GRID Autosport: A need for next-gen speed

Codemasters has taken the decision to ignore next-gen consoles in favour of focusing on developing a game in response to Grid 2 feedback in the form of Autosport.

In doing so, the team has created something that focuses on five driving disciplines for players to sink their teeth into and work up the ranks: endurance, street, open wheel, tuner and touring. All unique enough in their own right for players to find their niche and plough into, with objectives within each race and season to earn experience.

All sounds interesting. So why when I pick up the pad am I bored?

The first reason is the AI. Next-gen gaming introduced ‘the cloud’, and with it, Turn 10 introduced Drivatar in Forza Motorsport 5. More than a simple buzzword, it brought with it great improvements to single player racing, a point that I argued upon the game’s launch. While Autosport’s AI is certainly more aggressive than the average racer – I’ve was bumped off the track enough times to warrant an expletive or two – it lacks the spontaneity to keep me entirely focused on the race at hand; I’ll never see the intense, wheel-to-wheel driving I did in Forza 5.

There are, of course, the usual diving assists and difficulty adjustments to increase the challenge. But once the driving assists are set, having only three difficulty settings means you can never truly fit the opponents to your skill to provide the right amount of challenge.

It becomes another case of going through the motions. Race after race. Result after result – there’s not much engagement of any kind. There’s a lack of any sense of speed, or thrill. You never feel that things could change with one slip of the accelerator or a sudden brake.

While including five styles is a nice move, it isn’t enough for a game to hang its hat on. These are basically different racing ‘modes’, the equivalent of Call of Duty resting its laurels on Capture the Flag or Domination. It also becomes a ‘Jack of all trades’ issue, highlighted by the ‘open wheel’ discipline. Open wheel cars are most similar to those in F1, but this mode lacks the complexity and detail of Codemasters flagship series. If I veer onto the grass or cobbles, stones and mud don’t transfer to my wheels and affect grip; the lack of punishment for these minor errors means there’s little need to worry.

The exception is endurance. Racing here is intense, demanding more than a simple crash, bang, wallop to get to the front of the queue. Races last a set period of time, requiring you to manage your tyres as effectively as possible while trying to stay ahead on the grid. Driving requires much greater skill and patience – sometimes it’s not worth going for the easy overtake on the outside in order to preserve your tyres for the latter stages of the race. Plus no matter how carefully you drive, the final minute or two is like Bambi on ice, with hairpin turns and chicanes being approached at a snail’s pace. Though the speed is slower overall, there isn’t a moment to rest.

Codemasters has also introduced a concept called ‘team orders’, a great idea that’s currently executed. At any time during a race you’re able to instruct your teammate to attack or defend. If they’re in front of you, it’s essentially asking them to be more aggressive to move you both up the field. If they’re behind, it’s all about holding position to slow the chasing pack.

There’s a few issues, mind. First, orders only feel relevant when you’re one or two positions away from each other, which can be very rare. Secondly, at the time of preview, the driver is often incapable of executing the order, especially over the course of multiple laps. Finally, it feels weird that I’m able to essentially dictate a rival’s race behaviour. Team orders are usually given by the pit crew to drivers, and I think it’d be more interesting to be given orders and react to a given situation, rather than tell the AI to help me out. How would you react if ordered to hold onto third rather than push for the win to allow your teammate to take the chequered flag? A far more enticing concept.

It’s important to note that Grid Autosport isn’t a bad game. It looks very nice on PC, although the decision to blur the interior in cockpit cam is a little odd. The controls are sharp and responsive and each car class handles differently enough to justify its inclusion. There’s just a lack of thrill that’s so important in racing games. If at any point during a race you have time to think, you’re either bored, or distracted to the point of making a mistake. Autosport suffers from the former and the decision to stick with the old tech means the new ideas can’t truly flourish.

There’s a fun game here, and hopefully Codemasters can make it shine when it launches this July.