Freeware PC

Along with a more famous racing franchise releasing this week Trackmania Nations Forever, comes Driving Speed 2 from developer Wheelspin Studios.

This free racing simulator features sports cars, a decent amount of tracks and LAN/online play. I'd say this game is best for a coffee break but, not much else.

The graphics aren't bad but they aren't great. The models look pretty good and the surrounding environment is rendered smoothly. One thing I like about racing games is the sense of speed, which DS2 fails to present. Sadly, no physical damage is shown on cars. The cars aren't licensed but this a free game you must remember. Licenses cost money but the models do look like their real life counter parts. Load times were also pretty fast.



Each car controls differently and in realistic fashion. This game is definitely not an arcade racer. Since I was stuck using a keyboard, the controls were frustrating but with a gamepad I am sure those frustrations can be solved easily. The AI is solid and competition can be tough sometimes.

Sound is pretty lackluster without any real "ooomph" put into the engine or collision noises. It's not something to cry over. The download and install is pretty small. The system requirements are easy on the eyes too. The menus are easy to navigate which is also a plus. The online ranking system is also there to keep track of scores and course times.

Like I said, this isn't a game I would easily become addicted too or play that often, maybe only on lunch breaks or when I have some downtime.

Check out http://www.wheelspinstudios.com/drivingspeed2/index.html for more screens.
Check out http://www.fileplanet.com/185728/180000/fileinfo/Driving-Speed-2-(Free-Game) for the download.

The Bottom Line: 7 out of 10

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Trackmania Nations Forever releases tomorrow! Stay tuned for my review!