Xbox 360 (G)
Pros: If it's arcade racing fun of the "need for speed" ilk that you're after, this is not it. Race Pro is a stripped-down, heavily focused racing simulator that requires a dedicated driving game geek to get the best out of it. There's no fancy soundtrack, just
race cars, 13 quality circuits and bumper-to-bumper driving action. Cars range from idiot-proof Mini Coopers in the Challenge series through to 1000hp fire-breathers and single seaters. A wide range of championships are on offer, including WTCC and Formula 3000 - and just about everything in between, including production cars like the Audi R8 and angry GTs from Aston Martin and Saleen. Tracks are spectacularly well rendered with every bump, dodgy bit of ripple strip and sandpit spillover there to trip you up. Car set-up is comprehensive and you can feel set-up changes rather than settling for the "placebo effect" modifications some games seem to offer.
Cons: The one big gripe - and it is a big one - is the lack of control customisation. The R1 and L1 buttons are used for accelerator and brake respectively, with three different option sets for gear changes, look behind etc. It is a huge help in simulators to be able to choose your own controls, and for a game that's unashamedly targeting players of this type of title, the lack of customisation is annoying.
Verdict: Great game from award-winning PC simulator kings SimBin, with excellent cars and tracks, good graphics, great car sounds recorded from real race machines, and only one real downside - the controls.
