Vanishing Point
Score: 95% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Acclaim Developer: Clockwork Games Media: GD/1 Players: 1 - 2 Genre: Racing
Graphics & Sound: All I can say to temper my flowing love for this game is 'Holy Cow!' Vanishing Point is a masterpiece. Starting with the hard asphalt to the shimmering paintjobs, Vanishing Point never stopped amazing me. From the moment I put this lovely disc in my Dreamcast , I was flabbergasted. I got going in my perfectly rendered Ford Mustang Cobra at a smooth, non-stop 60 frames per second. The reflections off of my paint job reassured me that my car was brand new. The trees cast perfect shadows, which sparked a sudden nostalgia for a family picnic. The road was blistering on the straight-aways, and every time I burned rubber, perfect little black marks painted themselves perfectly; so perfectly in fact, that I could smell the rubber in my living room. The neat thing about that is when you come back around for the second and third laps, the rubber marks are still there. (Excellent attention to detail.) Every racing game is going to have wrecks, and Vanishing Point is no different. Showers of sparks coming off the wall, and fearsome twists and turns while you're in the air had me appreciating the obvious time the programmers put into this game. I was even more impressed when I changed the camera angle to the cockpit view and the graphics didn't lose their touch at all. This game is real pretty, and any game that's pretty is all the more fun to play, especially a racing game. Acclaim decided that what better way to compliment a perfect visual exhibition than with busy, pulse-pumping electronica music. The sound effects and drum beats are exactly what a racer of this caliber needs. I'm seriously hoping that I can find the soundtrack to this game, because it's professional, top-notch quality. I know what you're thinking now. 'If everything is that good so far, then the sound effects are bad.' Not so Romeo. The engines sound just like they do in real life. The Ford Ranger's four cylinders stroking as hard as they can to get to 75 mph, while the Cobra's eight cylinders rumble and sound absolutely heavenly. The faster four cylinder cars actually sound like there's a big Turbo booster under their hood, because there's a slight little whine that let's you know that this car is no joke. There's also the underestimated tire squeals and crash sounds, all done so well, but the real 1-2 punch this game has is the interactive backgrounds and the different sounds they make. For example, one part of the first race has a jet taking off that's so majestic and it sounds like the real thing. There's a bullet train in another race which whizzes by you and sounds so good doing it. I won't ruin some of the other great surprises, because Vanishing Point is full of them.
Gameplay: VP has billions of options that will keep you frothing at the mouth for months. Aside from the normal 1 or 2 player options that every other racer has, VP has Internet Competition, Knockout (which is a 4 to 8 player tournament), Stunt Driving, and Chicken (which is my favorite.) Chicken has players race each other, but they each head in a separate direction. If you're thinking 'Well, can't you run into each other going in opposite directions?' Why yes, yes you can and boy is it fun! Players will start the game out either choosing the Ford Explorer or Ford Mustang Cobra, and instead of racing other cars for positions, you actually race against built in times. The other cars are just kind of driving along, but some of them (with a triangle marked above them) are very aggressive and try to wreck you, which in turn hurts your time. When you win the first race, you go onto the second, etc. 2 to 3 races comprise a heat, and if you win a heat then you unlock different parts of the game. You can unlock anything from new cars to new tracks and multiplayer options. I initially chose the Ford Mustang Cobra, which handled like greased ice on a buttery bowling lane. Later you can unlock the Tune-Up option, which lets you tune your cars to handle better, but at the start, all seems hopelessly lost in the control department. DO NOT be discouraged. With a bit of touch, you can win those heats and unlock the Tune-Up option. Still, it would have been nice to have the Tune-Up option at the beginning of the game.
Difficulty: Probably the only agitating thing about this game is that there is no track display to show where you're at on a certain track and what your next turn is going to be. The times are difficult to beat, but very obtainable. The tracks can be easy to navigate despite the lack of display. The thing that makes the track really difficult at times is the fact that there are a few select cars out on the track trying to make minced meat out of you. (Beware of the Lincoln Towncar, and ANY station wagon.) It is almost frustrating at first because of the two initial cars that don't handle as well, and every time you catch air with them, they almost assuredly wreck if you don't land right. If you can fight through the tough controls of the first vehicles, you will be readily rewarded.
Game Mechanics: Vanishing Point takes up very little VMU space (41 blocks). The load time is a little long, but it's very bearable; especially once you see how beautiful the game is and how fun it is to play. The controls are very good with the exception of the first two cars. When you push on the gas, you hear the engine roar, and you start going like you should. The analog pad responds so beautifully. You can actually feel how your car is going to turn, it seems. It is perfectly consistent, the way a racing game should be. On a final note, once you get the Tune-Up option, the controls are essentially flawless, because you can tune the Explorer and Mustang Cobra, (and any other car) making the game that much more brilliant and enjoyable. Riot Rundown: I don't need to be more convincing about this game. It is awesome. It is one of the best racers I've ever played. Vanishing Point is absolutely inebriating to play. All I can do is give mad props to Acclaim and Clockwork Games for a job well done. This game is awesome!
-Sydney Riot, GameVortex Communications AKA Will Grigoratos
911 Paramedic Divided Ground: Middle East Conflict 1948 - 1973