IndyCar Series 2005 Not for PC? [15-03-2004 | JZ | Comments (5) ]
The fastest race on earth is set to return as Codemasters announces that IndyCar� Series 2005 will launch this summer, complete with head-to-head online racing for both Xbox and PlayStation 2. Officially licensed by the Indy Racing League�, IndyCar Series 2005 gets a boost with a host of new features to complement the action-packed oval track racing at speeds up to 235mph! The game's new online racing will see up to 12 players getting fiercely competitive out on the circuits on Xbox, with up to 8 players on PlayStation 2.

It is the only game to feature the full IndyCar Series season including the Indianapolis 500, which allows drivers to compete from Pole Day to Bump Day to race day as one of the 33 drivers in The Greatest Spectacle in Racing�. Racing action is realistic, accessible and authentic down to the very last detail, including TV-style presentation with race introductions by ABC Sports broadcasters.

IndyCar Series 2005 also features an advanced and updated AI system that renders each race as a unique experience. The AI drivers make dynamic strategic racing decisions, defend their position, slipstream to overtake other drivers, and even make mistakes.

- A completely authentic and realistic IRL racing experience, IndyCar Series 2005 features:
- Head-to-head online racing on both Xbox (up to 12) and PlayStation 2 (up to 8)
- 15 IndyCar Series tracks, including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway�, Texas Motor Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway, Pikes Peak International Raceway and the newly featured Twin Ring Motegi Speedway in Japan
- Up to 33 cars on the track simultaneously in single player
-All-new steering wheel support for third party peripherals with in-game calibration
- Realistically functioning rear-view mirrors so drivers can watch their back!
- Official drivers, tracks, rules and sponsors of the IndyCar Series
- Ability to re-create a full season competing as a favorite driver, including Sam Hornish Jr., Gil de Ferran, Al Unser Jr., Scott Dixon, Helio Castroneves, Sarah Fisher and more
- Updated Masterclass training mode narrated by 2003 IndyCar Series Bombardier and Autosport Rookie of the Year Dan Wheldon

With its incredible high speeds, dangerous close pack racing, skilful on-track manoeuvres and challenging drivers, IndyCar Series 2005 will launch this summer with Xbox and PlayStation 2 editions confirmed for Europe and PAL territories, complete with online racing on both formats.

IndyCar Series Review [03-03-2004 | JZ | Comments (0) ]
Here is a sneak peak at the review: "There are a few good points to this title and I think that they are valid and worth mentioning. At some of the tracks the AI are quite aggressive and even when you pass them, they don't disappear behind you. The actual sounds of the cars are spot on. The menus to get into and out of the race are simply and effective. There are options to run races at 10 laps, 20 laps, Quarter-length, Half-length and Full race, which depicts the actual IRL race at each particular venue."

IndyCar Series Review at Gamers Pulse [23-12-2003 | JZ | Comments (0) ]
On the track, there are a number of issues that prevent Indy Car Series realizing its potential. The game�s artificial intelligence hosts a few problems during races that may bother experienced racing simulation gamers. First, AI racers always follow the line. While in most cases, racers will be diligent in following the imaginary perfect racing line; it is absolutely inconceivable that thirty-something drivers flawlessly follow the line during a given race.

IndyCar Series Review at Khabal Gaming [21-11-2003 | JZ | Comments (0) ]
The car models are well rendered, with attention paid to the details. But the environment is the exact opposite, after one round of racing; you�re guaranteed to get bored of your surroundings, which offer you with� nothing actually. So I turned to the skies when I�m racing. The skies are very nicely done, with realistic clouds splashed all over the baby blue-tinted sky.

IndyCar Series Review at FI [12-11-2003 | JZ | Comments (0) ]
If you're into the simulation aspects, though, you'll likely be much more forgiving of the "bells and whistles" issues here. IndyCar Series includes a generic rock soundtrack and, although the PC graphics are obviously much sharper than the PlayStation 2 version, the overall aesthetic is still dominated by several shades of gray and a flat, uninteresting crowd in the stands. By contrast, the tracks themselves are drawn with an almost compulsive level of detail. Should all the IndyCar venues ever simultaneously disintegrate, it's nice to know a computer model exists for rebuilding them. Still, unless you're an absolute fiend for that sort of detail, it's not the kind of thing that aids the larger aesthetic picture in a material way.

IndyCar Series Review at GameSpot [06-11-2003 | JZ | Comments (4) ]
To wit, any racing game that deals with round and round ovals has a potential for being a might dull. Such was not the case with the Papyrus IndyCar series because Papyrus had constructed such a dynamic and realistic car model and such superbly distinctive and reactive circuits that no two tracks felt the same. Furthermore, the Papyrus game was able to spice things up by including all the nonovals that were featured in the real-life series at the time. Conversely, IndyCar Series is pure oval. That would be fine if the game's physics modeling and reactivity were sophisticated enough to make the overall experience feel appreciably different from circuit to circuit, but it isn't.

