TrackMania

It's not a good TM game unless you get frustrated, restart, restart, restart, and then restart some more because the track is impossible to complete in one run. Then you complete it in one run and you come to find out that 15 people have done it faster than you. This game provides that. Stadium has been the benchmark for TM for quite some time and Nadeo has managed to up their game and provide some new blocks to make countless more customized tracks. A new ranking system based off trophies instead of their classic ladder is being used. So far, it seems to be working and weeding out anyone who's trying to skirt the rules. No more LOL and PF tracks that ruined the original Nations. What's missing if you're an old school player? The mix of up maps. It's only Stadium. No Island, Bay, Desert, etc. so you're stuck playing the same thing over and over again. You also don't get to customize your nickname. There's no colours, italics, clan names, etc. It's all white lettering and everyone's the same. I also find the interface very, very basic. You can't bring up the ladder to see where everyone stands - it provides the first 5 people in your area, country and continent and that's it - so no looking through to see how anyone is doing. I feel it's also made for a phone - solid colours and basic shapes - there's nothing that makes it "refined". Am I having fun? Yes. In the free version I could get in on the seasonal tracks, that was about it though. I paid for the Club access and started playing the Track of the Day (though the cheaper Standard offers this access too). Club is probably overkill if you're just looking to access all the basic racing. What would I like to see? A more refined interface (I think TM Original had a better interface than this Nadeo/Ubisoft...come on...) The ability to customize our nicknames -- seriously.....this has been an ability in EVERY TM GAME. Colours, Tags, Clans, etc. make this game what it is. What I'd really like to see is a rebirth of Island. Besides Stadium, Island was the next biggest yet you've neglected it and done everything but... 6.5/10 You've hit some good stuff, you've made the game good, but there's work to be done in the eyes of an old school driver. The game isn't huge in North America, so the amount of players racing at our time is lacking (though this has always been the case with a TM game).