Race Driver: GRID (PC)

Multiplayer

The multiplayer component in GRID is pretty straight forward. Much like the Race Day mode for solo players, the online mode allows for selection of location, race type, track, and the desired car. What makes the online experience unique is the game's voting system. When all players (12 max.) have joined the lobby via the Quick Match, Ranked Match, or Unranked Match options, a countdown will commence allowing the players to vote on the desired geographical region, followed by another countdown allowing for more votes to be cast for the desired race type and, by extension, the type of track. Once the decision has been made final, players are given yet another countdown to choose one of the available cars for that event.

When hosting a race, players are given the option to choose between short, medium, and long events. The result of this choice is the number of races that will occur before the next round of voting begins. The number of laps for each race is also at the mercy of the host racer. As expected, the difficulty ramps up a bit during online play as the Flashback feature is unavailable.  Also, players who total their car during a multiplayer race will not be able to continue and enter spectator mode for the duration of the race. Yes, this does seem a bit harsh since you'll almost always encounter one opponent who'd rather turn the race into a demolition derby than compete to win.  But that's the brakes. 

While the graphics during online play appear to be inferior to those of the single player game, they're not too shabby. Car models and set pieces still look great. However, right out of the box, your opponents during online races appear flighty and can often be seen racing in the air with wheels hovering above the asphalt. The physics during online play are also out of sorts as crashes can cause cars to be launched to heights that must be over one hundred feet above the track. These issues were dealt with after applying the first of two patches that are currently available for the game. Access and information about these patches can be obtained at FileFront.com and many other gaming sites.