freerider
September 30th, 2005, 17:08
Well, after playing GT4 for a while (bought my PS2 and DFP for this game) I got Enthusia as a present. First I wasn't too excited about it, because most reviews weren't that good. So I started playing (the Nordschleife offcourse) and everything went seriously wrong. The handling was totally different compared to GT4. Also, in GT4 I know my breaking points and know every corner and its gear, but not in Enthusia. So I really thougth this game sucks.
But since I borrowed GT4 to a friend of mine I was stuck with this game. After playing a while I got used to the game and things were going good. Gathered a lot of Enhtusia-points and my ranking is going down (this is a good thing).
First I didn't understand a thing on how all these different kind of points represent or are given to you. First there are the Enthusia points. These will tell how good a driver you are. Whenever you hit (or got hit by) another opponent, you will loose points. Same with getting off-track and hitting something. When you race a while, other points will enlarge your bar with enthusia-points (more points you can loose). After each race, you're bar will be filled with enthusia points (how much depends on how good you drive and how difficult the race is). The points that enlarge your enthusia-bar will also tune your car (done in 10 levels affecting power-tyres-weight). When winning a race you can "select" one of the opponents cars (this is done like roulette). It's also possible that you won't get a car. So nothing is done with money, you have to race for it and be good at it. Now enough about these points, back to the game.
I've only driven Enthusia Life (comparable with GT-mode and the only place with all the points) and Driving Revolution (comparable with Drivng License). I'm not going to explain everything, bc you can read all about it on the net and it's really long. I'm just going to give my impressions.
[actual impression of the game]
First Driving Revolution (normally you will start with this, when you just got the game): Like said before, this is like Driving License from GT4 meaning that there are several stages where they teach you how to drive. But in contrary to GT4 they won't time anything. Instead they will show you the ideal line and speed and depending on how good you do, you'll get points (this isn't as easy as it looks, but is very handy). You can get a D,C,B,A and S. S is perfect and D is flunked (you won't enable other stages). I have to say that this is a really good way to handle the trainings in simulation games.
Next there's Enthusia life: The way you get points (enthusia points) is written above. Here you have to get in you car and show what you really got. You will start with some really slow and ugly car (can't remember which one, but IIRC it was a Nissan Micra). I really had to get used to it, not to crash into other cars and that you WILL get punished when going off-track. When you drive like a nutman you will loose more points from your enthusia-bar than you will regain at the end of the race. Like said before, when you win you can "select" one of the oppontents cars. This means that it's possible you'll win a really fast car after the first race (but also that you win a slow car at the more difficult races). Depending on how fast your car is, your ranking will go up or down. Up when you loose, up when you win, but the how much it'll go up or down depends on you car, the leage your in and offcourse the track (also the amount of laps).
Now the most important thing about a racing sim. How is the driving? Well, really good actually. I can even say that it's better than GT4. Don't get me wrong, GT4 is superb, but different. Enthusia has less feedback and feeling, but I think the handling is more realistic. For example, in GT4 you will feel the road, but in Entusia you don't even feel the bumps/differences in tarmac...on the Nordschleife. The karroussel feels like smooth pavement. Force feedback is also less. (I'm playing with DFP, didn't try with DS2; 900° is supported)
Also a nice feature in Entusia is the VGS. This will tell how much grip the tyres have left and when they lost/loose grip. It will also show where the G-forces are going.
Another pro for Entusia is the weather effects. You'll be able to drive in the rain, snow, night and normal day. It's also possible to drive a track in the opposite direction (driving the nordschleife backwards is really weird and difficult). Keep in mind, I didn't play Free Racing yet, so I don't know if you can turn these on, but the races presented to you in Entusia Life are random. I think you have to unlock these for free racing, just like the cars.
So wich one would I choose? Well, I really don't know, except that my first thoughts go to GT4. It's just that both games have their flaws. They supplement (sp?) eachother. Both have stupid AI's though. I think Enthusia is a great first try. It's more difficult and I think this is what most people don't like about this game. You really have to put an effort in it. GT4 isn't something to laugh about either, but it's easier compared to Enthusia. Enthusia will learn you a whole different way to drive.
Almost forgot: I think the Nordschleife itself (not the feedback of the road) is a tad better in Enthusia. GT4 may have made a direct replica of it, but Enthusia makes it look terrifying when driving it, just like in real life.
