With a title like that, I was expecting the game would blow my mind, but Enthusia is definitely one of those games that promised more than it could deliver.
It`s not that there is nothing to like about the game, but it tries to be different to other driving simulations that I have played like Gran Turismo 4 and leaves one wanting.
The game does offer quite a decent number of cars - well over 200 of them. Although quite impressive, the level of customisation isn`t nearly as deep as in other competitive games on the market.
There is no money to be won to tune up cars or buy others in the game. Instead, Enthusia employs a system involving all of the cars in the race; if the indicator stops on a car that the winning driver does not own, he wins it. This is great in the short term, but when the driver has won many cars, trying to unlock those last few is frustrating.
The meat of the Enthusia experience is called Enthusia Life. The object is to be ranked number one, but getting to that point can be confusing. For each race, there are odds that indicate the current vehicle`s chances of winning the race. Weaker vehicles obvious have lower odds, while more powerful ones have tighter odds - and less of a payoff for winning.
During each race, lapses in driving skill eat away at Enthu Points, which are best described as driving hit points. If the car skids off of the course, collides with a wall, or touches any other vehicle - no matter who was at fault in the collision - Enthu Points are lost.
These deductions are factored into the end-of race standings and, combined with how the race is finished, a final ranking point score is calculated. This score not only moves the player closer to the top spot, it can also bump the driver and the vehicle up a level - allowing higher top speeds and better handling.
If Enthu Points run out, the gamer is out of the next race. Since overall rankings are determined over a 12-week schedule, sitting out too many races will adversely affect the quest to be the best.
Enthusia`s controls are so touchy and occasionally unresponsive that cars frequently hit walls and slide off the track. Prepare for a lot of adjustment if you want to excel at Enthusia, especially if you`re used to arcade racers.
Enthusia is not necessarily about speed, but rather speed management. Knowing when to brake, when to accelerate and how each car reacts in certain situations is a must. Even seasoned vets of driving simulations will find themselves complaining at how some of the cars handle, despite the realistic nature of the game.
Generally, racing fields tend to be unbalanced. If behind in a race, it generally means that the race is over pretty quickly. Granted, players can still earn ranking points for finishing behind the leader, but it`s a bit of a downer to be 10 seconds behind the first-place car and not gain any ground.
Aside from Enthusia Life, there are other modes of play, such as Time Attack, Versus and Free Racing. The most interesting extra mode is the Driving Revolution Mode, which gives a little something away in its title. In this mode, players must drive their cars through gates using the precise amount of speed, acceleration, or braking. This mode is helpful for learning a bit about how Enthusia wants its players to drive, by showing when to brake or accelerate. It`s actually more fun and less confusing than Enthusia Life.
Visually, Enthusia is good, but not exceptional. There`s not a decent sense of speed, which one would think is important in a racing game. Enthusia does sport some blur effects to try and create the illusion of going "faster", but it`s not too effective. I never felt like I was tearing up the track. The vehicle models are detailed, although there isn`t any damage modelling. Many of the game`s courses are fantasy circuits, although the Japanese Tsukuba and the Nurburgring made their way into the cut. The fantasy courses are decent enough and feature some variety, but there`s nothing groundbreaking about the way they look.
Sound effects are disappointing: they`ve all been done before. The music is also boring - featuring all original and relaxed tunes, the soundtrack must be an attempt to calm the player`s frustration rather than raise the intensity level. There`s some voice work in the game, but not enough to really comment on.
It`s not that Enthusia is essentially a bad game, but it`s definitely not going to be appreciated by all car buffs, even after a few hours of adjusting and opening up more than a few new cars to try out. There`s really nothing here that a game like Gran Turismo 4 hasn`t brought to the table already. I give this game an average 5/10.
Share