IndyCar Racing II Review

The white flag waves defiantly from the tower as you make your way

around the track.

Tank nearly empty, running on tires that seem about to burn up from the

three-digit speeds, you grit your teeth and know you only have to hold on

for one more lap. Easier said than done, though; Andretti the cruise

missile has a lock on your tail, and try as you might to swerve from side

to side to prevent him from drafting, he’s on you like there’s a tow rope

tied to your rear wing. Too fast into turn four, you take it a bit too

high, and Michael cuts inside to your left. No way, you think and floor

the accelerator–“eat my wake.” The checkered flag goes up, and you almost

rip the cord out of your joystick raising your arms in triumph. Got milk?

Papyrus’ IndyCar Racing II is now available for both the PC and

Macintosh on a hybrid CD-ROM. This Sierra racing simulation provides

superb detail and accuracy in a simulation, complete with customizable

paint schemes and voice-activated pit controls. But don’t expect a

high-paced arcade racing game like Virtua Racing or even Outrun. Despite

claims of “crisp, high-resolution graphics,” IndyCar Racing II features

mostly polygonal objects when viewed from the cockpit, and frame redraw

rates do not convincingly invoke a sense of real time action.

Attention to detail, though, is the major selling point of this game.

There are thirteen different customizable characteristics to the car, from

brake bias, to tire compounds, to camber and more. Do you go with a

.35-inch wheel stagger to take those left turns with authority? Do you put

less than the full 40-gallon fuel complement in your gas tank so you become

that much faster? What about a stiffer shock absorber, or a lower front

wing? You could spend an entire week inside the garage just fiddling with

the many ways to improve your car’s performance.

Continuing with the obvious theme of variety being the spice of life,

IndyCar Racing II offers fifteen classic IndyCar racetracks to test

your mettle on. Wind your way through the scenic streets of Long Beach or

test the sound barrier at Burke Lakefront Airport. Even travel to such

exotic locations as Australia, Canada, and Milwakee. Milwakee? Well…

With surprisingly good artificial intelligence, your opponents respond

amazingly well to your every move, taking advantage when you corner badly

and deftly circumnavigating those ever-present spin outs. In fact, not all

of your opponents’ moves are reactive or scripted, as is often the case in

sim programs, for sometimes the car behind you will initiate an attack on

his own.

IndyCar Racing II takes full advantage of the Macintosh’s voice

recognition software, letting you call out commands to your pit crew

without having to take your eyes off the screen and yell out “Ack! Where’s

that stupid F11 key?!” The game understands such commands as “give me 35

gallons of petrol” and “repair damage.” Unfortunately, attempts at getting

the computer to respond to the command “go, go, Gadgetmobile” have so far

been unsuccessful.

One of those games designed for the joystick or one of those overpriced

steering wheel controllers, IndyCar Racing II just doesn’t have the

right feel when run from the keyboard and mouse. Looking for a great

arcade racing game with fluid graphics and non-stop action? Then keep

searching, Speed Racer. But if you’re an armchair IndyCar pilot in the

mood for the next best thing to the real enchilada (guacamole and all), go

in for a pit stop at your local computer store and grab a copy of Papyrus’

IndyCar Racing II.