Auto Modellista  Review for Gamecube

Friday, July 28, 2006

Title: Auto Modellista .............................................. System: Gamecube .............................................. Genre: Racing .............................................. Publisher: Capcom .............................................. Developer: Capcom .............................................. Release: October 1, 2003 .............................................. Online: No .............................................. ESRB: Everyone (E) .............................................. Imagine yourself flying down a race track in a cel shaded yet stylish car. That is the principle behind Auto Modellista, a racer that has an abundance of cars all in their cartoon glory. With a lot of hype surrounding this game before its release it made an impact with a different look, interesting upgrade system, and odd physics. Gameplay: This game has a lot that attracts people but once played most of them will shy away from it. On a bright note this game has perhaps one of the absolute coolest career modes, Garage Life, and anyone who keeps it will be content unlocking parts and organizing the shop. This mode allows you to unlock parts and cars, and then use what you have unlocked without buying it. You can also keep the shop looking good by placing your trophies, pictures, and toolboxes inside. In addition it also has the standard arcade and multiplayer modes to round out the mix. Issues include the overly steep learning curve, which seems too easy to start but after a few levels the game seems impossibly hard. Multiplayer: Like most Playstation 2 games, Auto Modellista has local multiplayer support even though it only supports two players. In addition, you can also challenge tons of people online. Graphics: Perhaps the most recognizable and most appealing element to Auto Modellista is the cel shading. This provides a welcome change from the horde of other racers struggling to become more realistic in their look. The major fault in the graphics is the tracks themselves. They are dull, uninspired, and seem to be lacking the pizzazz the vehicles have. Sound: The audio department this game is also lacking thanks to a combination of cars that sound like bees, techno elevator music, and an obnoxious announcer. Another negative side is you can’t use custom soundtracks that are ripped onto your Playstation 2. Controls: Even with a comfortable button layout the games’ physics are lacking. Quite often you will find yourself restarting a race simply because of the overly slippery tracks. Oddly there is no combination that keeps you on the road, only coming to a halt or smashing into a wall can save you once you start sliding. Directional Pad – Steer Left Thumbstick - Steer A - Accelerate B - Hand brake X - Brake Y - Hazard Lights White - Change Camera Angle Black - Switch to RearView Left Trigger - Downshift Right Trigger - Shift Up Start - Start game/Pause/Pause Menu Back - Horn Overall this is a racer set apart by its graphics, unique upgrade system, and phenomenal replay value. However with a steep learning curve, annoying audio and frustrating physics this game warrants a rental but another racer like Need for Speed Underground is a much better investment.   The Core Score Overall 7.2 Fun 7 Gameplay 7.5 Graphics 8 Audio 4 Replay 7   How we score games