Real Racing 2 for iOS

Wheelie awesome?

Playing up

Tempting enough in single-player, the option to quit races with impunity proves irresistible in online multiplayer. Exacerbated by the lack of player profiles and rewards for placing in on-line races, there's just no incentive to ensure players finish. Race after race players disappear, some quitting just because they've fallen behind, and most quitting as soon as they crash.

On a straight and coming up behind

But it's not the only feature to spoil Real Racing 2's online offering. By providing only one race mode – straight races with up to 16-players - and by failing to allow players to search for friends to race against, the on-line multiplayer fails to extend the overall experience. Instead, players are dumped straight into Real Racing 2's race lobby, and matched with other racers by car performance, with the only available options to vote for tracks and the number of laps.

It's a shame, because individual on-line races work extremely well. Connection is fast and the game rarely suffers from lag, even with the full complement of 16-players racing. Although the AI offers a tough examination of driving skills in the career mode - even on its medium setting – like all racing games, Real Racing 2 comes alive when you're testing those skills against human opponents.

On your marks

Verdict

Real Racing 2 is not just the best iOS driving game, but one of the best handheld racers of all time. Just like all great cars, it combines beautiful aesthetics with raw horsepower and driving precision. But though the deep and compelling gameplay of its single player career mode easily rivals many full console racers, Real Racing 2 sadly fails to repeat that feat in its on-line offering. ®

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