Here Are Our First Impressions Of Grid: Autosport

A few weeks ago we had our first good look at the latest game in the Grid franchise in this trailer, but today we had the chance to try the game out for ourselves in the form of a pre-alpha test version.

Grid has always been intended as a sort of 'half-way house' between unrealistic arcade-style racers, and tricky full-on simulation games. Grid 2 came under fire for being further towards the arcade spectrum, but Grid Autosport is supposed to be bringing the series back to a happy middle ground.

The good news is that it seems to have done that. We tried all five different modes the game has to offer: Touring, Open-Wheel, Street, Endurance, and Tuner. All are very accessible, letting you pick up a controller for the first time and enjoy yourself instantly without the steep learning curve sim racing games tend to have. At the same time, it's still relatively realistic; the game's physics don't allow Project Gotham-style full throttle cornering around every bend.

Something that'll come as a big disappointment to many, though, is the in-cockpit view. It was absent in Grid 2 and is back for Autosport, but not how you might want it. The developers say that it was a relatively late addition to the game, and as such, there hasn't been time to sort out proper textures for all the different cars before release, leaving you with a blurred out dashboard and steering wheel. It's not a great look, and doesn't seem like a great compromise. You're much better off sticking with the dashcam-style view.

What's going on outside the car is a little more aesthetically-pleasing. The graphics looked impressive on the PC version we played, with the cars themselves beautifully modelled, and some nice details in the background such as planes flying overhead. The cars do receive a reasonable degree of damage, both cosmetic and mechanical, but as with most driving games, a 100mph+ head on crash into a wall doesn't result in quite the carnage it would in real life. We tested that, just to be thorough...

The different modes give a good variety to the gameplay. Endurance racing introduces tyre wear, so you'll need to be thinking about strategies, and involves lots of night-time driving. Sepang International circuit looked particularly exquisite during our test of that game mode.

Sound realism - a big deal for many racing gamers - varies from each mode. The most realistic seemed to be the Endurance and Touring modes, the latter featuring lots of delicious pops. The Formula Three cars we tried in the Open-Wheel mode sounded a little weedy meanwhile, and the Audi RS5 we took for a spin in Street mode didn't sound quite right.

The drifting in Tuner mode is challenging but good fun, and oddly, seems to have a higher degree of cosmetic damage than the other parts of the game. A hefty off during our efforts to drift like a boss resulted in numerous panels flying off and the driver's door flapping open precariously.

What we've seen so far is promising indeed. The interior view quality is a blow, but overall it looks as though Grid Autosport has brought the series back towards sim racing, without the steep learning curve. For less hardcore gamers who want a relatively realistic racing experience without the difficulty associated with sims, it could be the perfect happy medium.

We'll bring you our verdict soon when we get our hands on the full version of the game. It'll be released to the public on 27th June.