NCS Product Synopsis
Update: October 27, 2006
«©NCSX» Touma Mikami, Rei Kanna, and Mio Maihara of Phoenix Japan Racing are joined by old faces and new racers in the third Shinseiki GPX game for Playstation 2. The default game mode is "Grand Prix" where players may race on the 11th Grand Prix all the way up to the 19th Grand Prix. Similar to previous Shinseiki GPX games, the vehicles are sleek and gaudy looking affairs which motor on the race tracks with smooth sailing motion.
The controls are responsive with cars that respond to slight controller tugs and pulls obediently. For drift racers, the game features a drifting mechanism where players may tap the brakes lightly and then swerve the vehicle to match the curve of hairpin turns. If the other racers try to muscle your vehicle out of contention, there's always the Aero Boost which throttles the car to maximum speed for a few seconds until the booster gauge dwindles to nothing. In addition to the Grand Prix mode, the other game modes include GPX 19th, Free Run, Time Attack, and Versus which splits the screen horizontally and allows two players to race simultaneously from their respective perspectives. A Gallery contains a massive amount of artwork, cinemas, voice samples, and car info.
Bonus Schwag
Orders will include a bonus 24-page B5 size Road the the Infinity 3 Art Works booklet which contains color illustrations and sketches by Hirokazu Hisayuki and Shoji Kawamori (while supplies last).
JAN Code: 4526519000462
Region Lock-out
Please note Japanese Playstation 2 games will not boot on USA or European PS2 consoles due to the inherent region-lockout on Playstation 2 game discs.
NCS Game Notes
» In the intro to the game, a voice over explains the story of Shinseiki GPX with images of the original teams and vehicles in floating racing action across asphalt tracks as boosters fire and indicator-lights brighten up the screen. It's all very exciting as steely eyed racers battle for top ranking and push the pedals.
» Start a NEW game and players may select NORMAL or HARD. The User ID prompt only allows English input. Once in the game, the menu options are as follows:
Grand Prix
GPX 19th
Free Run
Free Battle
Time Attack
Versus
Private Area
Option
In the Private Area, data collections are as follows:
1) History - section checks out 9 tracks including Central Manhattan, Campo Grande, San Marino, Hong Kong City, and Fujioka.
2) Garage - View vehicles in rotating 3D from Sugo, Aoi, Stormzender, Union Savior, Missing Link, and AGS.
3) Replay Theater - Watch races that have been saved to memory card
4) Audio Room - Listen to 14 tracks from the game including "Tail to Nose," "Ogre," "Rhythm Red," and "Acid Trap"
5) Gallery contains 69 pieces of artwork which must all be unlocked
6) Movie - Racing cinemas - all locked
7) Voice - Play voice samples from members of the six racing teams
The Option menu allows for setting button configs, toggle Cut In, Course Indicator, sound volumes, vibration, and screen setting.
» The Grand Prix Mode starts players off at the 11th Grand Prix but the other Grand Prixs are unlocked one by one if the races are finished. The race goes up to the 19th Grand Prix. At the outset, eight racers are available to choose as your character: Hayato, Shoemach, Shinjo, Gudelhian, Heinel, Randoll, Bootsvorz, and Hiyoshi.
» Each character rides a different car with attributes that may be viewed on the screen for Max Speed, Acceleration, Handling, and Boost Speed. After selecting a character, AUTOMATIC or MANUAL transmission chosen before a couple of static screens prelude the race with two announcers and images of the car prep as racing crews get ready. There's no voice acting or animation, just music, text dialogue, and images.
» Before the race begins, the following options are available:
Start
Machine Select
Boost Setting
Free Run
Ranking
BGM
Option
» NCS recommends a Free Run to get a feel for the controls. Either the D-pad or L-analog may be used to move the vehicle. The default button configuration is as follows:
TRIANGLE.....Toggle viewpoint behind vehicle to check out chasers
SQUARE........Brake
CIRCLE.........Change perspective from cockpit to behind the car
CROSS..........Accelerate
L1................Shift down
L2................Shift up
R2................Aero Boost
» The brakes only need to be tapped lightly and players may go into a drift by moving the controller in the direction of the curve. Once the early part of the curve is taken, simply accelerate again to maintain your position in the race.
» The Boost Setting allows a player to increase or decrease the number of boosts in the race from 1 to 10. There is a trade off however - if you choose 1, the maximum boost speed is set to the maximum possible for the vehicle. If you select 10, the max speed per booster is lowered by about 40%.
» Once in the game, there's voice acting but still no cinemas. The Grand Prix mode features an initial qualifying run to determine race position. Finish in the fastest time out of seven racers and you're in position 1 for the main portion of the race. As speedsters muscle for rank, they'll talk trash and comment on their fellow racers with little communication flashes.
» Aero Boost is available to throttle a vehicle to blazing speeds. When vehicle boost up in speed, crackling energy appears over the hull
» The VERSUS mode features split-screen racing while Free Run Mode does away with time constraints so one may flow without a care
» Another enjoyable episode of Cyber GPX with excellent controls and the right amount of drama and options to maintain player interest.
Courses include:
Central Manhattan
Campo Grande
Augsburg
Postbridge Airport
Tokyo Bay Coastal
San Marino
Hong Kong City
Sydney
Characters include
Andorrea Dibiano of Team CF Ground
Mark Feinandeath of Team CF Ground
Clair of Garland SF-03
Osamu of Garland SF-03
Rena of AKF-0/18 Nemesis
Hayato of Asurada G.S.X.
Hayato of S. Asurada G.S.X.
Kaga of S.Asurada SA-01/C
This document is ©NCSX 2006, 2011. All rights reserved. No reproduction in whole or in part of this document may be made without express written consent of National Console Support, Inc.