Game review: GP500 by Microprose

I was totally convinced motorcycle racing sims could get no better than SBK, and playing the first demo of Microprose GP500 didn't change that.
Maybe it's because when you say "Microprose" the first thing that comes to mind is their perfect racing sim "Formula One Grand Prix 2" which has never been beaten for realism.

But when I got a magazine which had the demo on it's cover CD I gave it another try. I must say I find the sound of those two strokes very irritating, maybe because I miss that lovely smell of unburned two-stoke oil which I still think is way better than Chanel #5. The bikes don't sound very fierce, even when accelerating hard, and have more to do with a chainsaw that a 180bhp+ four cylinder two stroke that'll spit you off when you touch the twistgrip.

But...

When you put in some effort and some patience the game suddenly shows you it's beauty and an unparalleled sense of realism (considering I never actually rode a GP500 missile ofcourse).
Much more than in SBK you really have to learn the track inside-out and when you succeed in that the game starts working!...
The heavy steering bike suddenly starts handling as you manage to find exactly the right braking point, hit the apex within inches of perfection and crack the throttle open to make the rear tyre break loose and keeping it struggling for grip as you accelerate hard out of the corner laying a wide black stripe of rubber onto the track.
Then you've managed it!... after spending many hours learning the track and figuring out the braking points the game suddenly turns from awkward to awesome... just like in real life!

So I won't bore you with things like how the installation of the game went, what graphics/control/sound options there are and how much it costs because that's not what this game is about... It's about increasing your riding skill and having a ball doing it. As I said before in my SBK review you can actually improve your real-life skill by playing these games, and this one does a really great job at it.

When I got the full version of the game I found that the bikes are a lot heavier handling, they won't fall over into a corner as quick as in the demo version. I don't know if they intended to add more realism with that but it took me a while getting used to.
A thing that did improve is the way you can slide the rear. In the demo if you held the throttle open for too long you always ended up in the tyrewall, but in the full version you can really ride along the thin line called grip and clear the corner totally sideways... AWESOME!!!

If you purchase the game (which I think you should) visit http://www.bhmotorsports.com for great add-ons to the game to make the experience even more enjoyable.

HAVE FUN!

Forgot to put my titanium knee sliders on.

It's all about hitting the apex with deadly accuracy.

"Laying a darkie".

This is when you get when using a button for brakes.

I let Robby have a go too, with the usual outcome.