In NASCAR 08 you take the wheel of new car and drive your way to the Nextel Cup championship. As the new rookie driver on the circuit, develop your racing skills to gain licenses and contracts from hungry owners and unlock legendary top performing cars from NASCAR’s biggest stars.
Gain new experiences as you race the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, NASCAR Busch Series, and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, then modify your car’s handling to fit your driving style. Share your setups with the gaming community, then challenge the field in live races with up to 11 other drivers online.
System: Xbox 360, PS3, PS2
Genre: Racing
Release dates: July 23rd 2007 (USA), November 9th 2007 (EURO)
Players: 1 (2-12 online)
Developer: Tiburon
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Origin: America
Tony Stewart is on the cover marking his third appearance on the cover of an EA Sports NASCAR game. The cover in the PAL region features Juan Pablo Montoya.
NASCAR’s new Car of Tomorrow as well as the current car are present in the game, although the Car of Tomorrow is generic with no separate manufacturers. ESPN’s NASCAR coverage is also integrated into the game. Crew chief dialogue for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game was recorded by Chad Knaus. The Whelen Modified Tour is not included in Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions of the game, but is still present in the PlayStation 2 version.
Watch the NASCAR 08 launch trailer.
So what are NASCAR 08’s main features?
* Race the Real Car of Tomorrow — Experience the true physics and handling of NASCAR’s newest race car, and unleash new racing strategies to capture the NEXTEL Cup championship.
* Enhanced Visuals — State-of-the-art, next-generation graphics deliver side-by-side racing, complete track layouts, vehicle damage, and wrecks like never before.
* Innovative New Vehicle Telemetry Visor (VTV) — Monitor your car’s telemetry and position on the track for real-time feedback on your car’s handling.
* Advanced Car Tuning — Master all 22 NASCAR-sanctioned tracks by modifying your car’s handling to exact specifications with more than 40 comprehensive tuning controls. You can put these setups to the test in Test and Tune mode.
* All-New Career Mode — Complete challenges in an all-new Chase mode to earn exclusive licenses and contracts that unlock unique specialty cars.
* Challenging Mini-Games — Develop your racing skills in adrenaline-pumping mini-games focused on bump drafting, spin recovery, turn apex, and more.
* New Instant Replay — This feature has the ability to save race replays.
* Concussion Camera — A camera effect in which the screen shakes after a hard hit.
* Expanded Online Play — Prove yourself as the top NASCAR driver by challenging up to 11 other online racers at the same time.
* Download Content — Downloads include tracks and special paint schemes. (Xbox 360 only)
* Sixaxis Steering Control (PlayStation 3 only) — Experience the control needed to run three-wide by mastering the all-new Sixaxis steering controller.
Watch NASCAR 08’s online multiplayer features.
As a conclusion I’d have to say I’m convinced the A.I. drivers are out to kill me on the track. Not adjusting the controller’s controls leaves you with a very touchy responsiveness, so if you’re a racing fan, then a steering wheel is almost required to get some fun out of a game otherwise wrecked by having to drive impossibly perfect rounds while racing in a pack. That said, the harcore could call this suspense of A.I. drivers constantly trying to damage your car a good thing, since it makes finding an opening hard and delivers some close finishes. Now let’s rate this game on its fun-basis.
FUN FACTOR – 6.0
Don’t forget to turn left.
Graphics – 7.0
The frame rate is smooth, and day turning to night during some races looks nice. Crash replays are great. Cars and damage look ok. As for special effects, you’ve got smoke and dirt looking good good, but everything else is underwhelming and tracks look bland.
Audio – 6.0
The cars sound great racing on the tracks, but your crew chief sounds dull and is often slow compare to what’s happening. There’s a soundtrack, but unless you enjoy Velvet Revolver’s She Builds Quick Machines or Airbourne’s Stand Up For Rock ‘N’ Roll, you might as well turn on your own music.
Ingenuity – 5.0
Racing is fun once you get the hang of it, but the car controls aren’t polished. I hate to say it, it’s kind of uninteresting, you need to be able to make your own driver, have more upgrades and car manufacturer choices to keep interest high in a game like this.
Replay Value – 6.0
Playing a full season can take a while, but it doesn’t even have a proper ending. Online 2-12-person multiplayer is a missed opportunity with the inclusion of leaderboards, and the exclusion of leagues.