Total Drivin

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Total Drivin
Developer(s)Eutechnyx
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • NA: October 06, 1997[1]
  • EU: October 15, 1997
  • JP: April 23, 1998
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Total Drivin, known as Car & Driver Presents: Grand Tour Racing '98 (or simply Grand Tour Racing) in North America, Gekisou!!! Grand Racing (激走!! グランドレシング) in Japan and as M6 Turbo Racing in France, is a racing video game developed by Eutechnyx exclusively for PlayStation.[2] The game saw highly mixed reactions from critics due to its broad stylistic approach and unusual steering controls.

Gameplay[edit]

Total Drivin is a racing game that features six courses set in different locations across the world, each with different weather variations.[3] The game supports the Dual Analog Controller.[3] Multiplayer is available via both split screen and the PlayStation Link Cable.[4]

Development[edit]

Total Drivin was developed by the UK-based company Eutechnyx.[5] The developers created a zoom-capable, 360 degree camera for use as a programming tool, but later decided to leave it in so that players could look over the track landscapes while the game is paused.[4]

The game's North American publisher, Activision, acquired a Car and Driver sponsorship for the game, leading to "Car and Driver Presents" being added to the game's title in that region.[6]

Reception[edit]

The game received above-average reviews. In Japan, where the game was ported and published by Atlus under the name Gekisō!! Grand Racing: Total Drivin' (激走!! グランドレーシング Total Drivin', Gekisō!! Gurando Rēshingu Totaru Doraibin) on 23 April 1998, Famitsu gave it a score of 23 out of 40.[11]

While Edge praised the game for successfully combining the realism of a racing simulator with the style of an arcade racing game,[2] most reviews assessed that by taking on every single racing style in one game, Total Drivin failed to excel at any one style and came out highly inconsistent.[10][14][15][17] Next Generation, for example, stated that "It's a nice idea, but for the most part, it's neither well-executed nor well-integrated into gameplay, and comes across like more of a gimmick than anything else."[15] Both Next Generation and IGN remarked that most of the tracks are too easy, while the buggy tracks feature extremely difficult handling, making the challenge too uneven.[14][15]

Some critics complimented the sound effects as realistic,[5][3] while others found the engine sounds grating, likening them to motorcycles or blenders.[10][17] The graphics also met with mixed reactions, with critics noting grainy bitmaps[14][15][17] but a pleasing lack of pop-up.[3][15] A few reviewers praised how the aggressive A.I. leads other cars to cut opponents off or push them into walls when going around curves.[15][17] Kraig Kujawa of Electronic Gaming Monthly summarized that "With so much depth, GTR has something for all, despite its rough edges", and his co-reviewer Dean Hager similarly concluded, "In the end, the good elements outweigh the bad."[10]

Gary Mollohan of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine highlighted the game's selection of vehicles and large environments, noting that a single lap can take up to four minutes to complete. However, he criticized the game's questionable car physics and unconventional controls.[5] IGN likewise found that the controls make the steering oversensitive.[14] GameSpot reviewer Jeff Gerstmann felt the controls were decent, but admitted that they can take a lot of getting used to due to the game's unique steering system.[3] GamePro summed up that "You'll either love using the D-pad in conjunction with the L and R triggers, or you'll hate it."[17][b]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ In GameFan's viewpoint of the game, one critic gave it a score of 90, and the other two gave it each a score of 84.
  2. ^ GamePro gave the game two 4/5 scores for graphics and overall fun factor, and two 3.5/5 scores for sound and control in an early review.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "GameSpot: Video Games News: Grand Tour Racing '98 Hits PlayStation". 2002-04-26. Archived from the original on 2002-04-26. Retrieved 2023-04-08.
  2. ^ a b c Edge staff (December 1997). "Total Drivin'" (PDF). Edge. No. 52. Future Publishing. p. 84. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Gerstmann, Jeff (13 November 1997). "Car & Driver Presents: Grand Tour Racing '98 Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 1 November 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  4. ^ a b EGM staff (July 1997). "Grand Tour Racing '98 (Preview)". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 96. Ziff Davis. p. 111.
  5. ^ a b c d Mollohan, Gary (October 1997). "Grand Tour Racing 98". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine. Vol. 1, no. 1. Ziff Davis. p. 96. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Activision's Nightmare". GamePro. No. 108. IDG. September 1997. p. 20. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Car and Driver Presents: Grand Tour Racing '98 for PlayStation". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  8. ^ Marriott, Scott Alan. "Car and Driver Presents: Grand Tour Racing '98 - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on 15 November 2014.
  9. ^ Marrin, John (5 December 1997). "Grand Tour Racing ['98]". Gamecenter. CNET. Archived from the original on 16 August 2000. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  10. ^ a b c d EGM staff (October 1997). "Grand Tour Racing ['98]". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 99. Ziff Davis. p. 193.
  11. ^ a b "激走!! グランドレーシング Total Drivin' [PS]". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  12. ^ "Grand Tour Racing ['98]". Game Informer. No. 55. FuncoLand. November 1997. p. 83.
  13. ^ Mylonas, Eric "ECM"; Hobbs, Michael "Substance D"; Griffin, Mike "Glitch" (November 1997). "GTR [sic]". GameFan. Vol. 5, no. 11. Metropolis Media. p. 20. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  14. ^ a b c d e IGN staff (29 September 1997). "Car and Driver Presents Grand Tour Racing 98". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on 1 November 2018. Retrieved 1 November 2018.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g "Grand Tour Racing '98". Next Generation. No. 36. Imagine Media. December 1997. p. 162. Retrieved 17 July 2021.
  16. ^ Jon (November 1997). "Total Drivin". Playstation Plus. No. 26. pp. 94–95. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  17. ^ a b c d e Bad Hare (October 1997). "Car and Driver Presents Grand Tour Racing '98". GamePro. No. 109. IDG. p. 134. Retrieved 17 July 2021.

External links[edit]

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