Nascar 2002 Racing Season Screenshots actual in-game screen shots The Final Say! Gameplay 8.2 Graphics 8.1 Sound 7.4 Value 8.3 Nascar 2002 Racing Season -  reviewed by Andrew B Review Date: 21 May 2002 Review Score: 8/10  Distributor: Vivendi Universal

"Feel the power of a 750-horsepower Nascar stockcar in next instalment of  the award winning series by Papyrus Racing Games... Nascar Racing 2002 Season" Nascar racing is extremely popular in the United States and if it could be compared with anything in Australia, I would say it is a little bit similar to the V8 Racing series. That is the popularity of V8 Racing and the high performance of the cars. But that said, the racing style is completely different. Due to Nascar's popularity, the PC gaming world has been treated to some extremely well created games, especially from Papyrus Racing Games and Sierra who have always produced good quality games. The problem with this current game is how do you make something that is already good, even better? Thankfully the developers have introduced even more features in the 2002 game that make an almost perfect racing experience. The new features of Nascar 2002 are;  Official 2002 Teams and Sponsors Official racing circuits that include Chicagoland Speedway and Kansas Motor Speedway Track tours narrated by world famous Nascar Driver, Darrell Waltrip Driving Lessons The ability to race up to 43 drivers simultaneously online Improved 3D physics to ensure one of the most realistic Nascar experiences As with all Sierra games, installation is very simple, minimizes user input and only took a few minutes to install. The minimum requirements for this game is a Pentium II 450Mhz, 64MB RAM, 16MB Direct 3D Compatible video card. The game is designed to work extremely well on all computers above the minimum specifications. That said, the game never dropped below 30 frames per second which is a very acceptable level of speed for racing games. Most of the time, the game ran a steady 50-70 frames per second that insured some of the smoothest gameplay I've ever seen on the PC. Nascar offers a variety of different game modes that include Driving Lessons that lets you learn about the cars and tracks you will race on. There is also a track tour that features the legendary Darrell Waltrip who gives you some detailed information on how to win. Testing Session allows you to test the track by just cruising around the tracks. Single Race (or quick race) is weekend racing for those of you who just want a quick and fast race.

Championship mode lets you race the official 2002 season of Nascar racing which is guaranteed to give you many hours of enjoyment. Last but not least is the multiplayer mode that lets you play against up to 43 people simultaneously online. Hows that for multiplayer support?

The gameplay of Nascar Racing 2002 Season is very easy to pick up and supports a wide range of different controller setups, including force-feedback. There are two different driving styles to choose from which are simulation (professional racing) and arcade (novice racing). On a higher level, the game is very realistic and one knock in the wrong direction will have you spinning into the barriers or the grass. As with most racing games of this genre, once you are off the road, it is extremely difficult to get back on the track quickly without spinning the car. 

There are a  wide variety of different graphic modes and settings that will ensure that this game will play on a wide range of computing systems. All the cars have their official advertising and have a beautiful designed 3D feel to them. The design of the tracks may seem a little plain but that's because Nascar isn't set in exotic locations such as the F1 racing circuit. The most impressive feature of this game is the car models that look identical to the real cars used in Nascar racing. You will be forgiven to think that you are watching a real Nascar race when you are watching your replay, its almost like watching television. 

Nascar Racing 2002 Season is a well designed racing game for the PC but may not be everyone's cup of tea because it's aimed at the US market. If you are a racing fan who likes real-world simulation racers, then this game is for you. If you are looking for a lovely drive around the country side in a Dodge than look elsewhere. This game has been designed to be as realistic as possible on the PC and not even the smallest detail has been left out. It's time to show the Americans what kind of Nascar drivers we Aussie's are...Recommended!

- Andrew B