Motor City Online

Are you a devotee of hot rod magazines? Do you dream of owning a ’57 Chevy that’s all tricked out? Miss out on (or simply miss) the cool days of the late 50s and 60s when it was all about street drags, cool cars, rocking surf music and drive-ins.

Well, the latter you will have to do without, but for the rest, Electronic Arts has a game that may be right up you drag strip. It’s called Motor City Online, and it’s all about cars, the car culture and drag racing.

No, you can’t cruise through Motor City, but you can chat with other aficionados of the sport, win cash in drags, and customize your ride to your heart’s desire.

Chat: “Looking to buy a Chevy 348, selling a 307 with blower.”

But, of course, in order to get the parts, you have to bid on them in a sort of on-line auction system. And then there is the racing. Some races require an entry fee; others require you to put your pink slip on the line. No ride, no cash and no play. That relegates players back to square one, and a new character, with the basics.

If you win a race, or qualify in a race format, you earn cash and points. The points will work toward leveling up, increasing the payoff and the risk.

While there is no real social setting, like a drive-in café, there are plenty of opportunities to chat with fellow drivers. In this regard, the player interface is very well set up. You will have instant access to every facet of the game, including the garage or workshop where you can customize your machine, or machines.

The key to the game is the racing format itself. There are street drags, circuits and straightaway drag races. Watching the entry fee and criteria to each is your key to success. Granted, your initial vehicle (a choice between a ’57 Chevrolet Bel-Air, a ’57 Ford Fairlane, or ’57 Ford Ranchero) may be a sweet machine, but when it comes to actually racing, it might not stand up to the competition. There are sponsored races which is not so much a matter of the most powerful vehicle, but which tests your driving ability.

The control set-up is set to accommodate almost any player. If you don’t have any peripherals, then you can use the keyboard controls. For those with force-feedback capabilities, or wheels, those are also supported.

The graphics are (in-race) three-dimensional and very nice. Tracks contain tire marks, and the dust from passing vehicles. The sound is exquisite. There are five radio channels to listen to, and each contains updates, as well as a selection of ‘50s and ‘60s style music. You will, of course, hear the rumble of the cars as you rev the engines, and the continuous roar of races is a reminder of the game you are playing.

Whether you are a car enthusiast, or simply a player who likes to race cars, this is a game that is a joy to play. As a newcomer to the world of racing, you may not win every race, or even qualify – and you will have to watch how you spend your money. However, EA Games has done a remarkable job of trying to level the playing field, enabling those with experience to move ahead rapidly while allowing those without racing experience to continue to try without punishing them for that lack of expertise.

There is something highly addictive about this game. Perhaps it is the combination of strategy and reflexive driving skill. Maybe it is in getting in touch with memories of a time long ago when muscle cars ruled the universe and every driver was the king or queen of the enclosed world. Regardless, when it comes to massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPG), this one has carved a new niche and filled it very nicely.

This game is rated for Everyone. The cost – aside from the purchase of the game – is $9.99 per month, with the first month free to new subscribers.

Install: Medium
There are two install options – compact and full. Figure to give up about 800 megs of hard-drive space in order to make this game run smoothly.

Gameplay: 8.8
Though technically an online race game, (the racing is quite fun and features a variety of tracks) there is so much else happening to make this game complex and enjoyable. Not only are there the auctions, but clubs to join, and the constant upgrades to vehicles.

Graphics: 8.5
Though perhaps not as strong as EA’s Need for Speed, this title certainly has great racing graphics.

Sound: 9
The musical score is really awesome. The announcing is quite good and the car sound effects are on a par with most race simulations.

Difficulty: 9
This game is full of challenges, but the player interface makes it easy to navigate through the process, and some online players are more than willing to share information.

Concept: 9.5
In the world of car-racing sims, this program has carved out a remarkable niche of its own.

Multiplayer: 9
Obviously, this is an online game, so the multiplayer aspects have to be strong – and they are. As mentioned, there are some online who are friendly and willing to share information or give hints, and that really makes newcomers to the game feel welcomed.

Overall: 9.2
Muscle cars are back, and racing has never been so much fun. True, the first cars you get may have plenty of horsepower, but they are too heavy to compete well. That’s where winning points and money, and then increasing your stable of cars comes into play. Even if you don’t know a Chevy from a Ford, you will learn. With its bouncy soundtrack, the challenge of racing, this game is a certified blast from the past revived and reinvigorated by present-day technology.