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New Game: Fuel

Genre: Racing

Available on: PC, Xbox 360, Playstation 3

By: Codemasters and Asobo Studios

Looks great. Critics think it's great.

It's about our world, same time as now, but in, if you will, a different dimension. The world's been changed by the ravages of climate change. Random thunder storms, crazy tornadoes, and view-killing blizzards. Best of all, this can all happen in the middle of races. IGN says:

Fuel will present players with an astonishing no-boundaries playfield that's over 5,000 square miles (14,000+ km²) in size. Creating the ultimate competitive go-anywhere racing experience, the game has players competing across wildly different terrain and executing spectacular death-defying stunts as they race dozens of varied two and four-wheeled rides and explore this epic world on an unprecedented scale.

If you watch the videos, you'll understand the critics' comments: Spectacular, Amazing, Breathtaking.

It's coming out on May 12 - far too far in the future, for me. It's one of those games racing fans will just need when they see what it's about.

Sure, I enjoy previous games' asphalt, parking garages, highways, and winding mountain roads, but this is beyond that. Drive anywhere no more. That phrase is used way too many times for games on smaller scales. It holds a promise: Many miles of open roads, but you're probably in a city. No. Game Informer, if I remember right, even opened with saying, "You though Burnout: Paradise was big ..." - sorry, forget the rest - and BP is big. Cross-town races are a pain to lose, you have to drive all the way back, and that could be several minutes of driving, give or take. I own 'Paradise, and it feels big. But, if this game, Fuel, can boast 5000 square miles, that must feel immense. But some guy from Asobo - I can't care to remember or find his name - had a touch of bad english, and he said, "Go everywhere." The phrase barely changed, but it's different. It's new. It's what Asobo's bringing to the table. Go everywhere.

This looks like it's a definate must-have for all race game lovers, or even those new to the genre. But if you're new, don't be too disappointed when other games can't surpass Fuel - two companies don't work together for no reason you know. Two companies that could compete against each other. So this is massive.

I hope I'm not disappointed when I get it - unfortuanately it's 3rd on my growing list of must-haves, and is subject to being bumped down at any time. I hope you get it, and aren't disappointed by it if you get it either.

But here's some happy thought's from Gamespot, from August - there's newer articles too though. This is a quote from an early First Look.

The online mode will offer support for up to 16 players in total, and thankfully the two modes will integrate seamlessly so you'll be able to move back and forth without any interruption. Codemasters also promises postrelease support with new vehicles being made available via download.

If/when I get Fuel, I'll be looking forward to downloadables. Same with BP, but they're not in a massive open-world enviroment, with 5000 square miles of racing, right? Click here to view a vid on GameSpot.

I can't truly describe the game. Nobody even owns it yet, that bought it on May 12, 2009. Yes, that's in the future. Now, to get a real look at Fuel, click the following links to watch preview and gameplay videos on IGn and GameSpot.

IGN Videos (More HD videos, but less videos in total) ---- GameSpot (Less HD videos, but more videos total)

Be sure to glance at the screenshots too.

I liked this one: