May 11, 2015 - This review is going to be a bit different because it's not actually a review for a full game but it's for a set event in a game. The iRacing events are a bit different than the other games I play, so I figured it would be fitting to review some of my individual races. The race I want to review is the one I did last night, at Charlotte Motor Speedway. I did one random race here in the past but there are two major differences between that race and the one I just did. The first difference is that this race is a part of a series, where you earn points for the season. It's not just for fun, it's for points and rankings. The second major difference is that I raced this event with a steering wheel and pedals, as opposed to an Xbox 360 controller. The game is very playable with the controller but the wheel and pedals are much more realistic, so it does make a big difference in the race and how it feels. I didn't have time to qualify for the event, so I made it into some random position. I started near the back of the pack, so I had my work cut out for me in the 20 laps. I had a good start, gaining a few positions within the first lap. I was gaining on more of the other cars going into the second lap too but that was the end of my race. I saw a driver hitting a few cars and bouncing off of them, looking to crash any time now. I decided to shoot the gap up near the wall, thinking I'd clear him and not lose any positions. (In this series there are no cautions, so you just have to make it work). It wasn't to be. I saw him cut up right into my path at the last second, with nothing I could do. I hit him and then slammed the wall, but I still didn't lose any positions! So when I kept driving I thought I may be in good shape, but then I got black flagged for having too much damage. So I had to pit very early on in the race and I couldn't do anything after that. Crashes are almost a guarantee in this game, much like in real races, so I wish I had just hit the brakes and survived that one so I could bypass the other crashes that happened later on in the race. But that's not how it goes at times! The fun of the game is that it's like real life, so you have to make split second decisions to make it in any event. Just beware for the fool drivers who have no business playing the game. I just did another race, not the one I'm reviewing, and I was passing a guy who simply decided to crash me as I passed him. I'm not sure he did it on purpose, but there was nobody behind me so he could have easily let me pass and not lose all that much ground on the lead himself. It was upsetting. Either way, when I have memorable races, I think I'm going to review them and give practical tips that can help with doing well in the race. The top tip: make sure if you see a crash you take your time and navigate your way through it, because it'll end up better over the long haul.
