Fuel

PS3 (7+)
Rating: * * *

Pros: As the PlayStation racing sim audience waits with bated breath for the long-promised arrival of Gran Turismo 5, there has been a move towards arcade-style offroad racers. Fuel, a gigantic free roamer, sits among the likes of Pure and Motorstorm but the vehicles - motorbikes, ATVs, buggies and cars - are pretty ropey to begin with. To progress, players must complete races and challenges in various "camps" which earns fuel - which can then be cashed in for more vehicles. The challenges - which can involve anything from a point-to-point race to a race against a helicopter - furnish you with more fuel than races, and thus become pivotal to getting anywhere. But it's not the racing itself that makes Fuel the game it is - it's the sheer size of the racing environment. Set in the US once global warming has really taken hold, the game offers a massive 13,000 square kilometres of free-range racing fun among the worst that grumpy planet weather can throw at you. The races are set everywhere from the tops of snow-capped mountains to burning forests or muddy beaches.

Cons: Graphically, there's always a lot happening in Fuel. Tracks are littered with obstacles, some of which can be tackled with a twist of the throttle, others simply knock you off. But the sheer volume of stuff involved means there's a lot of show-through and random artefacts. The navigation map is often so confusing that it's worse than useless in races with multiple competitors.

Verdict: This comes from Codemasters, the company that revolutionised racing games with titles like Colin McRae Rally (and DIRT), TOCA Touring Cars and Race Driver. It's fast, ultra competitive and the online free-roaming chance to go head to head with like-minded boy racers across the planet is fluid and fun.