GTR 2

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SimBin's obsessive detail looks set to pay off for racing fans

Intelligently, all the 2004 GT cars and tracks - officially licensed from the FIA - will be open from the start. It's the 'extra' content that's locked, but more on that later.

With a visible racing line that shows analogue braking and throttle information (increasing intensity of colour means greater pressure), the Driving School should prove very useful for noobs once they've recovered from capsizing through the spokes of the wheel.

There are, of course, several new cars, such as the Dodge Viper Competition Coupe (which made a one-off appearance at Spa Francorchamps), the BMW M3 GTR, the TVR T400R, the Nissan 350Z and the controversial Maserati MC12.

And while we're in such an arcane place as this, getting comfy on the tyre-print cushions, we should also mention LiveBrain - a system whereby the AI takes a lap-and-a-bit to get its eye in, to reach full potential. As (almost) all humans do. Until then it's more prone to make mistakes.

It's named after the LiveTrack function, which has itself been upgraded to include rain on some parts of the circuit while it's dry on others, the proper emergence of an extra-grippy 'dry' line and the temperature effects of the new 24-hour sun cycle.

GTR 2 online will include a two minute pre-race countdowns will solve the player dithering and the frustrations of being forced to start from the pit lane, and this sequel will also have considerably more functionality, including the ability to upload your best Time Trial ghost cars.

Time-scaleable races, including the Proximus 24-hour event, will be playable online too, at lengths from 30 minutes to the full 24 hours. Should you be as lunatic as you-know-who.