Metacritic Games

Pro Race Driver (Playstation 2)

[Also known as "TOCA Race Driver"] Ryan McKane, a test driver with gasoline running in his veins, spends his life struggling against his father's disappointment, while his brother's phenomenal racetrack success overshadows every minor victory he achieves. When his father perishes in an octane-fuelled blaze of fire on the asphalt that he loved, Ryan's frustrated ambition galvanizes into a unrelenting determination to triumph over all opposition and become first a touring car champion, then maybe even World Champion. Petrolheads and mass market gamers alike slam the pedal to the metal to guide the actions of our hero through the hairpins and chicanes of a career in global racing. Features 42 licensed touring & race cars including Holden Commodore, Ford Falcon, Mercedes CLK, Alfa Romeo GTV and Viper GTS; 38 international circuits recreated under licence including Bathurst, Hockenheim and Silverstone; and 13 global Championships including official series: DTM from Germany, V8 Supercars from Australia and the Britsh Touring Car Championship. [Codemasters]

Codemasters
Racing, Simulation
Players: 4
E (Everyone)
Developer: Codemasters
Released December 10, 2002

Overall Metascore

This is a weighted, normalized average of all individual scores given by critics, on a scale of 0 (worst) to 100 (best).

81 / 100

Critic Reviews

95 GameZone
The complete mix of tight handling, great AI, realistic car tweaking and damage, awesome graphics and sound, multiple game modes, and a great story line definitely surpassed my overall enjoyment of "GT3."
93 IGN
A blisteringly fast, high-end driving experience that really is in a class of its own.
93 Game Informer
Racing games this good are almost nonexistent. [Nov 2002, p.112]
90 Total Video Games
An excellent title that offers a great racing experience, a novel storyline and an immense number of tracks and cars to race with.
90 Cheat Code Central
From the thunder of the engines to the sound of breaking glass you won't need much further convincing that you are playing one of the finest racing games ever created for the home system.
90 Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
Story aside, PRD is a damn fine racer... I'm completely addicted. [Feb 2003, p.109]
88 GameSpy
Codemasters takes an above-average racer and puts it over the top by involving the gamer in a drama.
88 GamingTrend
The damage model system ties in nicely with the control system and your car will begin to be more difficult to control as you lose pieces of it. You catch too much air and control is lost; you hammer the brakes and they will lock. Every detail is as it should be...
85 GameCritics
Its priorities are set on showing players that racetracks aren't deserted areas as would a ghost town be and that drivers still represent the heart and soul of racing. In this respect, Pro Race Driver is as close to reality as racing games can get.
83 TotalGames.net
Acceptable, occasionally technically impressive but, on the whole, either at or below the par set by other driving games. This one is still recommended, but just veers a few degrees below the target that we like to call essential.
83 Gaming Age
One of those games that will be remembered years down the road for anyone who plays this fine title.
83 XenGamers
The action is heated enough to hold your attention and the cool touches like a fantastic damage engine make it all worthwhile.
80 PSX Nation
What Bam!'s 2001 release "Driven" should have, but wasn't: a good racing engine tied to an unfolding story.
80 PSM Magazine
Apart from the superb career mode, the game also offers up plenty of licensed cars, solid visuals, excellent handling, and some truly impressive collision physics/damage. [Jan 2003, p.42]
80 G4 TV
Setting PRD apart from other games in the genre, the AI is intelligent, responsive, and unforgiving. Seeing a group of opponents jockeying for position as they approach a bend is not uncommon. Players must earn every win, as the AI cars will take advantage of every mistake.
79 Games Radar UK (Pre-2006)
If the work that's gone into TOCA's story element had been put into the game itself, we might now be saluting the PS2's best racing game. Instead we're lightly applauding a rather good one. [GamesMaster]
76 GameSpot
Despite its problems, Pro Race Driver usually does a fine job of integrating storytelling and dramatic, varied racing, rightfully putting the spotlight on both men and machines.
75 Electronic Gaming Monthly
The detailed plot adds an interesting twist to the genre, but honestly, all the talking gets a little old after a while, especially since the main character's usually just whining. [Feb 2003, p.135]
75 Entertainment Weekly
The narrative bits ain't Shakespeare, but they work well enough to advance the story. [24 Jan 2003, p.107]
70 Yahoo! Games
A fun game, and the inclusion of a character driven -oh ho - plot to be the right direction for the genre to go. But it’s not for anyone who is either looking for the next-generation visual thrill of its competition, or heavy realism.
60 GamePro
The story is laughably bad, and McKane has to be one of the most unlikable protagonists ever. Even worse, the racing gameplay just isn’t that exciting, largely due to lackluster handling and A.I. competition.
60 netjak
Unfortunately, Ryan comes off as an unlikable, whiney cliche. Being that this is a racing game, its ultimate success resides in the on track action, as it should.

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