LeMans 24 Hours

by Atari

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005LIP8
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: August 14, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #28,656 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Based on the grueling 24-hour auto race in Le Mans, France, Le Mans 24 Hours offers a focused racing experience. Le Mans races are measured by the number of tracks completed rather than the best times. Gamers looking for a nice selection of licensed cars and marathon racing sessions will love this game. The game sports 12 real-world tracks from many locations, including the Czech Republic, Japan, and Spain, and more than 70 licensed vehicles (30 more than in the Dreamcast version). The cars handle quite accurately thanks to a fine physics engine, which also powers the detailed pit stops players have to make. Game modes include quick race, championship, multiplayer, time trial, and Le Mans. The last mode allows the truly hard-core gamers to participate in a simulated 24-hour race.

Although it was ported from the Dreamcast version, Le Mans 24 Hours for the PlayStation2 actually looks slightly worse than its sister product. The system's antialiasing problems are evident, resulting in jagged graphics. Sound is very poor, with a nondescript soundtrack and unrealistic engine sounds. Thankfully, the strong gameplay is retained. Though it doesn't tackle as many aspects of racing as the fabulous Gran Turismo 3--nor does it have as wide a variety of tracks and cars--it does a great job of capturing the epic feel of a Le Mans race. --Raymond M. Padilla

Pros:

• Great representation of Le Mans racing
• Accurate physics
• Nice selection of cars

Cons:

• Weak sound
• Jagged graphics
• No car damage

Amazon.com Product Description

Race more than 70 licensed cars, including 30 new vehicles from the Le Mans 2000. Speed through 12 real-world, international racing tracks and endure 24 hours of grueling day-to-night-to-day racing in the Le Mans 2000 mode.

Le Mans 24 Hours features improved gameplay and interactive environments with new drivers and pit crew animations, expanded car settings, and real-time lighting. Its five race modes let you feel the thrill of driving 200 miles per hour while battling real-time weather and surface effects. This award-winning game supports both single-player and head-to-head gameplay.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Experience of Endurance Racing :-), March 10, 2002

By 

James M. Stafford III (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: LeMans 24 Hours (Video Game)

Le Mans 24 Hours brings home the experience and excitement of endurance racing. The LONG endurance races - Petit Le Mans (10 hours) and Le Mans (24 hours) - are extremely true to Nature in this respect. The tracking of the shadows as the sun crosses the sky during the day, the tracking of the moon and stars as they cross the night sky, the glare of headlights and taillights, the sound of the engines piercing the air, the drying of the circuit as a long, drenching rain gives way to clear, sunny skies; many of these changes are not easily noticed, as so much of your attention is focused on the mechanics of the race itself, and on anticipating the next corner. The exquisite detail afforded to the realism is breathtaking - IF you happen to notice it as you drive!!!

GAME MODES
Le Mans 24 Hours features five game modes:

1.) Quick Race allows you to immediately get started racing. Only four courses are initially available, however, more courses (including the three reverse-direction courses, all unlocked simultaneously) will be unlocked as you win races.

2.) Championship presents you with increasingly-difficult championship series; only the Rookie GT Championship is initially available, but winning each series unlocks the next series.

3.) Le Mans mode allows you to race for varying amounts of time in either the Petit Le Mans (up to 10 hours at Road Atlanta) or Le Mans 2000 (up to 24 hours). Winning at each race length (measured in time) unlocks more cars.

4.) Multiplayer allows for one-on-one competition.

5.) Time Trial is a great place to begin, allowing you to learn the courses on your own pace, with no other vehicles on the circuits with you to distract you. Once you learn the courses, this is where you can really work to improve your lap times. Beat the Goal Time for each course (normally two to four seconds slower than the Record Time for each course) to unlock a bonus car. Only four courses are initially available in Time Trial, but more will be opened as you win races in Quick Race mode.

PLAYABILITY
Le Mans 24 Hours is really a semi-simulation game. It is quite easy to pick a car and a circuit and simply go racing. The car set-up options are rather few, consisting of tires, engine, and downforce. In this respect, anyone old enough to hold a controller and keep a car somewhat on the approved racing surfaces will have fun with the game.

However, handling can be a bit tricky, especially as the tires wear down, or if you are using non-Wet tires in wet racing conditions. In this respect, Le Mans 24 Hours handles only somewhat as a simulation game, as it becomes easier and easier for the car to slide and/or spin.

Each of the circuits is rather easy to learn; some are extremely difficult to master in terms of beating that circuit's Goal Time to unlock a new car. However, the endurance races at Le Mans and Petit Le Mans are both what will likely cause people to buy the game, and cause the most frustrations and headaches as fatigue sets in, essentially simulating the experience of participating in a full endurance race.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS
Gran Turismo 3 truly set a high bar for all other PS2 racing games to achieve. While Le Mans 24 Hours certainly cannot match the greatness Gran Turismo 3 (primarily in graphics and sound), it certainly delivers an endurance racing experience, at least at Le Mans and Petit Le Mans. Diehard simulation fans will likely be disappointed, especially at the lack of car set-up options, while the novice racing gamer will still have plenty of fun with the game. With twelve circuits and more than seventy cars - of which the majority of both must be unlocked - Le Mans 24 Hours has extensive repeat playability; to unlock ALL the cars and circuits in this game will require several weeks, if not several months.

