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Outrun 2006: Coast2Coast

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    Outrun 2006: Coast2Coast


    XBOX - PS2 - PSP - PC
    Release Date: 31st March 2006
    Publisher: Sega Developer: Sumo

    Impressions:

    I gotta honestly say the best console racer (Outrun 2) has been outdone by this beauty!

    Had this a few days, but picked up a proper copy from work today, couldn't wait! I love the visuals, albiet the jaggies, but I understand, and now I don't notice it so much. I love the new cars, and the new miles system, I feel it will make me work for everything a bit more, because eventually I'll be looking to have EVERYTHING unlocked.

    Yet to try XBL (Online now, waiting for someone to play! ) but I can't wait to get racing on there, about 50% through the missions and they're starting to get a bit tough... Altho I'm not happy with my crapness at the moment... I used to be ace at Outrun 2...

    But all those reviews I've seen with 8's and 9's, are so correct, feel sorry for the tools at work who ripped into it when I played it when the shop shut... Grr!

    Thanks S0L & the rest of Sumo!

    #2
    Indeed: I have Xbox and she is lovely. I don't have anything more constructive to say than that at the mo.

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      #3
      Thanks to Gameplay this was waiting for me after a long boring Wednesday, just what I needed. Awesome game, definitely worthy of all the high scores its receiving.

      Outrun 2006+PS2=gaming nirvana

      Powersliding agonizingly close to a truck in a Testarosa, its just sublime.

      Cheers Sol and everyone at Sumo for this gem.

      Outrun miles
      Last edited by Kungfu; 29-03-2006, 19:53.

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        #4
        Just tried it on Live, it's sublime, but I'm wondering where the hell the Slipstream On/Off option is, it's in the manual...

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          #5
          Slipstream on/off is deffo in the PSP version. The only gripe I have so far is that you need both PS2 and PSP versions to get all of the available content. Basically you have to buy the same game twice. I'm not pleased with that at all, although I'm now considering picking up yet another PS2. This game has pulled me away from Oblivion though so it must be good.
          Kept you waiting, huh?

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            #6
            ^hire the ps2 version from blockbuster - thats my plan

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              #7
              It is awesome, but i find the menus confusing as hell. I probably need to play it a bit more, but why is there an option to play Outrun SP and Outrun 2 in the main single player mode as well as an option to play them in the front menu? Each of these then have Heart Attack modes etc... I genuinely find it really confusing as to what's what. Anyone be good enough to explain it to me, as i'm clearly being a bit thick

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                #8
                Got the Xbox version today. I am loving every second of it. Excellent game!!!!

                Nice one Sumo

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                  #9
                  I'm a huge fan of every type of arcade racer and have been looking forward to the port of this for some time!

                  I'm looking to pick up the PS2 version as I sold my Xbox for a 360 but from current inpressions it sounds like a brillant conversion! Does anyone have any PS2 specific impressions?

                  Eitherway I'll be picking this up tommrow before work, can't wait till the weekend!

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                    #10
                    Does the PS2 version support the DFP Logitech wheel?

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                      #11
                      No

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                        #12
                        I don't know whether to spend OutrunMiles on music or cars.

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                          #13
                          Originally posted by J0e Musashi
                          The only gripe I have so far is that you need both PS2 and PSP versions to get all of the available content. Basically you have to buy the same game twice. I'm not pleased with that at all
                          Wrong - Go read the thread in headlines SOL has already stated there's a cheat to unlock the goods sans-linkup on PSP/PS2.

                          Xbox version - Christ on a bike - played the "trial" version and thought not bad - put some effort into full version tonight and blow me over with a ****ing feather it is the dogs bollocks - RR6 can go take a flying frug to itself now for all I care.

                          SOL - I salute you & the team at Sumo - what a job.

                          I'll be picking up the PSP version tomorrow - That'll be the PSP that was going up for sale this weekend !!! ft:

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                            #14
                            im impressed with the ps2 version, looks just as colourful as the xbox version, feels great on the ps2 pad. looks good in 480p too. i ignored the jaggies as they dont bother me. cant wait for the pc version though cos of the 720p option.

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                              #15
                              Heh, mighty good, it is. Though (and I feel I ought to whisper it like a dirty secret or something) I still think that OutRun2 was better. Ack, it's hard to say like some sort of confession, since C2C is such a wonderful, wonderful game as well. I just think the purity of the game is all so there in the previous title. C2C just seems to lose some of that for be but it's still mighty mighty enjoyable.

