Pedigreed Petrol- Fuel Reviewed

For over a decade, Codemasters has been developing racing games that have prudently straddled the space between the arcade thrills of the Burnout series, and the fastidious perfectionism of the Gran Torismo games. Just as the TOCA and Grid titles have splendidly reproduced street racing, the Colin McRae (and subsequently, Dirt) series has painstakingly modeled the sport of rally. Although games depicting this type of off-road racing have grown exponentially in popularity, some players in the United States don’t quite appreciate the conventions. When presented with a serpentine hill climb in Dirt, one observer naively asked, “Why can’t you just go straight up the side of mountain?”

French developer Asobo must have had an identical notion in mind when they designed Fuel, the latest racer published by Codemasters. Abandoning the linearity of a majority of racing games, Fuel is an open-world racer that recently set a Guinness Book record for having the largest game world- a reported 5,560 square miles. Although having an environment the size of the state of Connecticut is impressive, Fuel’s enjoyment is derived more from its flexibility than for its epic proportions.

Players can engage in a wide range of activities- from exploration for fuel canisters (the game’s currency) and vistas to a variety of racing events. The title’s competitions range from standard races and time trials to the more exotic- racing a helicopter a predetermined location. As gamers progress they are rewarded with additional vehicles, liveries, as well as new contests throughout the map. Fuel takes a delightfully laissez-faire approach to progression, allowing the player to dictate the direction of events. Structuralists, who may be unaccustomed to such autonomy, can head directly to the next competition with a press of the start button.

As expected for a game carrying the Codemasters’ pedigree, vehicular physics are delicately crafted, with the game wisely drifting towards leniency. Motorcycles and buggies are sufficiently nimble, while the weight of larger cars and trucks often brings them perilously close to cliff edges.  Loss of traction on most vehicles is clearly signaled by aural feedback, giving the player as astute perception of control. Although there is no visible damage to vehicle models, a damage gauge indicates the amount of wear before a time-consuming respawn.

Graphically, Fuel manages to dazzle more than it disappoints. The title includes a variety of climates from a clear aridity to precarious wind and rainstorms. The game’s day to night cycle is a sight to behold- skylines are often filled with radiant hues, while beaches shine with iridescence at night.  One understated effect is the gleam emitted by reflective surfaces; street signs produce luminescence realistically when caught in the glare of a headlight. Repetition is common within Fuel’s enormous environment- players will recognize the same razed farms, and patches of deforestation. Although the refresh rate hovers around the thirty frames per second mark, there were mild drops in the game’s framerate around smoke or busy junctions.

Fuel’s game engine permits players to traverse the game map with interruption, as long as they avoid collision. Strangely, crashes dump the player to a load screen, which disrupts the title’s carefully crafted sense of immersion. Like the Dirt series, load screens contain statistical data, from the amount of miles driven, to the player’s longest jump. At times, Fuel’s districts can feel barren and lonely, with long periods broken only by the occasional CPU controlled vehicle.  While in the title’s free-roam mode, territories are populated with other players, in a manner than recalls Test Drive: Unlimited or Burnout Paradise’s multiplayer modes. Gamers can construct custom races with up to thirty definable checkpoints, of which ten can be saved to your hard drive.  However, areas are so immense that unintentional sightings of other players are a rarity. Thankfully, friends can be invited to your custom competitions.