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I used to say that PS3 is like the Ferrari of videogame consoles. It is more expensive than a normal car, is not totally exploited in terms of performance yet, but it looks and is really a “WOOOW” product. Now comes the time where the PS3 found (for me) ITS GAME !

I am not talking about the so awaited Grand Turismo 5 or GTA but a very surprising game called GRID from Codemaster. The Ferrari in PS3 has really arrived.

Why is it so good?
1) It looks modern and PRO You know when you look at those programs and games that look a bit outdated…well GRID is exactly at the opposite: It is awesome. Music is cool, menus concept have already been used in the past but design is great, races are fun and looks really, really realistic. Driving the car on a video projector with a 7.1 sound systems makes you really feel you are totally immersed in the car. My previous reference point was PGR4 on XBox360 but this GRID blows it away. It is the first time ever you see such realistic scenery in a driving game with a speedy impression. Sceneries, shadows, lighting effects, crashes, replays, details of the cars, you’ve got it all…

2) Game concept From the traditional ‘I drive car, win money, buy cars, enter contest and climb the ladder contest’, Grid gets it right. Races are very interesting and challenging enough, drivers and cars in front of you do mistakes and look human, race types are very various. Try to play the 24hr races divided in 24 mn series (real-time) of Le Mans with the simulation of day and night, believe me you will see the stress coming up … (how do those guys really do it?)

3) Innovations Replay mode ‘a la Matrix’ allows you for every race to make some mistakes and rewind before the crash. AND believe me you need it because the car crashes and crashes realistically. Not only it is fun to use (you have a number of replay that varies with the difficulty level) but it is beautiful to watch when you can wind and rewind, pause to look in details you car crashing and see all it spare parts flying in the screen

4) eBay ‘buy me’ mode This is cool too. I like the idea that you can buy cars from eBay. It is of course a great promotional tool with eBay and very well exploited. You have a simple window in the game where you can purchase cars and an option to access eBay cars as well where drivers from worldwide are posting their cars they want to sell. It gives you much more flexibility and depth in the game and it is perfectly integrated in the game itself. You do not have to disconnect or launch a separate window. Neat and nicely done.

I am not addicted to PGR and GT anymore. Grid gets it right on every damn aspects! This is a very good lesson of perseverance and innovation. Modern, fun, playable, cool, realistic, beautiful. Well done guys.

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