Ubisoft's GT Pro Series stalls before it reaches the starting line. Instead of thrilling gamers with intense, arcade game play, it lulls them to sleep. Developers and publishers take note. Games such as this only stain a system's launch.
GT Pro developer MTO attempted to copy Capcom's Auto Modellista. Cel-shaded vehicles from the likes of Honda, Nissan and Toyota give the game an unorthodox appearance. These rides look decent, but the graphic engine reeks of first-generation GameCube design. Worse yet, the bland tracks -- ranging from Downtown Street to the hideously named Heights Mountain -- fail to excite. Hey gang. Let's hit Downtown Street and grab some burgers. Lame.
MTO even mishandled the audio. The whiny engine noises make the cars sound like they need a massive tune-up. The awful electronica soundtrack grates on the nerves. Even the automobile manufacturers should be upset. Their cars sound like a chicken in the express lane at a KFC processing center.
Ubisoft took a stab at innovation by packing in a steering wheel peripheral that locks onto the Wii remote, giving players a sense of driving a real car. It's a neat idea, but a poor replacement in place of designing good in-game driving,, since the cumbersome steering makes things worse. The game has a terrible habit of not reading small movements, making turns a chore. As a result, you have to turn a full 90 degrees in order to stay on the road. Furthermore, the drift system is utterly useless as it causes players to endlessly swerve all over the place.
As for bonus modes, GT Pro offers nothing enjoyable. There's Time Attack, a regular racing mode, a career mode that runs the glut of several racing classes (none of which have any class), and a multiplayer mode where up to four players can go against each other via split-screen. However, about a half hour into play, but players soon realize there is very little motivation -- or point, for that matter -- in continuing to drive. Versus lacks the excitement of games such as Burnout Revenge and Gran Turismo. Those who prefer to drive solo will run into artificial intelligence that slows down at first, but then gains surprising momentum in a dash for the finish line.
Stay away from GT Pro Series. The peripheral may be alluring, but this game is running on all flats and should stay parked on the shelf. Instead, buy Nintendo's Excite Truck.
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