Europe Racer

Infobox VG| title = Europe Racer


developer = Davilex Games
publisher = Infogrames
Xplosiv
designer =
series = "Davilex Racer"
engine =
released = September 14, 2001
genre = Racing
modes = Single player only
ratings =
platforms = Microsoft Windows
PlayStation
input =

Europe Racer (also known as Europe Racing) is a racing video game developed by Dutch company Davilex. It was first published by Infogrames in the UK on September 14, 2001, later re-published as a budget title by Xplosiv on April 2, 2004.

It is part of the Davilex "Racer" series, the sequel to "London Racer" (1999) and the France-only release "Paris-Marseille Racing" (2000).

Background

The player takes the role of a race driver participating in a championship of cannonball-run style illegal street racing through various cities of Europe. Not only he has to win the championship, but must also evade the police who try to stop racers by blocking them or setting up roadblocks.

The event is organized by Caesar, a now retired racer. The law enforcement teams are led by police chief J. B. Black, driving a black Hummer.

The player can choose from eight teams to compete for, representing eight nations:
* Club USA
* Riders of the Rising Sun
* Club Moskov Masjina
* Autobahn Raser Club
* London Racer Club
* Le bolide Club de France
* Motori d'Italia
* A2 Racer Club

Gameplay

There are three different racing modes:
*Quick race - driving on a single track, with or without opponents
*Championship - a series of five races in a certain category (sportscar, sedan or SUV), with five racers (including the player) competing against each other
*Adventure - a series of twenty races, with five racers (including the player) competing against each other. This is essentially the main story of the game

The player can collect money, nitro and 'repairs' from the track during the races. The money can be used in the latter two racing modes to tune the car.

Cars

The game does not use licensed names of cars (because of the presence of car damage and police chase), but the makes and models are easily identifiable.

Each team (nation) has their set of three unique vehicles: sportscar, sedan and SUV. This does not always mean that the nation in question had manufactured the respective car, for example the Dutch team uses British and Swedish cars. In addition, the player can unlock a bonus car, so the number of drivable vehicles totals to 25.

There is an array of traffic and police cars on every track as well, models varying from country to country.

Car listing

Tracks

There are 15 circuits modeled after major European cities showcasing various real-world landmarks, and 2 circuits presenting country landscapes. All of these are populated by traffic and pedestrians. There is no option to set time of day or weather, and there are no multiple roads.

A 16th city, Prague, was only half completed by the release of the game and it does not appear in the game menu. It can be driven on only after manually editing a configuration file.

Track listing

City tracks:
*Amsterdam
*Athens
*Barcelona
*Berlin
*Florence
*Hamburg Harbour
*London
*Madrid
*Marseilles
*Moscow
*Oxford
*Paris
*Rome
*Stockholm
*Vienna

Other tracks:
*England Countryside
*French Countryside

Critical reaction

"Europe Racer" obtained mostly unfavorable reviews, citing outdated graphics for its time and unrealistic physics. It remained generally unknown.

External links

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