If you have been in the mobile gaming industry for even a few months, you would know Gameloft. They are famous for producing, or should i say reproducing, big name games under a different name. Games like Gangstar Vegas, Modern Combat, NOVA are all re-skinned, renamed versions of really popular console games. So it comes as no surprise then that GT Racing 2: The Real Car Experience, their latest driving simulator racing game, follows much in the same footsteps as Need For Speed Shift and draws much inspiration from Firemonkey's free-to-play model of Real Racing 3.
As with most of their "remade" games, this doesn't make GT Racing 2 a bad game however. It is much better than its predecessor and the graphics and car handling is easy on the eyes and the hands. In fact, the race tracks are well done to the point that I am truly liking my driving experience. The turns and hairpins and racing lines make it enjoyable to speed past when overtaking my friend on Google Play. The music also helps create excitement and highlights the passion for driving.
There are no surprises here, the basic control schemes apply. You can choose to tilt to steer, a virtual steering wheel, auto-accelerate and brakes, or manual acceleration and brakes. You can also choose which assists you want depending on your driving style and level of commitment to racing games. They also boasts 67 cars from 35 different manufacturers, which they claim to be more than any other mobile racing game on the market now (although at the rate Real Racing 3 is adding cars, I don't think they can claim that for long).
You might have also recognize Gameloft from their more famous arcade racer, Asphalt. As with Asphalt 8, their menus are easy to navigate, based on which cars you own and the class. Some events warn you to upgrade your cars to a certain degree and that can be annoying, because upgrades require a lot of money and time. Yes, waiting time. Just like Real Racing 3, every time you upgrade your car, you have to wait. Also, you can only do one upgrade at a time. You do have the option of hiring more mechanics to speed things up or do more than one job, but those costs a lot of the premium currency that you get sparingly, if you know what I mean, or purchased with real world money. Thankfully though, GT Racing 2 does NOT have wait times for repairs after each race, and it's something Gameloft is strangely proud of. It's like saying "Yes! I do not have a mole on my face!", umm okay, but that does not mean you look good. (No offense to those who have.)
Anyway, because there are so many cars and classes, the career mode is proportionally big. Like Real Racing 3, they also include various racing events and modes such as the Classic Race, Knockout, Time attack, etc. You will be prompted before every race whether you would like to purchase boosts that is only usable for that one race. While I find it unnecessary, it might come in handy to those who are struggling, and to those who want to win the later stages without fully upgrading your car. For newbies, there is also a feature by default that shows you the most effective racing line. Not only that, you actually get bonus points for following the line and achieving perfect turns. This really helps players get used to how they should control their car around the track. For more experienced players, this can be turned off in the options menu.
At the end of the day, GT Racing 2 is a really good racing game. I have no complaints about the gameplay and I find the freemium stuff a necessity for Gameloft to actually earn money through a free-to-play model. I have long been a fan of Real Racing 3, so I understand that if done correctly, free-to-play is not a bad thing. It opens up the game to everyone and honestly, spending money is completely optional. So don't moan about games being pay-to-win when really, all you need is a little patience.