Overall, I rate Le Mans 24 Hours as a "4." In terms of sounds and graphics, it is certainly not a Gran Turismo 3, nor an F1 2001, nor a Midnight Club: Street Racing, nor a Ridge Racer V, all excellent PS2 games. However, the high level of playability for racers of all ages, the high number of unlockable features and resulting extensive repeat playability, and especially the experience of participating in endurance races (especially at THE most famous endurance race in the world: Le Mans) all accord Le Mans 24 Hours a "4" rating.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Infogrames is on the right track., December 22, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: LeMans 24 Hours (Video Game)

Having tried the original Lemans PS1 game by Infogrames I was ready for a disappointment. This game is a quantum leap in realism & playability. If you follow sports car & endurance racing, chances are you will find this game a blast.
You are given a choice of road-racing tracks from around the world including Road Atlanta, Donington, Brno,Bugatti circuit & of course the Circuit de la Sarth at LeMans. The LeMans circuit is very accurately modeled right down to the resturants on the Mulsanne straight. Its possible to match the lap times of the real cars that run the 24 hour race. The assortment of cars is very good & includes GT & sports racers. All the cars that ran in 2000 are there right down to the Deborah sports racer! As you progress you unlock hidden cars. Several very fast group C cars from the 80's are available including the Jag XJR, Lancia LC2 & Sauber. The vehicle modeling is very well done but the rendering of the surfaces varies from good to mediocre. Overall the graphics fall somewhere between Polyphonys' GT2 & GT3. There are some jagged lines & the cars are not as artfully rendered as in GT3 (Compare the Panoz GT & Corvette C5R from both games) This is not to say the graphics are bad, they are OK. If Infogrames can achieve the graphics level of GT3 they will have a better game than GT3.
Gameplay is very realistic, with handling akin to real competition cars. You cant sling these cars around & keep up with the AI vehicles in the hard mode. Just as in real racing, you have to learn the proper braking points, corner apexes & keep wheelspin to a minimum. In the normal AI mode, you can easily outpace your competitors. In the hard mode you have to work your tail off to compete. I found that I could beat the other cars thru the corners & under braking but your teammate driving an identical car ,has a 10MPH top speed advantage down the straight. Hey, who dropped the anchor? It is possible to draft competitors once you pass the 150MPH mark , but a proper rear view mirror would be nice. At times there are up to twenty cars on the track at once & unlike another game, you dont have six cars that would never appear together on the same track in the real world. Here,the choice of vehicles adds realism (that is until you beat the 2000 Audis with your 1988 Jaguar XJR)
The games' weakest feature is the sound. Whoever is responsible has obviously never heard the real thing. The Audi & Porsche 911's sound like dremel tools & the Nissans sound like emasculated mopeds. They did get the Panoz & Mercedes CLK sounding close to the throaty rumble of the real cars thereby avoiding an 'F' for sound.
Pit strategy comes into play & it's neat to enter the pits & have a realistically modelled pit crew spring into action. Unlike GT3, this game has the human touch. You actually see drivers & pit crew, no creepy driverless vehicles here!
The night racing mode is still there & weather conditions are realistically modelled, including a convincing torrential downpour complete with resulting fog. Unfortunately the night racing suffers compared to the PS1 version. Headlights no longer illuminate the surrounding scenery & you dont encounter the oil slicks or burning 911's by the side of the track . As reported,load times are fairly long & parts of the save procedures are a bit clunky. Still, these are minor complaints given the overall fun of this game. If you love Sports car racing, this game is for you! The good features far outweigh the bad & the game is fun to play.

Infogrames, with some more work ,you could have had a 5 star game here. Let's see a third PS version with updated cars, better sound & graphics.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Fun!, December 7, 2001

By 

J. Ward "joelkton" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: LeMans 24 Hours (Video Game)

This game is a superior driving experience. I love it. I find the graphics to be impressive, but it's the game play that keeps me coming back. Let's just say you're playing with the AI set to "hard" and you qualify 9th on the grid. You will have to race your heart out to move up positions and you can just about forget about winning: just as you would in real life. But you can have a heck of a good time trying. The computer lets you know at intervals how you're doing to cars in front of and behind you. I'll never forget how I had a 5 second lead over the second place car and how hard my heart was pounding as he slowly ate into my lead; a half a second a lap. If I had not got around traffic that later held him up, I would have lost. As it is, I won by a fraction of a second. That is game play, friends.
Other strengths: Beautiful physics. If you don't take a proper line going into corners you will lose time. Get on the power too fast and you will spin out in very realistic ways. And braking. There's no throwing these cars into corners and sliding through arcade-style. You must brake effectively to win. The best cars are those with great breaking. And speaking of the cars, the games set ups DO make a difference, high or low downforce plays a big factor on different tracks and different weather conditions. The cars that are unlocked later in the game are truly a pleasure to drive. Different cars have different engine signatures, which I love, and tire wear is very realistic.
Pit strategy is also a factor. Several times, I've managed a win by taking on only a limited amount of fuel at the beginning and planning a two or three pit strategy. The extra seconds do count.
There are a few negatives that keep the game from being note-perfect. The default music is horrible, but it is easily turned off so as to hear the engines. The AI on "hard" is almost ridiculously difficult. I have managed to beat it, but only after getting to be perfect on a particular coarse. There is no way a GT car should be able to catch my Panos open prototype car. There are no rear view mirrors, even though the manual says there are. This can be annoying when racing close. Hitting the rear view is not an option in these situations.
It's a cliche, but I really can't recommend this game highly enough.