Shortly after we previewed the PC version of Codemaster’s upcoming mix of arcade and sim racing game, Race Driver GRID, we had a chance to have a look at the Xbox 360 demo version of the game as well. Weighing in at 795 MB, the demo turned out to have more bang for the buck then other game demos that have been clogging our bandwidth but failing to deliver a gameplay experience that would justify the huge file sizes. With support for online racing in the demo via Xbox LIVE, it is pretty much ensured that this is one demo that you won’t be deleting any time soon, at least, not till the game hits the shelves coming June.

The three tracks in the demo are Jarama Circuit, San Francisco and Yokohama docks. While the first two tracks are used for more conventional racing, using Europe Touring cars and U.S. Muscle Cars respectively, the Japanese track is to let you have a go at drifting around the docks. While the gameplay and graphics are pretty much similar to what we had seen in our earlier preview, the one noticeable difference was that the car handling was much better on the Xbox 360 version of the game. The “skating on ice” feel is gone and the car handles more solidly instead of spinning all around the place. Your cars still do have a tendency to spin out, but that happens only when you try to take corners without slowing down or get rear-ended by another player who still hasn’t got out of his/her Burnout mode.

Having said that, the game is absolute fun to play online with your friends. Once online, you have the choice of two tracks from the demo, the Jarama circuit or the San Francisco street race. You can choose either of the circuit by a simple voting system. The Drift race is sadly absent when it comes to multiplayer on the demo. Races can get a bit chaotic right from the word go itself, considering both the tracks have sharp turns early on, of which you HAVE to slow down or end up spinning out onto the gravel or smash your car against the walls and end up damaging it. The sharp turns ensure that everyone has to brake right after a full-throttle start or at least slow down. Unfortunately, that does not happen often. The usual outcome is that you end up having other people rear-end your car, spin you out of the track or use your car as a cushion as they navigate the tricky corner. This is more pronounced on the Jarama circuit.

If Damage has been toggled on by the host, it could mean that you would be placed in an unfavorable position right from the beginning of the race with busted steering, bumpers hanging loose, the hood flapping around and doors not being in the place they are supposed to be. Loss of control over your car is what will hamper your progress the most in the races, as your car will tend to drift towards the left or right depending upon the damage. From here on, it only gets worse as you smash into more cars or walls, ending up with a completely totaled ride. Predictably, there is no Replay function in multiplayer demo that can help you rewind the game safely to a point just before the collision, as seen in the single player mode. Lag was hardly noticeable for us, though I’m sure the jury is still out on that one for other less-contented broadband users.

Once totaled, the game allows you to spectate, as your opponent goes about finishing the race. As soon as the first car crosses the finish line, a timer will show, allowing the other cars still in the race a few more seconds to complete it or end up getting tagged as “DNF” on the results screen. Points are allotted according to position in which you completed the race. You can accumulate points as long as you continue racing in the same session but this being a demo, loose it as soon as you start a new game. The recommended way to go about the demo is to get accustomed with the tracks and then go online and race with your friends.

The demo does a great job of showcasing this beautiful-looking game and its excellent online multiplayer capabilities, even with barely two tracks. A must-try for all racing game fans out there.

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