Graphics and Sound

Pretty in Chrome

Simply put, High Stakes is gorgeous. Simply put in Irish slang, High Stakes is visually gobsmacking. Put in the form of an analogy: I was driving today when a Mercedes SLK 230 pulled in front of me. My first thought was "Where have I seen this car before?" It looked exactly like the one in the game! Sorta like virtual virtual racing.

Customized liscense plates!

Wham!

Not only are High Stakes' cars superbly realistic, its scenery is too. The mountains, coastal towns, cobblestone streets and other areas you race through look even sharper and convincing than in NFS 3, which is no small feat. Skies in rainy regions look ominous, as if a storm is brewing. Snow flutters down onto (or more often, slams into) your windshield, tree leaves blow past you in the wind, cars kick up a spray of water on rainy days, sunlight glares off your windshield . . . the list goes on and on.

Rollin'

I don't see any deer . . .

Vroom! Vroom!

High Stakes sounds swell too, which we would hope since there are so few sounds the game need make. The roar of the engine is believable, and necessary if you're driving stick; taking your eyes off the road to check the tachometer can be hazardous to your health. Tire squeals, slamming into walls, the Doppler effect of a car passing you by; all are done fine, but nothing to write home about. Racing game sounds are pretty standard fare, and innovation doesn't come easy (or with high return).

Don't drive on train tracks

Or one might hit you

Fortunately, EA went ahead and innovated (sorta) anyway. One of the new features the game boasts is the ability to listen to an audio CD of your choosing as the game music. After you start the game (which requires the game CD as part of copy protection), just click the button, slap in some tunes, and you're off! Vroom! Even though the in-game music is not bad, everyone has different "get pumped to drive" music, and High Stakes lets you celebrate this diversity.