Grid Autosport

Grid Autosport is a 2014 racing video game developed by Codemasters for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Linux, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch and Android.

It aims to move the series back towards "more authentic racing games" following the release of Grid 2, which Codemasters felt was not as well-received by the company's core fanbase as it was hoped for.

These are all accessible in Custom Cup mode as well, in which the player can also choose to participate in certain special event types, such as Checkpoint, Eliminator and Demolition derby.

[1] By popular demand, Codemasters retained its unique Flashback feature from previous Grid instalments with which the players can rewind their races a few seconds and resume it earlier, if needed.

[citation needed] In the case of the tracks, the main emphasis is on real-world permanent circuits which make up the majority of the courses in the game.

At the same time there was a fair amount of feedback from the fans with regards to what they wanted, so additional touring car content, the return of cockpit cam and more of a nudge back to simulation rather than arcade.

Codemasters used a new, improved version of its previous model, better simulating how grip falls away, when the player approaches the slip angle of the tyres.

Decision to use the new model, which was tested by Autosport magazine experts and racing drivers, was made on 23 January 2014, which was followed by applying it to each car's grip falloff graph and re-tuning the vehicles' individual handling characteristics.

[26] The online multiplayer system was also among the areas that Codemasters decided to overhaul compared to Grid 2, based on fan feedback.

[2] Lead designer James Nicholls confirmed that the game would not make it onto next-gen platforms given the tight timeframes the team worked with during the development process.

[42] Controversy followed as Codemasters Community Manager Ben Walke commented the reason behind the already criticised move was simply that "it sells".

They enabled the Time Trial race type (which was missing from the base game due to prolonged technical difficulties),[41] added Oculus Rift support and a virtual rear-view mirror (although, in the case of the latter, only for PC).

The Career mode gained widespread approval for being "simply about winning races and mastering various driving styles" with the ability to switch between disciplines letting the player "go as focused or as broad as [he or she] likes".

[53] GamesRadar+ felt that having a nominated opponent provided "a decent sense of rivalry (…) which gives races more meaning (…) and the experience is richer for having clear rivals to beat".

The computer-controlled opponents' "defensive driving lines, late-braking overshoots into hairpins, and fiendishly clever cut-backs" can make "a normally disappointing 8th place finish (…) just as rewarding as a win".

The title's damage model was critically acclaimed as the above review highlighted that "each car [is] responding accurately to collisions" with the crashes having "a massive effect on performance".

[6][50][57] The general graphical qualities of the game were lauded as "magnificent" and "lovely" with "incidental details [on the race track that] make for an engaging race-day atmosphere" being particularly impressing.

[5] Similarly to graphics, the most positive aspects of sounds were the details; the "nice ambient effects" and the "small touches such as being able to hear the commentators over the track" that make the experience "more immersive".

[55][57] Edge elaborated that "they don't always concede in the same way a human driver might, sticking to their chosen route even though you legitimately out-braked them into a corner".

IGN said "it's a bizarre omission (…) that quietly undermines a lot of what Autosport does right", pointing out that suffering a puncture leaves the player with no option to repair the damage.

[6] Eurogamer warned that the content-wise excellent Career mode can feel "long and drawn-out" and that "progress in GRID Autosport is slow".

[53] The reception of the request-based team radio was also mixed with GamesRadar+ arguing that "the pit audio repeats itself far too quickly and doesn't always make perfect sense".

[52] Finally, a number of reviewers noted that a lot of cars and tracks are re-used material from earlier Codemasters titles, which feels "stale".

Grid Autosport features several licensed cars from various racing disciplines, such as the Ford GT40 Mk I .