IndyCar Series Review at Adrenaline Vault [24-10-2003 | JZ | Comments (0) ]
One of the most rewarding features of IndyCar Series is the Garage section in which you can alter just about everything on your virtual car real Indy drivers can. You can change tire pressure, spring tension, dampers, camber, wing angle, ride height and gear ratios in extremely fine detail. Most of the settings can be edited for each wheel independently. After you�ve made some changes, it�s vital that you put in a few practice laps to see their effects.

IndyCar Series Review at Game Nexus [17-10-2003 | JZ | Comments (1) ]
Almost ten years after the IRL's first race in 1996, it appears that the idea has been successful, albeit with a strong contingent of foreign drivers imported from the former Indycar series (CART) diluting some of the intended All-American flavor of the series. The IRL, like NASCAR, provides side-by-side, nail-biting oval track racing, with the gap between the 1st and 2nd place finishers often being less than one-hundredth of a second.

IndyCar Series Review at Game Zone [11-10-2003 | JZ | Comments (0) ]
The IndyCar Series is your opportunity to compete in the IndyCar season by racing on 15 different tracks. You have the option to set the number of laps for the race and the skill level. For each race you need to qualify to determine your starting pole position. The faster the qualifying time, the better the starting position you�ll obtain. There is also the option to race as either one of the professional drivers available in the game or select your own custom driver.

IndyCar Series Review at GameChronicles [30-09-2003 | IS | Comments (5) ]
IndyCar Series does a remarkable job of simulating just about every aspect of the IndyCar season and the world famous Indianapolis 500 right up to the point where you get behind the wheel. The car setup, the schedules, the teams, the racers, everything is perfect and you won�t find a more authentic presentation of IndyCar racing - just don't drive this out of pit row.

IndyCar Series Ships To Stores [24-09-2003 | JZ | Comments (0) ]
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 23, 2003-- Codemasters has announced that IndyCar(TM) Series, the official video game of the U.S.-based open-wheel Indy Racing League, has shipped for the PC CD-ROM with an MSRP of $29.99. The PC version includes direct input wheel support to give gamers the ultimate IndyCar Series racing experience. Now over 313 million IndyCar Series racing fans can capture the same invigorating, ultra-close pack racing at home on their computer.
IndyCar(TM) Series delivers gamers the entire Indy Racing League season, including the Indianapolis 500, known to many as "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." Players can now put the pedal to the metal and steer their way to glory as they race full-force around the famous oval circuits, feeling the challenge of lightning-paced action, authentic and intuitive handling, spectacular collisions and a dynamically adjusted level of difficulty. Drafting is a key element to gameplay, just as it is an integral part of racing out on the actual pavement.

"Playing the IndyCar(TM) Series video game has helped me keep sharp in between races," said Sam Hornish, Jr., the 2001 and 2002 Indy Racing League Champion. "Out on the track, every driver has their own racing style and characteristics, and Codemasters has done an amazing job in accurately reflecting that in the game."

IndyCar(TM) Series' complex AI system continues to intertwine the realism of the Indy Racing League with stimulating and exciting gameplay, allowing competing drivers to exhibit the same tactics as their real-life counterparts. The AI system also gauges the ability of the player and dynamically adjusts the level of the opposing drivers' skills accordingly. This creates a unique racing opportunity as AI drivers make strategic decisions, rather than follow a scripted path.

IndyCar Series No CD Patch [16-09-2003 | JZ | Comments (0) ]
Tired of playing the game with the CD? Here is your solution.

IndyCar Series Retail Screenshots [11-09-2003 | JZ | Comments (7) ]
We have posted over 100 screenshots from the IndyCar Series retail version. Review coming soon!

IndyCar Series Goes Gold [20-08-2003 | JZ | Comments (0) ]
Codemasters has informed us that IndyCar Series for the PC was recently completed and is now scheduled to ship in mid-September. The game was previously said to be slated for release in November, but the development wrapped up ahead of schedule.

IndyCar Series Review at CVG [18-08-2003 | JZ | Comments (0) ]
The antithesis of a throwaway arcade game, concentration is paramount and the key skill involves sticking to the racing line like shit to a blanket. Making up tenths of a second on the car in front, it can often be like the gaming equivalent of watching a progress bar. Patience is required though, as an over-ambitious manoeuvre can set you back a few seconds, which can in turn take several laps to claw back.