GETTING IT SIDEWAYS

OK, you're now racing. In real life on the tighter tracks, you get the back end to break away early while still in the straight to enter the corner back wheel first so you can achieve more drive getting out of the turn. This also allows you to sling shot past the other riders who have entered the corner by just turning in and letting the back wheel break away.

In SGP, you turn left... and left... and left. The sliding image you see is the back wheel stepping out by itself, not you controlling the slide by turning the handlebars left/right /left etc.

In the straight, the game allows the rider and bike to lean right at an unrealistic angle. In real life, you would be straight into the fence. A true Speedway Bike has a rigid right footrest so you can lean the bike over when stationary so the back wheel is off the ground. Speedway bikes have no gears or neutral so by lifting the back wheel off the ground this allows the rider to release the clutch and spin the rear wheel freely, thus keeping the clutch cool.

In real life, if you cause a race to be stopped (like falling off) you are excluded from the re-run. In SGP it seems that this is a hit and miss affair. Sometimes you are, sometimes you're not.

In the game when you pop a wheelie (by using a clutch), backing off the throttle doesn't bring the front wheel down that quickly; guess what does bring the front wheel down? The brake control!!! Speedway bikes don't have brakes. If we could have had a more responsive and realistic throttle action the player could raise the front wheel at will by throttling harder; like the way you control the spin in GPL with the accelerator. This would have been so much better. Riding elbow to elbow is what real speedway racing is all about. In most cases, the AI riders in SGP take wider and unrealistic lines around you if you are running close. This point was emphasized by Mick Poole. It's still exciting and keeps you on your toes but it could have been so much more so. Sorry to keep going on about the "feel"of GPL in this SGP review but if Papyrus could do this in 1998, why hasn't Techland in 2003.

We were promised realism of track textures and changeable track conditions. As far as I can tell, we don't get it. A Speedway track changes every lap in real life so a line that worked perfectly the lap before doesn't work as well next lap. In SGP it seems that the inside line is the only one to use if you want to win. Backing off in the straight gives you tighter entry to the corner therefore using the inside or "pole line" is the only way to win. This lack of diversity is a major flaw. Also, the dust flying up at you from the riders ahead sees your rider just shake his head rather than have a function that could see you having to use the tear offs. Today's Speedway bikes have dirt deflectors that really help cut down the amount of moist shale flying into your goggles (in my day, No deflectors and Open face helmets meant a lot of guess work and lots of falls).

The different Stadium tracks are just graphically different, not physically different to ride.

The garage screen gives you different parts of the bike to view but I can't see any major adjustments available. Maybe I'm wrong on this as the review is based on the Polish Game version and I only speak English. This lack of variation, I think, will see even younger players get bored with the game quickly.

The most difficult setting (you only have 3) seems to give more realism in the sliding control and it could be worth going straight to difficult and keep getting beaten until you get better That is if you want any noticable degree of realism in the physics.

Choosing the "Grand Prix" selection gives you an accurate and entertaining career mode where you earn prize money to repair and/or (presumably) upgrade your bike's equipment. This is no GPL tuning page. It is limited to Frame, Tyres, Engine, Chain etc and seems to only give you a few options at each selection.

CONCLUSION

If you love GPL or enjoy the car control you need in Dirt Track Racing Sprint Cars, you won't enjoy Techland's SGP. It does however bring this fabulous sport to wider audience and will probably do better on PS2 or XBox than the SIM seeking PC user. Taylor (Mick Poole's son) loved the game but Mick's thoughts were similar to mine on how the bike and riders react. While I was at Mick Poole's house, Jason Crump (one of the riders featured in the game) rang and was very excited about the thought of a real Speedway game. I hope Jason's not too disappointed when it is released in English.

My quest for a realistic Speedway Game continues...

Graphics: 4.5 / 5
Career Mode: 3 / 5
Realism: 1 / 5