[Bond]

http://xbox.ign.com/articles/359/359894p1.html

Just when you thought Xbox couldn't have any more great racers, in comes Sega GT 2002, continuing Sega's popular GT series. Once again, Sega is about to make gamers thankful they became a third-party developer. Sega GT is a gorgeous race with some of the best real-time reflections we've seen. A little more forgiving than Gran Turisimo 3, Sega GT 2002 is a racing sim with a slew of cars, including some amazing classics.

Features:

Drive over 120 cars, including classic and concept cars
Real-time reflections
Twelve tracks
Trophy wall holds photos from races and trophies won throughout career
Over 2 million customization options!
5.1 Dolby Digital sound makes you feel like you are on the track
Only for Xbox

A racing game is all about the cars, and Sega GT has plenty. There are over 120 cars, including classic and concept cars. While it's great to drive the last Audi, there's nothing quite like being able to hop into a '70 Chevelle and race around the track.

Real life vehicles from Ford, Acura, Lexus, Audi, Honda, Toyota, Chevrolet, Peugeot, Fiat, Alpha Romeo, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Opel, Dodge, Subaru, Lotus, Caterham, Mazda, Jaguar, Mitsubishi, and Renault are well represented in GT 2002.

Sega GT 2002 features four racing modes: GT, Chronicle Mode, Quick Race and Time Trial. Chronicle mode is the most interesting, as it lets you take a classic car and race through 6 different stages. You start in the 70s, racing against cars from that era, and move on through the 80s and finally 90s. Races in chronicle mode begin in sepia-toned black and white, and slowly bleed into color over the first thirty seconds. It's a cool effect and adds a nice touch to the nostalgia. There are more classic cars available but you have to unlock them in GT Mode and then they'll be added to the roster for that particular make. For example under the Ford brand you may already have a '68 Mustang GT available to you when you start the game, but you know there will be more classic 'stangs unlocked once you get deep into GT mode.

And, of course, if classic cars aren't your thing, are plenty of more modern cars, mostly from the big Japanese automakers, to choose from. The high end and econonmic brands are separated so that you get the flashy new SC 430 under the Lexus brand as well as the Supras and Celicas from the '90s and '80s from the Toyota nameplate.

Because these are licensed cars, there is no damage modeling in the game. However, in the GT series, bumping against other cars and walls will lower your cars damage bar. This doesn't affect performance, but if the bar is fully depleted at the end of the race (which is hard to avoid), the cost of repairs will be deducted from your winnings. This is to try and discourage gamers from doing the old Gran Turismo cheat of driving full speed and letting other cars and rails brake them through turns. There's no cheating here, you'll have to be good to win at Sega GT 2002.

The cars handle realistically, with sluggish cars feeling just that way. Fortunately, cars can be souped up with an incredible amount of customization options. All you need to do is win some cash. The controls will be familiar to any racing fan, with the triggers acting as brake and acceleration, the left thumbstick steering the car, and the B button for the e-brake. Sega GT doesn't demand quite as much precision as Gran Turisimo, but that's actually a good thing in our eyes. The game is certainly not an arcade racer, but is a bit more accessible to a larger number of gamers than Gran T.

The game is a true beauty, though perhaps not quite on par with Rallisport Challenge. Every car has a driver who actually looks like they're driving. One cool touch is being able to look in the rearview mirror and see that everything is backwards, including signs. Because you are on closed tracks, there's a little less to look at than Rallisport, but you can clearly see the city skyline in the background. There are also weather effects, to add to the beauty of the visuals.

We'll say it now and stand by it -- Sega GT 2002 has the best sound to ever grace a car racer. Beautifully done in 5.1, this is the first racer we've played that actually sounded like you were driving a car. You can hear other cars as they zip by, and there is even a Doppler effect as they speed by. As you head past the stands, you can hear the rise of spectator cheers. But nothing could prepare us for going through a tunnel. It's about as real as it gets in terms of sound.

Sega GT 2002 is not openly planned to be online, however Sega's Japanese website notes that an "online append disc" is in development for the Japanese version. It's hard to imagine that won't also come to the U.S., though perhaps the initial release of Sega GT will include online play without need of a booster disc. We'll keep an ear out for any new details.

Sega GT 2002 sounds great, no surprise there though. Although I hope some screen shots are released soon.