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Total Drivin

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Total Drivin
Developer(s)Eutechnyx
Publisher(s)
Platform(s)PlayStation
Release
  • NA: 30 September 1997
  • EU: November 1997
Genre(s)Racing
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Total Drivin (Car & Driver Presents: Grand Tour Racing '98 in North America) is a racing video game developed by Eutechnyx exclusively for PlayStation.[1]

Gameplay

Total Drivin is a racing game that features six courses set in different locations across the world, each with different weather variations.[2] The game supports the Dual Analog Controller.[2] Multiplayer is available via both split screen and the PlayStation Link Cable.[3]

Development

Total Drivin was developed by the UK-based company Eutechnyx.[4] 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.[3]

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.[5]

Reception

While Edge praised the game for successfully combining the realism of a racing simulator with the style of an arcade racing game,[1] 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.[7][8][9][10] 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."[9] 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.[8][9]

Some critics complimented the sound effects as realistic,[4][2] while others found the engine sounds grating, likening them to motorcycles or blenders.[7][10] The graphics also met with mixed reactions, with critics noting grainy bitmaps[8][9][10] but a pleasing lack of pop-up.[2][9] 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.[9][10] 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."[7]

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.[4] IGN likewise found that the controls make the steering oversensitive.[8] 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.[2] 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."[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Total Drivin'". Edge. No. 52. Future Publishing. December 1997. p. 84.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gerstmann, Jeff (November 13, 1997). "Car & Driver Presents: Grand Tour Racing '98 Review". GameSpot. Archived from the original on November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Grand Tour Racing '98". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 96. Ziff Davis. July 1997. p. 111.
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ "Activision's Nightmare". GamePro. No. 108. IDG. September 1997. p. 20.
  6. ^ Marriott, Scott Alan. "Car and Driver Presents: Grand Tour Racing '98". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  7. ^ a b c d "Team EGM Sports: Grand Tour Racing". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 99. Ziff Davis. October 1997. p. 193.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Car and Driver Presents Grand Tour Racing 98". IGN. September 29, 1997. Archived from the original on November 1, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "Finals". Next Generation. No. 36. Imagine Media. December 1997. p. 162.
  10. ^ a b c d e Bad Hare (October 1997). "PlayStation ProReview: Car and Driver Presents Grand Tour Racing '98". GamePro. No. 109. IDG. p. 134.
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