Juiced First Look

Urban street racers (a la Midnight Club 2, Crazy Taxi 3, etc.) appear to be catching on faster than hemorrhoids at a Turkish bath. Just recently, development team Juiced Games and well-known (infamous?) publisher, Acclaim Entertainment, issued a press release saying that the companies are co-working on a new multiplatform racing game, entitled Juiced. This will be one of the many racing games published under the Acclaim brand. Some of you may not be aware that Lamborghini, Acclaim's last racing game, got canned before it could see the light of day (it's a shame really; the game seemed promising enough).

As fate would have it, this stumbling block soon turned into an advantage for Acclaim. Concepts being prepared for Lamborghini were skillfully used as a paradigm for the development of a brand new racer, and thus Juiced was born. Mind you, the game doesn't use the Lamborghini source code. Instead they're working hard on a completely new technology, specifically designed and optimized for several next-generation gaming platforms. This new project is being hailed as having many unique features that should make it appealing to the fans of the street racing genre. The game is in development for the Xbox, PS2, and PC platforms and is expected to be on store shelves as of fall 2004.

Similarly to smash-hit racers such as, Project Gotham Racing 2 and Need for Speed: Underground, Acclaim's Juiced is actually a combo of several gameplay elements that put the game somewhere between a classic simulation and a speedy urban-style arcade racer. Apart from that, the game will revolve on fierce drivers, constantly competing for money and fame. Well, that sure is similar to games like Test Drive... but, for the most part, it suggests an exciting and action-packed racing atmosphere similar to what we've seen in the movie The Fast and The Furious. (It's obvious that Acclaim has taken a cue from the boys at EA. - Ed.) Apart from distinguishing yourself as an admirable driver, you'll also have the opportunity to ally with former opponents. So above all, you are required to be a skillful and resourceful manager of your racing team... if you want to improve and gain an edge over the rivaling teams that is. The gameplay is dynamic, non-linear, and team-based, allowing gamers to recruit and train drivers, and more importantly, assume responsibility for in-game racing tactics. Although it may sound a bit complicated for a street racer, the introduction of team tactics presents a more open-ended and distinctive approach to the genre. Players have more than one way to leave their rivals in the dirt. For example, if your vehicle is lacking enough power to outrace opponents, you can always send orders to someone in your team to help you out - communication with your crew will be possible at any time. So, using a teammate to block your opponent's path is usually the good way to get ahead. Or, you can simply order a crew member to push your adversary off the road, consequentially leaving you with a clear path to the finish line (playing dirty is always acceptable if you ask me).

So, could this be the feature that sets Juiced from the rest of the pack? That could very well be the case.

At the outset, player will be given a chance to select one of the three chief modes of play. These include 'instant,' 'career,' and of course, 'multiplayer.' Each mode can be played in variants. As you may have probably guessed, the instant is an option found in almost all contemporary racing games. It allows players to enjoy a quick single-player race without having to bother with any additional options. Playing the career mode involves two key objectives: earning a great deal of cash and gaining so-called respect points. Next to these prerequisites, players are also obliged to get their mitts on slightly flashier wheels. Various racing events will also carry additional entrance requirements set and hosted by the local challenging crews.

There are numerous ways to earn respect while out on the road. Finishing in first place is not always enough to win over the crowds. That said, you'll have to perform a variety of stunts to draw some attention and sweep away the competition. If you run out of ideas, it's always possible to use emergency breaks for making sharp turns. Yep, that does the trick beautifully. I used to pull that one off many times in Colin McRae 3. (Um, that is NOT a street racer, but then again, you're not a good rally driver. - Ed.) As you progress through the Normal Career mode, you'll eventually be able to unlock various Extra Career Modes which will include the following: Sprint Mania (you need to win 50 sprint races within 90 days), Millionaire (must earn $1,000,000 in one year), Gambler (by betting you have to win $500,000), Grand Tour (race and win through all locations), Honda Challenge (win 3 races with Hondas), and Pink Slips (you must win 10 pink slip races).

The choice of vehicles in Juiced offers a praiseworthy mix of the world's top car licenses. Officially, there will be around 50 different car models to enjoy, including the following brands: Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Dodge, Ford, Mazda Mitsubishi, Pontiac, Holden, Volkswagen, Fiat, Renault, Subaru, Peugeot, and Chevrolet. Each of these brands will be matched to a wide range of parts that can be used through a handy real-time modding system. Naturally, you'll be able to acquire parts with the cash you've earned from street races. The game features authentic parts from A'PEXi, AEM, Bridgestone, Ferodo, Konig, Alpine and HKS. In other words, it appears to promise some serious fun for racing enthusiasts. Oh yeah, and one small detail should be noted as well. All vehicles will be unlocked and on hand at the beginning of the game, which means you're not required to complete challenges and races in order to race in the car of your dreams. Well, technically, that seems to be the case, but in praxis, you'll still have to race your ass off in order to afford one of these beauties. Great cars don't come cheap you know ... unless you know this friend of mine, Roger. He and his buddies own this chop shop and sell really, really good cars at rock bottom prices. Every now and then, there is a police raid on the place, but Roger says that's because they have really large rats in the place, and the SWAT guys are called in from time to time to exterminate them. But I digress...