Customer Reviews

NASCAR 2008

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

PRE-RACE SHOW:
*Note #1: To save space, I've removed some of the content in my review and placed it in the CUSTOMER DISCUSSION section, at the bottom of the first page of this listing. Click on the posts, if you want some more information about Nascar 08.

*Note #2: I own Nascar 2002 through 2006, and although I haven't played Nascar 07, I have read all the 07 reviews on each website. Also, I have NOT played Nascar 08 online.

If you have an older Nascar game and just want to know if you should rent, buy, or skip, Nascar 08, then you can just scroll down near the end of this review, and read the Checkered Flag section, which lists five questions you should answer, followed by the Victory Lane section (summary) part.

Unless you have no trouble winning in Nascar 2002-2006 (without assists and using the default car setups), you should be able to find plenty of tracks in 08, that will give you some thrilling race action. Some, like Talladega, are often too easy, but nothing's perfect, anyway.

If you're new to these Nascar games, you should know that the only way to change the assists, or to use manual transmission, is to start a race. Then, before it begins, just pause the game, and choose 'Settings', then 'Driving Controls'. Now go ahead and make any changes. You can change 'Steering Sensitivity', here as well, or from the main menu (I used a regular controller and didn't need to adjust it). Exit out, by pressing the triangle button. The auto-save will eventually save everything, so don't worry. Now you're ready to play.

Gentlemen and ladies, start your engine(s)!


GREEN FLAG (Some GOOD things in the game):
Yes, Nascar 08 looks very similar to 07 (has motion blur effect,etc.), and they took away lots of stuff (like the various Dodge Challenge scenarios), but this game has added a lot, as well.

This is the first time I didn't have to use any driving Assists (except when I used the Limited assist, for starts and restarts ONLY with the Nextel Cup cars) to keep up with the Cpu cars, and also still have fun racing against them. It's simply one of the easiest to drive, racing games I've ever played. Perhaps TOO easy, for any of you that did well driving without any assists, in the older Nascar games.

Although the Mid-Race saves work very well, and I LOVE them, they are NOT perfect saves. They are NOT good at accurately saving some stats, like # of laps lead (which might cost you up to 10 lost points, in season mode, for example), best laps, and when drivers are knocked out of race, they are back in (when you reload the mid-race save), just a few laps down etc. No big deal, but if you want all your race stats saved accurately, don't use the mid-race saves.

Even worse, the Mid-Race saves are time-coded, so whenever you LOAD one of them, you're actually going back in time, to that exact moment you saved--thus losing anything that you might have gained or earned after it. So, you better finish your saved race, BEFORE you try a different race, or mode. Otherwise, once you load an older mid-race save, you'll lose any progress (in Season, Career, Chase mode, etc.), medallions, and chase plates, that you earned after that older mid-race save was made. You could, however, just use a separate, 2nd memory card, if you want to be able to jump back and forth between different mid-race saves (without playing the other modes, like Career, Season, Chase, etc., with this 2nd memory card).

In addition, the 2 player split-screen mode (not available in PS3 version), lets you race against 17 cpu cars (so, there are a total of 19 cars on track), but if you don't use the Legend difficulty, they let player #1 catch up too easily. There's no rearview mirror for this mode, but you can look back with the right stick.

Tired of always waiting for your spotter to tell you if you're in the clear? Well, now you can use the Right joystick to look to your left or right or even behind you to see for yourself. It can be a little disorienting at first, but it's so handy!

Another great thing in 08, is the ticker at the top that shows the race positions of the drivers (lap times, etc.). If you have trouble reading it while racing, you can shut it off or just pause the game, and it will still keep scrolling. You can even move it left or right (while in pause only) with the d-pad or left stick.

The new 08 feature, that lets you instantly rewind up to 8 seconds (good driving earns the time) within a current race (just press select button, when symbol appears), so that you can avoid a crash etc., sounds good in theory, but in practice, it usually doesn't help much. Simply, you often are only given 3 or 4 seconds instant rewind time, which usually isn't enough time to avoid anything. However, it has helped me out on occasion (if I had 6-8 seconds available).

There are 192 Medallions (finish first in a race, etc.) and 53 chase plates (no paint schemes) to unlock.


BLACK FLAG (Some BAD things in the game):
The career mode (Earn Your Stripes) has been changed (can't own teams), and even though it's somewhat similar, many people (myself included), don't like it that much (rather dull). You still can only race 25% races in the career mode, but at least it saves some career stats for you.

