Asphalt 4: Elite Racing HD

Is it better to gradually build on a solid premise, taking safe steps forward in order to slowly improve your product without putting the whole thing at risk? Or should we be encouraging our creatives to take massive gambles in the hope that they work out and take great leaps forward? There are strengths and weaknesses to both strategies, but Gameloft's Asphalt mobile racing game franchise is probably one of the finer examples of the former approach.

That's because, by and large, Asphalt 4 is its predecessor in slightly nicer clothes. It's been on a bit of a shopping trip and picked up a few outfits that iron out some of its unsightly lumps and bumps, but it's essentially the same beast underneath � and that's in no way a bad thing. The team at Gameloft is obviously aware of the kind of criticisms levelled at Asphalt 3, making moves to subtly sidestep its past errors.

And the changes are very subtle.

The races themselves are the kind we've come to expect from the series; action-packed aggressive affairs that focus on gamers punching their way to the front of the pack. Where recent episodes let this ethic down was in the jerky motion that came hand in hand with the pandemonium, meaning of you often had no clue just where you were on the track in amongst the madness. But this is no longer an issue.

Most of the game's tracks - specifically the opening ones � now have a wider feel to them, with corners spaced out to give each course a sense of grounding. As a result, fathoming your location is not a problem, yet dealing with your rivals (thankfully) still is, proving that it only takes a tweak or two to lift an experience. That said, this remains far from a smooth ride, the action scrolling past at a fairly jerky pace. Still, you can only fix one thing at a time, right?

Aside from improving the already existing package, Gameloft has also thrown a few new modes into the mix, too. In each city, a total of four different modes are now on offer including the standard race option. 'Beat 'em All', for instance, charges you with performing six 'takedowns' (causing rivals to crash, albeit temporarily, out of the race) while you charge to the finish line - not as easy a task as it first appears.

That's because of the nature of the game's AI, which seems sporadically balanced to your own performance. Sometimes even solid round-the-track boosting (though you can only boost three times in a row, doing so into an opponent usually results in a takedown, which - in turn - increases your boost gauge) has no effect on your race position, as rivals will sometimes run parallel to you whatever speed you happen to be doing. Likewise, it's not often that you'll come in eighth, as the rest of the pack is never far in front.

Catching those in the podium positions is a different matter, though. It almost seems totally random - perhaps akin to real life contests, as sometimes you'll find yourself zooming to the front of the grid with little difficulty, taking our rivals as you go, whereas at others your frustration will boil as fellow racers hang like a carrot on the end of a stick, annoyingly in view but infuriatingly out of contact.

It turns Asphalt 4 into the Jekyll and Hyde of racers; supremely enjoyable when everything comes together, but a (mildly) painful slight against your driving ability when it decides to play hard to get.

That's an important trait when you consider that the lifeblood of Asphalt 4 is driving hard and fast (smashing into opponents on the way), winning races and earning money to unlock further tracks around the world. Upgrades - of which there are far too many to mention - are also unlocked via successful race finishes, meaning the whole thing depends on your track performance, so any unfair disadvantage can hit your entire game experience.

So, one step forward, two steps back, then? Not at all. We mention faults because we're paid to. On the whole, Asphalt 4: Elite Racing is a complete arcade racing package, with slick and sleek menus and fast and furious action on the track. Any frustration along the way merely encourages a replay or two, as the joys that come with progress are worth the odd niggle of discontent along the way.

It's fun, fairly furious and faintly frustrating, but if Asphalt 4 is an example of a developer on the slow path, then there's a lot to be said for playing safe.

Update: We've now also reviewed Asphalt 4 on iPhone.

Asphalt 4: Elite Racing HD

About as consummate an arcade racer as you'll find, Gameloft has taken measured - if baby - steps forward in the fourth iteration of Asphalt
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Keith Andrew
Keith Andrew
With a fine eye for detail, Keith Andrew is fuelled by strong coffee, Kylie Minogue and the shapely curve of a san serif font. He's also Pocket Gamer's resident football gaming expert and, thanks to his work on PG.biz, monitors the market share of all mobile OSes on a daily basis.