                              Anyway, let's get some first play banter going for those who don't have the game, shall we? Let's start with OutRun2 and build: Coast 2 Coast is basically a package built around the OutRun2 SP arcade game which, in turn builds upon it's predecessor, OutRun2. SP provided 15 whole new stages in a new route map, along with a few little gameplay tweaks: each of the cars feels more distinct now, with some feeling a little more tail-heavy than before. The changes are minute in each case, but they all comprise to make SP overall a tougher ride to handle; balancing the car and controlling it's movement in and out of drift and grip states is much harder work this time around. Yet whilst it's arguably harder to control, the game is more forgiving, to compensate: triffic tumbles out of your way in a straight-on prang and penalties for scraping against them are minimal. Bumps and scrapes against the edges of the tracks are also less painful, making the game that bit more accessible. Whilst mistakes are by no means unpunished, it's now almost difficult to send the car spinning and crashing out of control.

                              The new SP tracks are lovely to gaze at, filled with enourmous amounts of detail and little touches that everyone but Sega seems to forget about these days. That being said, the game really does not look as sharp as its Xbox predecessor, OutRun2. 'Jaggies' are very visible, moreso than before, and make a mess of some of the locations appearances, which is a real shame. Was this a concession that needed to be made in order to fit SP's increased detail onto not only the Xbox, but the PS2 as well? The Sound and graphics package is otherwise amazing, building upon OutRun2 with additional layers of flair and outrageousness that is really fitting with the series.

                              So what of the actual Coast2Coast package? At first it's a complicated tangle of selections to unravel. Gone is most of OutRun2's presentational style, in it's place a ferrari-motivated theme which, if I'm quite honest, feels a little bland next to the sun and palms of OutRun2. the menus are a little complicated to navigate, mainly since they take upon a single theme and layout: every menu looks very similar to the last, and as such it gets a bit easy to get lost amongst them. Items are seemingly duplicated (and with good reason - a full replica of the OutRun2 SP arcade game is provided as well as a single player version of the game which fits inside the Coast2Coast singleplayer package of the game a bit more neatly) but it's not instantly clear why. Coast 2 Coast seems to have gone for the smart look but it doesn't quite have the simplicity and charm of OutRun2's interface.

                              Coast 2 Coast Singleplayer essentially follows on from OutRun2's mission mode, and does so in a two-pronged attack; there are race challenges (involving drift, slipstream and knockout competitions alonside the straight racing) presented by The Flagman, and the Heart Attack-style challenges presented by the three ladies of the game. The Heart Attack challenges, in particular, are laid out in a manner that can only be described as absolute genius. the familiar pyramid route layout system is presented and, at first, can only be raced as you would normally in an arcade Heart Attack mode. But as you are given requests and special requests in this mode (by performing well), the indvidual stages are unlocked for repeated attempts in isolation ie you don't have to race that perfect run just to give milky way's special request 3 another bash. you can just keep hammering away at it oce you've unlocked it once. This opens the Heart Attack side of the game up to the sort of practice and precision that, up to now, only the time attack side of the game really enjoyed. It's a whole new way to experience and enjoy this part of the game and is quite easily Sumo's greatest addition to the game. Even opting to retry a single stage is super-slick; rather than use a menu, simply choose the fork in the road that is labeller 'retry' and the level loads itself up again as to drive along the fork. Ingeniously simple and exactly what practice should be like: effortlessly accessible.

                              The racing challenges aren't quite so creatively laid out, being presented in a largely linear series of challenges. The one gripe that can be made at the layout of the challenges is that their pacing doesn't quite show the variation and excitement of OutRun2. It's up to the player to keep swapping and deciding what to do. The other fault is how the three forms of Heart Attack Challenges are unlocked progressively;

                              only by completing Clarissa's target challenges can you access Jennifer's technique tests. And (the biggest crime of all in here) the wonderful puzzle tests are only accessible by then completing these tech requests

                              . I just feel that OR2's mission mode had fun in variation, which kept things fresh and some of this is lost though the very neat and organised segregation of challenges, this time around.

                              Ok, cars. SP added some of the cars featured in Sumo's previous OR2 port. Sumo now add once again to this roster with a few more models to choose from, all rendered superbly. All the tuned models (essentially upgraded versions) are also there. Though in all but the emulated arcade mode, these cars have to be bought (along with music and additional routes) from the outrun shop with miles earned from playing the game.Everything you do earns miles to be spent in the shop (though i still haven't worked out the formula of how it's calculated). Once again on a preferential note, I preferred the cards and their progressive unlocks from OR2. though this approach of buying, it loses some of the excitement, though the game now develops how you want it to develop with meaningful rewards at every stage. I dunno, the cards and the random ferrari memorabilia was pointless, but i liked the pointlessness of it all too. OutRun is pointless - it's about driving with your girlfriend for no real given reason and I think the professional look that C2C takes on doesn't quite fit so well as OR2's presentation.

                              Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing how Live is once it's populated. I'll crack on with the missions in the meantime as they're great fun. I still love OR2 with all of my heart though, and C2C hasn't quite managed to do enough to displace it........ yet

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