Product Review

NASCAR 2001 has been completely redesigned for the PlayStation2, which means that the gameplay has been as drastically improved as the graphics for this long-running racing franchise. For starters, independent artificial-intelligence routines mimic the real driving styles of the 35 professionals in this game. You'll find that some of the drivers are constantly nipping at your heels, while others are pacing you as they wait to exploit your first mistake. Polygonal damage effects and high-resolution texture maps make every wall scrape and car collision believable, while special particle effects like smoke, fire, sparks, and skid marks only add to the realism. NASCAR 2001 offers 14 tracks, including Daytona.