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»OutRun 2006: Coast 2 Coast
"OutRun's back on the PSP."
For the most part, I don’t consider myself a racing game fan. There are
many exceptions to this rule - kart racing games, Ridge Racer, arcade
racers, and of course, the OutRun series. So, when I hear that SEGA’s
classic has been released on the PSP, I know that I have to pick it up.
And while it isn’t the full arcade experience (and who’d honestly
expect it to be?), it is still a great addition to any racing
aficionado’s PSP collection and a very good entry to the series itself.
The backstory is simple and familiar. Basically, you’re going a drive
with your girlfriend on various routes, ranging from the classic beach
setting to outer space and a frozen wasteland. Along the way, you’ll
also encounter your ever-reappearing rival. At all times, your
girlfriend is cheering (see “complaining” and “making demands”) you
on throughout your drive. Can you make it to the end of the road?
The basic point of this game is to get as far as you possibly can along
various pathways available. It’s not so much a racing game as it is a
driving game; you can’t come in first or in last and there are no
rankings in terms of other cars (except in Time Attack mode, of
course). You can pass random cars on the road, but rather than
increasing your rank, it ups your score (and bonus points for passing
your rival!). Also, there are multiple paths to take, though they all
start on the familiar beach road. Depending on the directions you take
at the forks in the road at the end of each stretch, you end up in a
different area, which range from a casino territory to outer space.
Wacky, huh?
There are a number of game modes which keep Coast 2 Coast from becoming stale.
First off, there’s the classic OutRun mode, which involves the
aforementioned driving without racing. Next is the Heart Attack mode,
which rewards you for performing tasks that your girlfriend assigns,
such as passing cars or drifting. Next up is the Coast 2 Coast Mode,
which challenges you to either race rivals or performing tasks for your
girlfriend (much like Heart Attack mode). and finally, there is Time
Attack mode, which allows you to race "ghost cars". You can also race
up to 5 friends in Multiplayer mode, either wirelessly or online.
The graphics in this game aren’t as good as I was hoping for,
especially after the great job Namco did with Ridge Racer for the PSP.
The cars and the actual environments look pretty decent, but I really
hate the look of your avatar and his girlfriend. They have this odd,
creepy “doll-like” quality to them; like prototypes from The Sims.
However, as most of the action in the game forces you to focus solely
on the car and the road, this isn’t as distracting as one would say.
All the same, this game could have looked much better.
The shining quality in this game is its soundtrack, just as it was in
its predecessors. All of the classic tunes (Magical Sound Shower,
Splash Wave, Passing Breeze) return in several versions (including their original 1986 versions!), as well as
many other songs from the other games in the series. They all sound
great and add to the tone of the game, with the original trio of songs
especially accenting the starting beach environment. The sound effects
are pretty good too, aside from hearing your girlfriend’s complaining,
which gets really annoying.
In terms of replay, it mostly comes in the forms of various unlockables
and extras, not to mention the varied gameplay found in the main mode.
First off, this game is actually two games in one - namely, OutRun 2006
includes its arcade originator, OutRun 2 SP. There are a decent amount
of unlockables, including music, cars, paintjobs, routes, and goals
which add to the customizability of the game. These can be purchased
through collecting OutRun miles, which are collected during gameplay in
the standard mode of play.
In closing, if you are looking for a little variety in your racing
games for your PSP or are a fan of the series, I suggest that you pick
this one up. Otherwise, just keep waiting for Gran Turismo 4 Mobile.
Article by: Wolfdogg
Posted on: Jan. 19th, 2007 |
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Review Recap |
| Gameplay |
| Classic arcade action updated and improved. The various modes all kind of run together though. |
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Graphics |
| I’ve seen better, but the car rendering and environments of the various stages look nice. I just wish the driver and his girlfriend looked a little less creepy. |
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Sound |
| The classic OutRun soundtracks reemerge, in their original forms with great rearrangements and remixes. |
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Replay Value |
| With unlockable routes, stages, cars, music, and even OutRun 2 SP (an arcade game), this game has plenty of lasting value. However, like I stated earlier, the modes feel redundant to eachother at times. |
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