There’s something to be said for the simple pleasure wrought by arcade-style gaming, where the only objectives are to go fast, destroy everything, and rack up an insane amount of points in the process. There are no deep intricacies to Full Auto, and the game doesn’t pretend to be anything more than a combat racer. There’s no stat building, no simulation training, and no storyline. And that’s the way we like it.

Despite the inherent simplicity of Full Auto, there are certain intricacies hidden within the game that make it even more enjoyable. For example, learning the power slide is key, as one grand power slide can fill up your entire boost meter, allowing you to plow through the opposition and leave them in the dust. There are also more personal nuggets to be found that may not have a direct effect on the race’s outcome, but give the player satisfying “holy shit” moments. For example, figuring out that striking a staircase at just the right angle will launch your car through a building, and out the other side – in slow motion and from a side angle – can give you a tremendous feeling of satisfaction. And for guys like me who don’t enjoy taking physics classes just to figure out how to turn a vehicle in a racing game, these bits of unbridled joy make Full Auto a pleasant surprise.

So yes, it’s true: Full Auto is a terribly shallow, almost ridiculously single-minded game. Sure, Pseudo Interactive has thrown in a healthy amount of modes and a respectable number of custom vehicles in an attempt to simulate variety. But whether you’re racing through the various car class modes, chasing down and destroying the opposition before they reach the finish line, or fending off ambushers in order to make it to the end in one piece, the objective is always: rack up points by destroying a lot of stuff, and win the damn race.

The cars themselves are very cool, with knockoffs of classic roadsters, modern street racers, and even a tow truck and limo thrown in for good measure. The control of some of these vehicles can be a bit sketchy, making you feel as though you’re driving on an ice rink rather than a gravel road out in the mountains. But all-in-all, the arcade feel is done quite well.

The game is gorgeous in detail, with nearly every object being destructible. Want to crash into that storefront? Go ahead. Care to take down a light pole or fuel tank? Knock yourself out. The best part is that you’ll get extra points for all the stuff you break. And if you get a little carried away and send yourself off a cliff, there’s a nifty “unwreck” button that reverses time and allows you to try again; providing your unwreck meter is full, of course. However, there is one perplexing drawback the quick pace of the game and all the constant destruction: slowdown. Yes, here we are in the so-called “next generation” where games are supposed to play like “lucid dreams”, and we’re experiencing slowdown. This problem is never enough to seriously detract from the gameplay itself, but is more than enough to inspire a “WTF?”

The achievements system is one of the 360’s more brilliant innovations, and Full Auto has fifty total achievements to earn. Doing so can be as simple as finishing a category in career mode, or as difficult as playing through the ranked matches on Xbox Live until you hit level ten. Chances are, even if you don’t fall in love with the game, you’ll play through the entire career mode just to rack up achievement points, as doing so can be a load of fun.

There have been many comparisons to the Burnout series, and those are not completely without merit. After all, it is a car game that centers on destruction. And while the Burnout games have their distinct advantages, Full Auto’s advantages lie in what it does not have. First of all, you’re not bothered every three to four minutes of gameplay while the game loads up the “EA Trax” logo so it can tell you which C-List wannabe punk band is currently playing in the background. And second, you’re not insulted with claims of “realism” by having to drive past the KFC, answer a phone call on your Sony Ericsson, and then get to the Burger King as quickly as possible. Full Auto’s cars are unlicensed, the music is of the generic techno/trance variety, and there isn’t a recognizable storefront or celebrity endorsement anywhere to be found. And that suits us just fine.

Full Auto brings us back to arcade titles like San Francisco Rush and classics like Twisted Metal. It’s good, clean, mindless fun and can be one heck of a stress reliever. Is it worth the $60 entry fee? That much is debatable. Playing through career mode won’t take more than ten hours, but beyond that there’s Xbox Live as well as a local multiplayer/split screen mode. So whether that’s worth your cash is your own personal choice. But we’ve spent more money on a lot less, and Full Auto is definitely satisfying. Give it a shot.




Article By: John