graphics suck, but the gameplay is mostly awesome? The graphics are way too pixelated and jaggy, even worse farther down the track. Is the xbox version which is rated at 1080p crisper than the ps3 version rated at 720p?