Unfortunately, the Modified series is basically useless, since I can win on Legend difficulty (the hardest), even starting last (22nd). To give myself a challenge, I have to use full downforce, lowest tire pressure (15 lbs), even increase my nose weight to +10 %, left weight to +5%, and make the race the shortest (like 6 laps). Even then, I still finish 5th, but the car runs like a tugboat, so it wasn't really fun. Some tracks like Tiburon make it only slightly tougher. As well, the Trucks are also fairly easy to win with on many tracks, so I use Legend difficulty, if necessary.

What's worse, is that the Cpu cars on the Talladega track accelerate so slowly on the starts and restarts, that you can gain from 5-42 positions (on Legend), just by driving by yourself on the left side of the track. It works almost all the time with the COT or Trucks. Generally, it's much tougher with the Busch or regular Nextel Cup cars, but I'm sure eventually, I'll be able to crush those cpu cars as well.

In addition, if you don't use any assists, it's very difficult to avoid spinning your tires (for Nextel Cup cars ONLY-yes, for COT car, as well) on starts and restarts, thus falling behind the other cars. You can try practising in the 'Race Now' mode, by choosing to Restart the race, over and over again, but I gave up and just decided to use the Limited (or full) assist. Usually, right after the starts, I'll pause the game and remove the assist, until I need it again, for any restart that might occur.

There's Total Team Control once again (press in right joystick to activate it), but NO more car swapping during races is allowed. Strange, because it was a nice extra twist if your car was wrecked or you wanted to try to get all your teammates to finish well.

It's sad that they removed the Dodge Challenges (recreated race scenarios, from real Nascar races, that you could race in).

Once again, you don't get disqualified if you keep intentionally spinning or wrecking the Cpu cars. As well, if you cause a caution, you get to stay where you are, instead of being put farther back in the field, or getting a drive-through (pit lane) penalty. These factors often help make it super easy to do well, and are further proof that this is more of an arcade racer, than a simulation.


CHECKERED FLAG (Helpful Questions):
Can't decide if you should rent, buy, or skip Nascar 08 for the PS2? Then just answer these five questions:

1) Do you care about mid-race saves? If yes, then this is a must buy! (Note: The Mid-Race saves, don't save some race stats accurately, like # of laps lead, etc., and they are time-coded, so if you load one of them, you'll lose any progress or unlockables that you earned after that mid-race save was made).

2) Are you interested in being able to look around your car (even behind), while you're racing (use right joystick)? If you are, then it's at least worth a rental.

3) Do you think a very good career mode is necessary for you to buy this game? If the answer to this is yes, well then, you're probably going to be disappointed, since you can't own cars, etc. There are part upgrades you can buy, but the whole thing seems dull overall. Not awful, but then again, you may think so. Renting first, may be your best option then.

4) Were the Dodge Challenges (recreated race scenarios, from real Nascar races, that you could race in), one of the main reasons, you bought any of the previous EA Nascar games? If the answer is yes, then perhaps you should just rent, since they have been removed from Nascar 08. Unless you think re-racing some of your mid-race saved races, offers good enough extra value (like I do).

5) If you eventually find the single player game too easy, and finish in the top 5, in most races, will you then be willing to just use the default car setups, or even add downforce and make other adjustments to make it harder?

(Note: If it's still too easy, then try using worst rated driver Reed Sorenson (Grade D). It doesn't really make that much of a difference though. However, if you start the race in last position (43rd), that will most often make it tougher. Remember, the longer the race, the easier it is to catch up, on any of the three difficulty levels and with any driver. You can also disable the 'Driver Attributes', so that Reed Sorenson, etc., is just as good as anyone else).

Question #5 is very important because so many people complain about the easy factor. I don't always find it too easy using the default settings on the veteran difficulty for Nextel Cup or Busch, but Modifieds are too easy (even on Legend), and the Trucks can be as well, on some tracks. Thus, I have to use Legend diffic. quite often for the Trucks.

It's also easier to drive all these cars/trucks without any assists on, in this game (than in the earlier EA games...{I skipped 07}), because if you hit the walls in 08, you more easily bounce off them, rather than stick to them and fall way behind, like in the 2002-2006 Nascar games.

So, if you're not willing to do any work trying to make yourself slower, for some of the very easy races, that's still okay, because there are so many races that are great or very good. Therefore, it's still worth a purchase or at least a rental.


