Grid 2

Name: Grid 2
Item: Grid 2
Rating: 4
Author: Chad Sapieha

Game review by

Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 13+

(i)

Competent racer depicts car crashes with no consequences.

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Kids say

age 9+

Based on 1 review

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The parents' guide to what's in this game.

Educational Value

Grid 2 wasn't created with educational intent, and we don't recommend it for learning.

Positive Messages

This game wants to entertain by simulating realistic high-speed driving. Races take place on closed courses with no risk of civilian traffic or injury, but there's still some concern younger players could come away from the experience lacking respect for the real-world dangers involved in high-speed driving.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Drivers -- or at least personalities -- are mostly absent. Instead, the game turns the player into the primary driver, even going so far as to offer hundreds of common names to choose from to make it sound like your sponsor is speaking directly to you. Players themselves end up becoming role models, especially when racing online against others where they can promote cautious or reckless driving strategies. Worth noting: A minimal contact rule discourages overly aggressive driving tactics.

Ease of Play

Straightforward realistic racing action ought not to pose problems for most players. Five difficulty modes exist to ease or increase the challenge for players of varying skill and experience.

Violence

Cars smash into barricades and each other at high speeds, often destroying vehicles in the process. However, drivers are mostly invisible and never depicted as hurt during collisions.

Sex

Language

Consumerism

Enviable cars from familiar manufacturers appear throughout. ESPN SportsCenter also pops up in some segments.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Grid 2 is a realistic racing game featuring authentic cars and manufacturers. Vehicles frequently get into accidents and suffer serious damages, but drivers are never depicted being hurt. All races take place on closed courses, meaning there's no risk of striking bystanders or crashing into civilian traffic. However, by glossing over the dangers of high-speed racing, younger players -- especially those just learning or about to learn how to drive -- may come away without an appreciation for the tragic consequences that can come with driving recklessly.

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Teen, 14 years old Written byIronRunningAnvil August 18, 2013

age 9+

Exciting racer makes good fun

When I first saw this game I was not that overly interested. I thought it would be another one of those racing games like forza horizon or another game in the s... Continue reading

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What's it about?

It's taken half a decade but Codemasters' critically acclaimed 2008 racer finally has a sequel in GRID 2. Players embark on a series of events that eventually spans the globe, with closed circuit track locations ranging from cities throughout the United Stated to the United Arab Emirates. The goal: race well to earn fans, increasing your popularity and by extension public awareness of the World Series Racing championships. You'll slowly unlock access to different types of cars as you race through a variety of events, including time-trials, head-to-head face-offs, checkpoint runs, and overtaking contests. There's a wealth of online and local split-screen race modes as well, plus full integration with Racenet, an online statistics system that tracks players' performance across multiple Codemasters racing games.

Is it any good?

If you're looking for a revolutionary racing experience you won't find it here. But you will find a competent one. Grid 2 offers a nice balance between arcade and simulation racing physics. Cars are weighty and stick to the track probably a little more than they should, but this lets one attack corners with satisfying aggression. Add in a broad range of race types and a career mode that puts an emphasis on rapid forward progression and it's easy to get sucked in for the opening races.

However, play a little longer and you may find yourself starting to pine for more innovation. Vehicles look great but are no prettier than those of other recent racers. The ability to rewind time and escape crashes returns, but without any significant tweaks to enhance it. And while the career mode is well planned, it holds few surprises. It's racing by the numbers. That doesn't mean it's not fun. It's just not particularly daring.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about online safety. What precautions do you take when playing games with strangers over the Internet? How can you tell if they mean you harm? Have you considered playing online with voice communication disabled?
Families can also discuss responsible driving. Parents who have teens learning to drive may want to consider studies that suggest playing some racing games can lead to taking more driving risks in real life, and share this information with their children.