Ducati World Racing (PSOne)
Just as I was about to disown Acclaim as a reputable video game publisher, they turn out a good -- you heard right, good -- game like Ducati World Racing. Ducati World Racing won't blow you away in the originality department, it is pretty much Gran Tourismo with motorcycles. It is an arcade racer that gives as much time and detail to the cycles and their bios and upgrades as the racing itself. the real hook is its Ducati license, a presence that is seen heavily throughout the game.
The game pretty much follows a simple formula, enter a race, win and that win will give you enough money to buy a new bike or upgrade your old one. The designers tried to complicate this by adding race license, but in the end, it doesn't add much and what you get is a Gran Tourismo clone with more emphasis on arcade action than simulation. One addition that could prove exciting to some gamers is the challenge race. You can risk it all by entering a challenge race against another player. The winner takes home both bikes, while the loser ends up sobbing in an empty garage.
The graphics, textures, and backgrounds aren't particularly stunning, nor are they particularly ascetically pleasing at all. The backgrounds are dark and low res, and the textures are muddy giving the game an overall feeling of darkness.
The game features real life bikes with real world stats that will make any bike enthusiast drool. Ducati World Racing Challenge lets you purchase bikes from a Classic Showroom featuring Ducati bikes from the 50s to today, the Ducati Showroom, or from the Used Showroom, where bikers on a budget can still lay claim to an affordable Ducati.
Ducati World Racing, is just straight-up arcade racing, no story, no goal, no point. It's pretty much race, buy, race, buy -- and sometimes -- race, buy, and save. It's been done to death and its not for me. Then again, lots of people like things that I don't like, I guess that's why Kenny G is so popular.
SOUND: 6/10
- A bit of rock and techno, there's nothing wrong with that. However, the tracks are rather short so they repeat to much.
GRAPHICS: 6/10
- The backgrounds are dark and textures are muddy.
CONTROL: 7.5/10
- No problem with control, it could be a little tighter.
REPLAY VALUE: 6/10
- Some people will play this for days and others will put it down in minutes.
FUN: 7/10
- At least Acclaim tried this time, I'll give it a 7 for effort.
OVERALL: 6.5/10
