Review: Asphalt 5 HD

[the_dead_man]

Asphalt 5 HD

Android Game Review

Title: Asphalt 5 HD
Developer: Gameloft
Publisher: Gameloft
Release Date: July, 2010
Platform: Android
Genre: Arcade Racer
Reviewed on: SE Xperia X10
Game Features: Over 30 vehicles from top prestigious manufacturers, 12 beautiful, scenic locations to race in and tons of customizing options.

asphalt banner.jpg

Summary

Buckle up, rev up your engine, hit the boost and get ready to race around the world in some of the hottest rides including vehicles from Lamborghini, Ferrari, Audi and many more. From the glamour and glitz of Las Vegas to the beautiful snow-clad mountains of Aspen, the world is now your racetrack. So are you ready to get into your dream car and make a name for yourself as the best racer in the world?


Review

First of all, I’d like to say I’m back from a long hiatus and it feels good to be reviewing again. But enough about me, welcome to the android game review section. This is my first android game review and I thought I’d start off with one of the best arcade racers, Asphalt 5 HD.

Let’s start off with what catches our eye first. I’m sure you all have guessed it by now. Yes, I’m talking about the graphics. HD means High Definition and Gameloft certainly has lived up to its expectations in this game by delivering cutting edge visuals. Each location is well detailed with sufficient light and rendered in magnificent HD graphics. You can actually feel the snow falling on your windshield as you drive through the snowy mountains of Aspen and see the smoke coming out from your ride as you drive through the streets. So, there you have it, something that will make you jump with joy. Coming to vehicles, Asphalt 5 consists of both cars and bikes and they are minutely detailed and beautifully modeled. Hats off to Gameloft for doing such a great job in recreating these vehicles so realistically.

Moving on to features, Asphalt 5 has a lot to offer. The player has over 30 vehicles to unlock and drive, which include ones from top manufacturers like Ferarri, Ford, Lamborghini, Audi and many more. The bikes are also a welcome change from the cars for when the player feels like experiencing a bit more adrenaline which is limited when driving the four wheelers. Reach insane speeds and execute sharp turns in hairpin bends with these magnificent vehicles. The game also boasts of 12 different locations around the world and that is something worth looking at. Then of course, we have Asphalt’s most popular feature, the eye-catching girls which you unlock as your progress through the game, these girls are not only beautiful and a source of eye candy, but also come with added benefits like cash boost, additional boost power and many more. You also get your own 3D garage where you can view your cars, buy new ones and customize them fully to create the ultimate racing machine. The game has over 45 events with a variety of racing events like Last Man Standing, Duel Mode, Cop Chase and many more which promises hours of fun gameplay.

Going on to gameplay, Asphalt 5 is purely an arcade racer like I mentioned before. Thus it has no such storyline really and has a quick race and a career mode like most racing games. The career mode offers a wide variety of events, from plain races and time trials to drift contests and cop chases. You keep earning cash in all races with which you can buy new rides and also customize them to the maximum with unlocked upgrades. The AI drivers are tough and competitive. Moreover, Asphalt 5 is a pure and relentless fast paced arcade racing game. So, if you’re looking for precision driving, this is not the game for you. Hit the boost insanely, knockdown cars and take the shortcuts in the quickest time possible to get to the finish line first or you’ll end up being frustrated. But don’t lose heart because it’s not a piece of cake to get through the game in one go.

Asphalt 5 incorporates a bit of Burnout into it with the takedown action and also NFS considering being chased by the Cops when you drive recklessly and also chasing other cars down. The boost system is pretty neat, just gather the boost bonus drops from the track or drive recklessly and get your boost bar filled and then pump it out, let sparks fly and unleash the real power of your engine. Controls are really easy to master. Asphalt supports both accelerometer and touch sensitive controls and both are really comfortable to play with. It also has a tiny boost icon which you can tap anytime to boost in the game and two onscreen brakes which help in drifting. Sound effects are realistic, crisp and clear which makes the game experience truly wholesome and the music is also quite pleasant to the ear.

However, the game does have some serious flaws. I had some really bad times with the cop chase events in the later locations, where you need to eliminate a fixed number of rivals by takedowns. If Gameloft had reduced the number of eliminations required or at least made the other AI racers a little less competitive, it wouldn’t lead to the frustration you might occasionally experience while playing these events. Gameplay is also not smooth and it lags and jerks at times, especially when you are surrounded by a large number of vehicles and this can be really irritating at times. The main problem behind this is because of the fragmentation of the Android OS which has led to different hardware for different phones, some of which may not run Asphalt 5 as smoothly as expected.


Conclusion

Like I said before, if you’re looking for a serious racing game then don’t download Asphalt 5 because it is an action packed arcade racer which will keep your hands full for hours and no matter how frustrating some races might get, you will keep coming back to play the game. Overall, even though there are some issues with the game, Gameloft has done a great job with it. The graphics are console quality, the sound is really good and it also has a multiplayer option. Lastly, remember to have fun while racing around the world in your dream car.


Screenshots

Asphalt-5-HD-Android shots.jpg

Scores

Graphics: 9/10
Excellent, realistic and well detailed.

Sound: 8.5/10
Great sound, pleasant music.

Gameplay: 7/10
Tough AI, easy to master controls, lagging issues, repetitive events.

Features: 8/10
Lots of rides, locations and customizations.

Story: N/A
Arcade Racer, no such storyline present.



Overall Score: 8 out of 10