How GRID Managed to Rock the Arcade Racing World

Race Driver: GRID (or simply called GRID) is one of my favourite racing games. But is it ACTUALLY that good, fifteen years later?

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Mods used:

Some AI modifiers (not publicly available yet)

SONG LIST (in order of first appearance, links coming soon; they're all available on YouTube, though)

Ian Livingstone - XLR8
Ian Livingstone - Menu Soundtrack 2 & 4
Plasticman - It's a Set Up
Isamu Ohira - The Motorious Zone
Isamu Ohira - Hypnosis
Ian Livingstone - Burnbaby
Mick Gordon - Safehouse
Ian Livingstone - Razor's Edge
Ian Livingstone - Razor's Edge Reloaded (Replay)
Isamu Ohira - Light Velocity
Ian Livingstone - 24 Hours of Le Mans (also known as "raceend")
Ian Livingstone - Credits
Isamu Ohira - From the East to the West
Ian Livingstone - Atomsplitter (also known as "Ravenwest's Last Stand")

TIMESTAMPS

00:00 - Intro
02:41 - Origins
04:20 - Development and Release
05:39 - Getting Started in the GRID World
10:14 - Fun With Race Cars
16:30 - Ravenwest Joins the Chat
17:33 - The Music
19:58 - The Endgame
22:55 - After the Endgame
25:22 - Modding
27:41 - The Problems
29:38 - Conclusion
31:52 - What's This?

[DarkRaider]

you forgot to add the "final lap" music when it goes balls to the wall hardcore

[EduFirenze]

Grid and Dirt 2 made me feel like being at the track for the weekend. They got the ATMOSPHERE right. No matter how shiny the graphics got in modern games, those 2 got what racing was all about and no one was able to replicate.

[chiltano]

This was and still is, my favourite racing game of all time. 👍

[b.]

I can confidentely say that Race Driver: GRID is the racing game and it will *Never Ever* be something alike. It's strong career structure, neat features, team management, sponsorships, the whole atmosphere, the frenetic soundtrack, Ravenwest's presence and how intense the AI can be even how evident the rubberband is. It's the game that breaks the taboo that closed track racing games CAN be fun It's the definition of how hard racing can be in a videogame.

I bet for how incredibly detailed the car damage models were that car makers wasn't very pleased but we just don't plain crash cars just for the sake of it. (but they are incredibly fun) we just learn how these race cars are fragile if you're not carefull enough so it's actually integral part in racing because we all know what actually happens in motorsports irl and not having a similar experience in videogame feels quite limiting for a genre that used to push the boundaries in the past two decades... the absolute thril to keep your car intact throughout the race. Thats one the things that made this franchise standout from Gran Turismo or Forza.

As much as I liked few of the sequels like GRID 2 and Legends the first game is simply *undisputed* and it deserves more recognition. Excellent video!

[mikes]

I instantly clicked with this game when i got it on the 360.

Fluid and responsive feel. The music always got your heart pumping.

[deltari]

Being an arcade racing gamer and massive motosport enthusiast, I tried this game out during the pandemic as I had been told it was fantastic

To this day, it's still my favorite game of all time. In my eyes, no other manages to immerse you better in the world of motorsport in such a fun yet simple manner. Despite having beaten it 100%, I still come back to it, desperately trying to have as much fun as I had on my first playthrough

[PeterRidgway-ms]

So nice to see so many people commenting their memories of this game. I was Lead Environment Artist / Lead Technical Artist on the first few Dirt and Grid games. They were really fun to make and Grid especially came together so well, we know we were making something pretty special at the time. Thank you for making this video and all the lovely comments. Really made my day reading them :)

[miguel.]

this game IS an undeniable masterpiece, literally no other game manages to get close to the feel racedriver: grid gives you, the music is unforgettable, the progression is so good that the only game that beats it is gt4, the physics are great, the races are genuinely fun and interesting and the variety is just wonderful. this game is not perfect, but it definitely gets close.

also modding can make the game EVEN better

[coldzero]

19:50 The first version of the game's menu music is one of my absolute favourite pieces of original video game music, not just for a racing game but for any game in general. Nostalgic bliss.

[lucasgraeff]

This game, together with Need For Speed Most Wanted, Shift 2: Unleashed and DiRT 2, is one of my favorite racing games of all time. What makes these games for me is the intensity, the feeling of speed at all times. You should do a Shift 2 review! It's a great game, it's driving is dangerous and on your face all the time. Great video!

[donnycorn]

One more thing I'd love to mention is the replay system. Got to get back from the game after a while of Racing Masters and realized how GRID 1's replay looked like an actual movie for every replay. The shots, the vibration, there are sense of speed almost everywhere, and all tied together with the aforementioned godsent of the fast-paced OST. I know, the replay system's not something big to contribute to the entire gameplay, but it's fun once every while to see how you looked like when you raced on the track, and GRID delivered the best one there is. It's hard to find any kind of replay system as great as RD:GRID had, even with later game titles.

[qoorson]

How campaigh was built in GRID was a masterpiece. I actually immersed myself as one of the drivers, that start from scratch and race his way up, upgrade cars and garage, hire 2nd driver, choose sponsors etc etc etc. And at end of season, Le Mans event ! One of the VERY BEST racing games i have ever played, and i pretty much played almost everything.

[GamerAlexVideos]

Despite GRID being the first appearance of the EGO engine, technically the game engine started with DiRT 1. It was originally called Neon before it got changed to the EGO name!

[fadedmans]

One of the best Codemasters games ever

[StormRaid]

This game is by far my favorite racing game. The arcade physics. The drifting with the Asian guy talking to hype you up. The 24hr La Mans. The sponsors giving you bonuses. This game deserves a come back because it was already perfect.

[willymcbilly]

can we talk about how banging the soundtrack was tho? The ravenwest 1v1 in the 350z's had the single best OST I've heard in a racing game, and the Silvia drift 1v1 is close second. The menu music is chill and the Le Mans OST is legendary.

[Kittysune]

what i really like from this game is the sponsorship feature and the tv overlay hud man it work just like real motosport racing tv overlay when you're having battle with certain driver it doesn't move your position up or your opponent down until you can confirm the overtake that is detail that i never seen ever again on future racing game i played like every grid game and race driver is the most unique one

[CalculatedRiskAK]

GRID (2008) is a classic. I mainly play racing sims, but man I had boat loads of fun in that game. One of the best racing games of all time.

[zippo]

Grid is one of the highlights when it comes to racing games. This game is among my all time favourite racing games. Visuals, damage, handling and the progression was very good and i remember causing chaos on Circuit de la Sarthe by braking on the straight and the ai crashed all over the place which ended up with most of the ai struggling to finish the race. The drifting was addicting and racing was fun. The menu theme is damn nostalgic too.

[Desher_ER]

After seeing this i wish i have bought this game on Steam before it got delisted. Instead of paying resellers an exuberant amount of money for it