SimBin has established itself as one of the pioneers in the racing simulator genre, with critically acclaimed titles such as the GTR series. Their latest venture, RaceRoom Racing Experience, adopts the free-to-play business model which grants access to circuits and vehicles via micro-transactions. With such extortionate pricing models illustrated by Real Racing 3, can a well respected developer buck the trend and find a balance between premium content and affordability?
The game conveys an exceptionally poor first impression with clunky menus and vastly confusing navigation. This involves maneuvering around two circles, one which commences each race and the other consists of tiles that outlines various options depending which menu screen you are on. It becomes a very laborious task as most of the time is spent learning a counter-intuitive user interface. Not only that, choosing to compete in competitions transforms the UI into a browser based system, completely different to the rest of the game. As these are only accessible using the mouse, I found it to be infuriating that I couldn’t use my 360 controller from a distance, which also meant I could not play if my rig was connected to a TV. The only redeeming feature is paid content is highlighted via a pink strip which is a well thought out feature.
If the UI transpires to be the worst element of RaceRoom Racing, the audio is the absolute best. From the interior viewpoint, the accurate roar of individual vehicles and subtle gear changes are some of the best i’ve witnessed in any racing title. The attention to detail is spectacular with small engine audio differences when accelerating onto the kerbs. SimBin has even altered the engine tones for the external view, providing a louder and punchier sound.
Graphically, the game is aesthetically pleasing with an incremental update on previous SimBin titles. Whilst nothing mind-blowing, it is a joy to look at when scenery levels are displayed at maximum settings. It is also well optimized and ran on the ultra preset at 60fps without any frame dips. For a free to play game the quality of graphics on offer is extremely high, and entices you into looking at it even if you have aversions to the business model. There is automatic support for various steering wheels and configured my 360 controller out of the box, but this fails to redeem the fact you are unable to navigate the menus without the use of a mouse.
As you would expect from a SimBin title, the physics are exemplary. The simple art of driving becomes so enjoyable and immersive. There are two levels of difficulty, Amateur and Get Real. The perplexing menus create the impression that the default physics are dumbed down mainly due to a poor explanation of additional difficulties. With this option, it tends to feel similar to the Need for Speed Shift handling model, which is incredibly simplistic On the more advanced preset, attaining the perfect lap is challenging but extremely rewarding. To become proficient at the game, you approach corners with gradual throttle and brake early, slowly accelerating out of the corner, whilst reducing wheelspin. It is essential not to be too aggressive as you will undoubtedly spin out.
One innovative feature is the Apex Hunt mode, which provides a brilliant learning tool to master various circuits. Instead of the standard dynamic racing line, you are provided with apex points to hit whilst trying to beat the target lap time. As the difficulty increases and the target time is quicker, you are required to hit more of the apex points. SimBin have created an inventive system which works incredibly well and they should be applauded. The only major criticism is a lack of damage modelling in the current build.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of issues with not only the pricing model but also the lack of content on offer. After downloading a 13gb file, I was flabbergasted that there is only the option to play 2 tracks with 3 cars. To the developer’s credit, their own custom track Raceroom Raceway is highly enjoyable and incredibly satisfying to master. You are only given the opportunity to set the best time in a 60 minute session against AI opponents in the free run mode. Other aspects such as the single player, and multiplayer are greyed out making them unavailable. Initially, due to the confusing UI you get the impression these features were intentionally omitted and would be sold on the storefront. However, despite no indication of this anywhere, the game is still in a beta stage and additional content is still being worked on. This proposes the question, why is it even on Steam?
One argument could be to gather a significant user base in time for the release of the complete game. I believe that is a monumental error as with a multitude of racing games on offer, the average user will feel cheated by the lack of free content and uninstall the game without any regret. Even if money was no object, you could only do time-trials on a maximum of 8 tracks, with 2 of them already being free. There is a lot of potential here, but currently the game is nothing more than a glorified demo.
The microtransactions are also far too expensive, and begs the question if SimBin were attempting to create an alternative to the highly revered IRacing. You can purchase VRP credits in increments of 500, 1100, 2000 and 5000 which equate to £4.79 ($7.44), £9.59 ($14.90), £16.79 ($26.08) and £38.39 ($59.63). I find is quite distasteful, that even from a reputable developer, they chose to adopt the points system for purchases instead of simply stating how much in real money each item costs. This tends to lead to a situation in which the user finds it more difficult to keep track of their purchases.
Personally, I feel this implies that the developer is trying to trick the consumer into spending more money than they realise. The prices do vary on numerous paid content, from slightly affordable to excessive. There are 29 cars available in total. These can cost upwards of 329 VRP for premium vehicles such as the Mclaren MP4-12C GT3. Whilst individually these may seem not too shabby, having a garage of your favourite cars is quickly going to become very expensive. Circuits also range from 199 VRP for the Raceroom Hillclimb to 549 VRP for the infamous Bathurst track. The biggest problem is RaceRoom Racing Experience has so much competition from traditional pricing structures, which offer a huge single player experience for the cost of a few items. In the coming months, premium titles such as Grid 2, Trackmania 2: Stadium and Real World Racing will offer so much more value for money.
Conclusion – Is It Worth Your Money?
In it’s current state, Raceroom Racing Experience is a laudable concept hindered by poor execution and lack of content. The core physics are impressive but this does little to entice you playing for too long due to its limited depth. With a confusing menu system, and little incentive to buy credits, there are better alternatives on the market with a traditional pricing scheme. In the future, when the development process has been completed, it could be a genre defining game. However, I feel by this time most gamers will have moved onto something else.
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