The freemium GT Racing 2: The Real Car Experience debuts

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Requiring over 1GB of disk space and a 1GB RAM smartphone, Gameloft's new racing epic 'GT Racing 2: The Real car Experience' has just launched for Windows Phone (a month after other mobile OS platforms). Think of it in the same vein as Real Racing 3 for Android, i.e. stocked to the hilt with currencies and ways of sending money to the developers(!) The graphics are great, though the game starts way too easy - and then it heats up very fast. Comments welcome if you have the time and energy to play through this title - it's big, in every sense of the word!

GT Racing 2: The Real car Experience

From the game's description:

GT Racing 2: The Real Car Experience is a true-to-life automotive journey featuring the most prestigious cars in the world!

LEADERSHIP: POSSIBLY THE BEST HANDHELD RACING SIMULATION 
• The richest handheld racing simulation this year: 67 licensed cars on 13 tracks, including Laguna Seca.
• A superb collection of cars from over 30 manufacturers: Mercedes-Benz, Ferrari, Dodge, Nissan, Audi, Ford, and more.
• Test your driving skills by completing 1,400 events, including Classic Races, One on Ones, Knockouts and Overtakes.

AUTHENTICITY: A DEEPER DRIVING SENSATION
• The new physics model offers the most realistic car dynamics ever.
• Our tracks have different times of day and weather conditions.
• Race your way by choosing from among 4 different cameras, including a breathtaking interior view!
• No repair times or repair costs! We won't make you wait or pay to race in an event again.

EXPERIENCE: ENJOY THE RIDE SOLO OR IN MULTIPLAYER 
• Compete with your friends or with players from all over the world.
• New racer? Turn on Steering & Braking Assistance to get up to speed in a flash!
• Veteran driver? Tweak your performance in the garage with tons of custom options!

No game offers you a more realistic racing simulation than GT Racing 2.

Quite some claims, though with Real Racing 2 seemingly the end of the line from Gameloft's archrival Electronic Arts, at least on Windows Phone, the field is wide open for a really well done freemium motor racing 'experience'. The jury's out so far, but there are some worrying signs...

Screenshot, GT Racing 2: The Real car Experience

Do you really want your car racing game to keep bothering you with virtual happenings when you're not actually playing it? No, I didn't think so....

Screenshot, GT Racing 2: The Real car Experience

The loading screen takes a while, but then there's 1GB of RAM to fill up on your phone, etc.(!) Notice the tighter cropping on the right hand side, by the way - I'll come back to this!

Screenshot, GT Racing 2: The Real car Experience

Setting up for the first race - already there are worrying signs along the lines of paying for power up 'boosts' in order to go faster and to win more easily. Sigh....

Screenshot, GT Racing 2: The Real car Experience

As the main race engine loads, notice that the artwork is chopped off on the right. An arty decision, or a sign that this title was converted across from Android without full attention?

Screenshot, GT Racing 2: The Real car Experience

In-game graphics are very impressive though - and properly centred!

Screenshot, GT Racing 2: The Real car Experience

A variety of camera views includes this in-car vantage point.... Terrific visuals.

Screenshot, GT Racing 2: The Real car Experience

Ah yes, getting going on the freemium ladder already...

Screenshot, GT Racing 2: The Real car Experience

Turns out that I need more cash, here are some popular in-app-purchases....

Screenshot, GT Racing 2: The Real car Experience

Or you can really stock up on in-game cash with an eye-watering £80 purchase. Gulp.

Screenshot, GT Racing 2: The Real car Experience

Other in-app-buys include car packs. This bunch of five supercars for 'only' £60? Why, that's a few million less than in the real world!!

In addition to my usual freemium concerns, there are definitely signs (e.g. when entering text and when looking at on-screen text, signage and controls) that this game title wasn't designed from scratch for Windows Phone. Am I being a curmudgeon for complaining here? What about game crashes (presumably RAM-related, even on my 1GB Lumia 920)?

Although the set-up, strategy and (ahem) sales screens seem a rushed port, at least the main race engine is very impressive in terms of speed and fluidity. Comments welcome after you've played it all, anyway. You can download GT Racing 2: The Real Car Experience here in the Windows Phone Store.

Source / Credit: Windows Phone Store