Autobahn Racer: Police Madness

'Autobahn' is German for 'motorway' - in most countries, a road of mundane utility, a dirge of tarmac punctuated by unspeakable eateries and inexplicable roadworks, populated by drivers gone insane with boredom like chimps in an illegal zoo.

What distinguishes Germany's motorway system, though, excusing it from the grave charges other motorways must face, is this: you can go as fast as you like on it.

Heady as that sounds, the limitless velocity of the Autobahn actually provides a responsible setting for a racing game, since it is impossible to commit the crime of speeding on a road that has no speed limit. So while games like The Fast and The Furious 3D and Need for Speed: Underground flirt heavily with trendy illegality, the Autobahn series steers clear.

Indeed, for this latest episode Living Mobile places you firmly on the right side of the law, in the role of a rookie cop looking to rise through the ranks of the landespolizei until, after 16 missions, you part ways with the game a fully-fledged traffic hotshot.

Autobahn Raser: Police Madness features four game modes: Quick Play, Career, Single Race, and the ominously entitled Bad Cop. Advancing through the career stages opens up levels in the other game modes, as well as increased skills, faster cars, deadlier weapons, and better assistance from your colleagues.

In play, the soundtrack hits the right note straightaway, with a muscular rock loop accompanying the title screen and another for the racing. In terms of graphics, however, Autobahn Raser: Police Madness is a bit more off key.

While the road does swerve and undulate in fine style, the surrounding landscape is sparse and the backgrounds are daubed unconvincingly on the horizon. In this world of fancy 3D driving games, a 2D title like this has to bring something extra to the races in order to compete.

And guess what? It does, resoundingly, due less to the driving than to the abundance of small details. For one example from a long list, scanning certain types of criminal – which you have to do to ascertain their crime – brings up a mini numbers game, snappy as a Wario Ware, which you play for a second and then it's gone. There are many such moments.

Autobahn Raser: Police Madness' success lies in this depth of play. Basic though it initially appears, Living Mobile has crammed features into every corner.

Another that merits special mention is the aid system. Aid in Autobahn Raser: Police Madness is essentially a power-up, enabling you to summon other policemen to help you apprehend baddies by driving ahead and shepherding them towards you, laying down stingers, or shooting them from a helicopter. Nice and varied.

In practice, in the early stages you can take or leave the power-ups. Towards the end of the game, though, you'll not only need to use them, but use them wisely. Likewise, if you expend the added acceleration of your limited pursuit mode at the wrong time, or miss a single piece of evidence, or crash into another car, you might as well restart.

In other words, Autobahn Raser gets rather pedantically difficult. Our most serious criticism though is the persistently lacklustre presentation. Shortcomings like the mere three frames animating your vehicle and the unfinished appearance of the roadside features are far from fatal, but they do make this a difficult title to be wowed by, which is a shame given the gameplay strengths.

Nevertheless, ultimately these bugbears do little more than dirty the oil in Autobahn Raser: Police Madness's engine, and take the shine off an otherwise sparkling finish. If you're after a driving game with a difference, hit this highway.