Gaming Trend

Gaming Trend Review

Gallop Racer 2006

1. Official Site
2. Platform: PS2
3. Publisher: Tecmo
4. Developer: Tecmo
5. Release Date: 05/03/06
6. Genre: Sports

by Mitch Youngblood

Gallop Racer 2006 has the dubious distinction of falling victim to a blasé attitude on the part of this reviewer. For many moons now, it has collected dust on my desk and the gift horse on the cover has looked me square in the eye. No, I solemnly vowed, I shall not partake of a game I initially pegged as My Little Pony Goes to the Races. I swore on pain of death that I would find some way around it seeing the inside of my PS2.

Unfortunately that is a disservice to both you, Constant Reader, and Tecmo. As such, I have finally played it and forthwith is the long promised review of a title that has bedeviled this reviewer unlike any other. So many moons and endless death threats from my editor later, Gallop Racer 2006 has indeed been played. Now the only question is, how was it?

Gallop Racer 2006 is surprisingly pretty during the races. The screenshots available do not quite do it justice so suffice it to say that visually the races are quite appealing. The horses and jockeys all have a fluid movement to them despite everyone only going in a semi-circle along the race track. It's very nice to watch your jockey respond to the controls and, depending on how you ride your mount, he'll hold the whip out before switching hands, or he'll reign the animal in or flick it so it will run faster. As future installments move onto the next generation consoles extensive particle effects could be added to kick up dirt as the horses barrel down the track. This one obviously lacks that touch, but the races are fun to watch and partake in.

Otherwise, the majority of the game is menu driven. All of the statistics per animal or venue are broken down into a series of sub-menus and while they are easy enough to read, sometimes you have to squint to read the finer print. Whenever players open up the pedigree chart during the breeding stage (I can't believe I just typed that) you see the animal up close and can look over their entire lineage. Next to certain points are icons with the legend at the bottom of the screen. There were a few combinations though that weren't on the legend, so I guess those represented a combination of traits. Do not worry about missing many details on screen. The menus are, for the most part, well laid out. If you're looking for something then it is there.

The sound effects are fairly basic in Gallop Racer 2006. The music is pleasant enough throughout the different menu screens, and the developers were thoughtful enough to have different music play during the different primary options. For example, different music plays while you’re working on breeding horses than it does while you’re going through the titles menu. Granted, Barry White is conspicuously absent from the breeding menu music, but we can hold out hope for future installments correcting this oversight.

The announcer before the races doesn’t grate on your nerves, which is a step up from literally every announcer in any sports video game ever (I’m looking at you, John Madden). The races themselves are pretty basic in terms of sound because all you hear are the sounds of the track: The horses panting as they gallop across the dirt, the sound of their hooves pounding into the ground, and the sounds of the whips hitting their backsides. It’s fairly immersive work and the sound crew should be satisfied.

I just wish there was more work to comment on. The majority of your time is spent navigating through the different menu screens and there are only so many times you can hear the "plink" of selecting another menu before you turn it off in Options. There are no omniscient figures verbally talking to you throughout the game either. The only thing players are presented with is a guide that delivers her messages via text.

Users can swap between a few set control schemes in the Options menu so, for the sake of brevity, we’ll focus on the default choice. The L1 and R1 buttons turn the horse left or right, the L2 and R2 buttons alter which target is selected, the left analog stick changes the view from the back of the horse, and the right analog stick also turns left or right. Users will also need to focus on the directional buttons during the race because the up button flicks the reins, the down button pulls the reins back (hitting either of these twice will flick or pull the reins hard), and the left and right buttons flick the reins in their respective directions. The double tap also applies here.

The triangle button shows the whip to the horse, the circle button whips the horse normally, the square button whips the animal a lot harder, and the X button makes the jockey switch between hands. All of these come into play during each race so it’s best to either memorize them during the practice runs or switch to one of the other control schemes. I preferred the default option, and the controls do take some serious getting used to. It’s not like simply driving a car against a series of opponents. Players have to take into account the statistics of the horse as well as how that particular horse performs on a given track. If the track is muddy and the horse tanks in that sort of condition then the race may as well be uphill.