@Benman: if you completed GT4 (even if you didn't), I really think you'll like this game. It has the RS6 and the Nordschleife ;)
DFP= Logitech Driving Force Pro
DS2= Dual Shock 2
PS: keep in mind that I've played GT4 a lot more than Enthusia and I'm only playing this game (haven't played GT4 for about a month now), so my thoughts can still change, in both directions.
Greetz Johan
But since I borrowed GT4 to a friend of mine I was stuck with this game. After playing a while I got used to the game and things were going good. Gathered a lot of Enhtusia-points and my ranking is going down (this is a good thing).
First I didn't understand a thing on how all these different kind of points represent or are given to you. First there are the Enthusia points. These will tell how good a driver you are. Whenever you hit (or got hit by) another opponent, you will loose points. Same with getting off-track and hitting something. When you race a while, other points will enlarge your bar with enthusia-points (more points you can loose). After each race, you're bar will be filled with enthusia points (how much depends on how good you drive and how difficult the race is). The points that enlarge your enthusia-bar will also tune your car (done in 10 levels affecting power-tyres-weight). When winning a race you can "select" one of the opponents cars (this is done like roulette). It's also possible that you won't get a car. So nothing is done with money, you have to race for it and be good at it. Now enough about these points, back to the game.
I've only driven Enthusia Life (comparable with GT-mode and the only place with all the points) and Driving Revolution (comparable with Drivng License). I'm not going to explain everything, bc you can read all about it on the net and it's really long. I'm just going to give my impressions.
[actual impression of the game]
First Driving Revolution (normally you will start with this, when you just got the game): Like said before, this is like Driving License from GT4 meaning that there are several stages where they teach you how to drive. But in contrary to GT4 they won't time anything. Instead they will show you the ideal line and speed and depending on how good you do, you'll get points (this isn't as easy as it looks, but is very handy). You can get a D,C,B,A and S. S is perfect and D is flunked (you won't enable other stages). I have to say that this is a really good way to handle the trainings in simulation games.
Next there's Enthusia life: The way you get points (enthusia points) is written above. Here you have to get in you car and show what you really got. You will start with some really slow and ugly car (can't remember which one, but IIRC it was a Nissan Micra). I really had to get used to it, not to crash into other cars and that you WILL get punished when going off-track. When you drive like a nutman you will loose more points from your enthusia-bar than you will regain at the end of the race. Like said before, when you win you can "select" one of the oppontents cars. This means that it's possible you'll win a really fast car after the first race (but also that you win a slow car at the more difficult races). Depending on how fast your car is, your ranking will go up or down. Up when you loose, up when you win, but the how much it'll go up or down depends on you car, the leage your in and offcourse the track (also the amount of laps).
Now the most important thing about a racing sim. How is the driving? Well, really good actually. I can even say that it's better than GT4. Don't get me wrong, GT4 is superb, but different. Enthusia has less feedback and feeling, but I think the handling is more realistic. For example, in GT4 you will feel the road, but in Entusia you don't even feel the bumps/differences in tarmac...on the Nordschleife. The karroussel feels like smooth pavement. Force feedback is also less. (I'm playing with DFP, didn't try with DS2; 900° is supported)
Also a nice feature in Entusia is the VGS. This will tell how much grip the tyres have left and when they lost/loose grip. It will also show where the G-forces are going.
Another pro for Entusia is the weather effects. You'll be able to drive in the rain, snow, night and normal day. It's also possible to drive a track in the opposite direction (driving the nordschleife backwards is really weird and difficult). Keep in mind, I didn't play Free Racing yet, so I don't know if you can turn these on, but the races presented to you in Entusia Life are random. I think you have to unlock these for free racing, just like the cars.
So wich one would I choose? Well, I really don't know, except that my first thoughts go to GT4. It's just that both games have their flaws. They supplement (sp?) eachother. Both have stupid AI's though. I think Enthusia is a great first try. It's more difficult and I think this is what most people don't like about this game. You really have to put an effort in it. GT4 isn't something to laugh about either, but it's easier compared to Enthusia. Enthusia will learn you a whole different way to drive.
Almost forgot: I think the Nordschleife itself (not the feedback of the road) is a tad better in Enthusia. GT4 may have made a direct replica of it, but Enthusia makes it look terrifying when driving it, just like in real life.
@Benman: if you completed GT4 (even if you didn't), I really think you'll like this game. It has the RS6 and the Nordschleife ;)
DFP= Logitech Driving Force Pro
DS2= Dual Shock 2
PS: keep in mind that I've played GT4 a lot more than Enthusia and I'm only playing this game (haven't played GT4 for about a month now), so my thoughts can still change, in both directions.
Greetz Johan