VICTORY LANE (Summary):
This is a fun and very addicting game, but if you're too good, you may be unimpressed. It plays more like an arcade racer, even though there are more things to adjust than ever before-it's just not often required, since the default car settings are good enough. Also, the cars handle so well (even without any driving assists turned on--except in rare instances, like during the Nextel Cup cars, starts and restarts), with only some slight braking, or slowing down in turns needed (depending on the track, of course). Cpu cars will often soar into the air doing repeated barrel rolls, and then somehow safely land on all four wheels, or just magically flip themselves upright, usually without missing more than a lap, if any. Your car, on the otherhand, is often wrecked and eliminated from the race, if you do the same.

Unfortunately, there aren't any Dodge challenges this time around, and the teammate car swapping ability during a race, is gone, even though all the other Total Team Control choices are available (except for voice commands). As well, both the Milwaukee and IRP race tracks have also been removed. However, the 23 real tracks (all 22 Nextel Cup tracks + Nazareth), plus 9 fantasy tracks, and four infield tracks (Daytona, Texas, Talladega, Phoenix) are more than enough to keep you busy (that's a total of 36 tracks-not counting night versions). Hopefully, one day, EA will let us create are own tracks. Nascar 09, perhaps? Pretty please.

The new NASCAR game is again somewhat of a disapointment, since I am a die hard NASCAR fan and demand only the best in the NASCAR video games. Some features I like is the chance to race the Car of Tomorrow and mid race saves. What I don't like is the absence of Carl Edwards for the second consecutive version, however they have added Clint Bowyer and Ken Schrader, who were absent last year. I am also disapointed in the lack of Craftsman Truck Series Drivers such as Todd Bodine, my personal favorite. The old Fight to the Top mode is now known as Earn Your Stripes. All of the Toyota drivers except Jeremy Mayfield are available. But I also found that quite a few Busch Series drivers are not present as well as a few Busch tracks such as Nashville, but all 22 Cup tracks are featured. Still some flaws, but still a fun game.

Nascar 08 is 2x better than the lagging 07 version. Thougth the 08 version does lack these Total Team Control Features of past years the new features and new COT handiling model makes this game great. Though the PS3 version is easier on the eyes and more advanced, the 08 version still is a great game on PS2 and sets a high bar for other racing games.

I am going to start this off by saying I am a total video game novice. The reason I bought this game was because I am a NASCAR fan and I saw the commercials on TV and decided it looked REALLY fun.

I am sure this game is fun if you already have the other NASCAR games and are good at them. I admit at first I found the game extremely frustrating to play because I just wanted to jump in a car and drive around the track. Doesn't quite work that way. I know more experienced gamers will probably laugh at me but I couldn't make it one lap around the track without crashing. This is not to be blamed on the game...this is complete user error here. Once I invested more time into the game I found myself really enjoying running the whelan series cars but have yet to run the series well enough to move up to the next level (remember this is from a NOVICE).

While not jump right into the game friendly like I enjoy, I found the graphics fairly realistic and once I got my groove on I was able to figure out how to play.

while this is not a perfect game, it does for the most part simulate the nascar experience. however, i seem to be having a problem with the license challenges. Is there a trick to them? any help would be appreciated.

This Nascar 2008 ps3 game is high on the charts for fun and adventure. Action in racing will have you on the edge of your seat. The game is detailed in every way and the graphics are great. If you like moving at the speed of light,you'll love this Nascar racing game.

fun nascar game. cool graphics and sound. my sons love it! they got it as a christmas gift and were very excited.

I'm not a huge Nascar fan, at least I wasn't before meeting my father&brother-to-be. However, I love video games, and racing ones. Christmas was coming up, and I had a pretty good flow of money, so I decided to splurge a little and make it a good holiday (as it had been canceled due to my family's money-issues and such). I bought this for my father, and he's already played it a bunch of times, and he's not much of a gamer, at all. He loves the action, and the real-life-like effects. I'm glad I bought it. It's a good series overall, actually. I've got 07 and 09 as well. Love 'em all.

I'm 39 and haven't really liked any video games since I was 29. I've owned everything from a Wii/PS2/Sega/C64/Intellivision. This was the first game that I played more than a handful of times since Half-Life. The big problem with the game is that it is extremely difficult for newbs and too easy for video game lifers. I hope 09 is more challenging for me and yet less challenging for my kids.

I was sadly disappointed with the previous version and took it to a reseller. I love driving games and after reading some reviews decided to give NASCAR one more try. I'm glad. I have played throug a season and moved on to "earn my stripes". Starting as a rookie is easy to work through and gives needed experience for handling higher levels of expertise.

Only problem...it won't support my game wheel and my hands develop fatigue so I have to keep races short. I may try the pause option to rest my hands but haven't done so yet.