The first thing players get to choose from once they start the game is what mode they'd prefer to tackle first. The options are exploring Theme Park mode where you build a horse racing dynasty, Simulation Mode where players build their own races, Vs Mode which lets one player compete against a second, and Free Mode which lets gamers choose whatever elements they want all for the sake of running races. Each one of these is a time sink all by itself because Gallop Racer 2006 has a truly mind-boggling amount of customization options and information per element per horse or track. If players feel confident enough they can even make specific bets as to how they'll place in which race.

I initially went with Theme Park Mode and went through the character creation for my jockey. Players get to choose from 20 plus shirt types and a variety of colors and patterns for the shirt, the sleeves, and the boots. I went with my alma mater’s colors then put a big star on the chest because if all went according to plan then my jockey would be so huge that spectators would be left seeing stars. In the Theme Park mode, you are presented with different options of things to do. This is the core of the game and it definitely plays to the sim enthusiasts among us.

Title Collection lets you enter your horse in a variety of races and pursue one racing title after another. The goal of this is to accumulate enough titles to be able to afford another horse with better stats. The more races you win and the more titles you hang on your wall the better off your horse’s stats become. Remember how the Gran Turismo games all have an insane amount of stats per vehicle and you have to start with the worst one and work your way up the ladder? Same thing here only with horses, and instead of buying a new car you have the chance to breed new horses.

Gallop Stallion lets you purchase new horses then breed them to have an infinite line of horses. The amount of information here is simply stunning as anyone’s jaw will hit the ground the second they open up the pedigree chart for their chosen animal. Each chart maps out the exact lineage of the horse complete with specifics on which of their ancestors had which talent and who among them may have been in-bred. It’s a fascinating amount of data just to look at, but it also adds immeasurably to the strategy element of the game. Each horse, both broodmare and stud, has specifics traits that can be combined via breeding to give you a customized new horse. Each parent costs a set number of points though so if you want the top of the line foals then you’d best be prepared to pay the price.

Field of Legend starts off locked and requires you to gather enough titles and prestige to access it. It essentially is a dream race where the powerhouses in your stable compete against the top echelon of race horses. Even if you capture title after title and quickly unlock this mode, do not even try it unless your stable is filled with the best you can breed.

The racing aspect of Gallop Racer 2006 completely threw me at first. I was able to break out from the pack quickly at first and stay out front through the first turn only to find myself quickly passed by every other horse on the track. As it turns out, not only was there a strategy associated with each race but also each individual horse. You have to know each horse’s stats inside and out before you put them on the track, then figure out ahead of time how best to control them during each race. Some horses react better to you simply holding the whip in front of them while others only react if you use the whip on their behind. There are endless variations on this and the game is punishing, perhaps overly so, if players don’t take things seriously and play smart immediately. One thing Gallop Racer 2006 is not is a kiddie game, which I initially took it as. This is a hard core horse racing simulation title with all that that implies. Enthusiasts will find plenty to enjoy here.

As with most sim/racing/stats-based games there is an almost infinite amount of replayability but only if you enjoy what you’re doing. There are so many statistics and variations on managing your horses that you could spend months playing the game and never have the same experience twice. On the other hand, if all the information menus and tricky racing sequences require more time than you have to invest, then this is most definitely not the title for you. But if you have the time and dedicate effort to learning the intricate mechanics then you might find yourself having quite the time with Gallop Racer 2006.

Gallop Racer 2006 will definitely appeal to the hard core sim and statistic fans in the gaming community. Also, if you are even remotely interested in horse racing then this is an absolute must-try. Every single element in the game has a mind blowing amount of information on it so if you want to know anything about a race, or a horse, or even a venue, in the game then you will find it here. The caveat to this is the game has an equally mind blowing learning curve that almost discourages casual play. This is not a title to sit down and play five minutes worth before you run out for errands. But if you devote some time to learning about horses and the racing itself, Gallop Racer 2006 is surprisingly rewarding.

Gaming Trend Score

88

1. Graphics: 88
2. Audio: 85
3. Controls: 87
4. Gameplay: 90
5. Value/Replay: 88
6. OVERALL:88