E3 2004: Enthusia Professional Racing

Konami announces racing simulation with 'groundbreaking visual gravity system'. First details and screens.

Konami has announced a new racing simulation game called Enthusia Professional Racing, developed in-house at KCE Studios and scheduled for release on PS2 next year.

In a cliché-filled press release, Enthusia is billed by Konami as the next big thing, described as "the most realistic racing game to date", offering "groundbreaking gameplay mechanics, enhanced physics and pixel-perfect graphics".

The screens show that the game looks nice, but then what racing game doesn't these days? Multiple camera views, including both a first and third person orientation, allow for players to get behind the wheel or on top of the action. Variable weather conditions pose additional challenges that require players to stay on their toes.

One area identified as unique among racing sims is that more time will be spent racing than fine-tuning in the garage. The announcement Enthuses: "Winning will require superior driving ability, establishing Enthusia as a true racer for driving Enthusiasts who appreciate the details of car physics, performance and motion."

And yet, incredibly, the game is also said to boast "approachable gameplay for novice drivers yet challenging for experts... a racing game that will appeal to players of all levels."

A new system entitled the 'Visual Gravity System' is said to convey a true sense of G-forces experienced by high-speed driving and manoeuvring around a race track. Quite how it's genuinely better than similar physics routines found in other racing sims such as GT4 remains to be seen.

Enthusia Professional Racing will include hundreds of cars from more than 40 real manufacturers - each car driven and captured in real life by the development team.

Enthusia Professional Racing looks and sounds highly promising, and it has a cool name. So keep your stay finely tuned to Kikizo for our impressions from E3 next week.

Adam Doree
Director, Kikizo.com