RenderWare Shovelware - Alfa Romeo Racing Italiano Gameplay (60fps)
Howdy, welcome to a nondescript series I call RenderWare Shovelware, where we take a look at mediocre 6th generation console games that were built on Criterion Software's RenderWare game engine.
I guess my first game up is Alfa Romeo Racing Italiano. To be honest, this game really isn't as bad as I was thinking it was gonna be. As a matter of fact, the damage model in here kinda impresses me. I don't believe even Forza Motorsport on the original Xbox had a damage model as notable as this game did.
It also struck me as really strange that this game focuses on customization - not of the cars, mind you, but of your driver's abilities. It's really, really, REALLY bizarre. Also, it seems like this game beat just about every other game to the "reverse time to avoid collisions" punch with the Tiger Effect... back in June 2005, or in early 2006 if you're in North America like I am.
Outside of that, it's a really average racing game. The driving physics are nothing to write home about. Graphically, it looks like the first Burnout game if it got rendering features from Burnout Revenge. Audio-wise, it sounds like a racing game - although at least nothing really sounds like a vacuum cleaner here.
It's honestly not as terrible as I was expecting it to be, but it's nothing special at all. And I think that's this game's biggest crime: it's just not interesting to play. Sure, it has a neat damage model and some genuinely interesting ideas, but they all amount to nothing if the core of the gameplay isn't interesting. I didn't feel particularly ripped off paying $2.99 for this, but it's boring enough to deserve to be the first game in the RenderWare Shovelware showcase, at least if I bother with going on with it.
