elr0y7's Review of Asphalt 5

This game is such an improvement on its predecessor (not that the Asphalt 4 was bad or anything), simplifying the controls and car customization while polishing both and adding several new and great features. The most obvious improvement is the graphics, boosted up to the level of most newer car racing games on the iphone such as need for speed and real racing, they have also added level effects and the sound which accompanies the visuals are also satisfying as well (especially the nitro sounds). My favorite improvement is on the driving controls. Asphalt 4 had an arcade driving style which was fun but you were constantly bouncing off of walls like a bumper car. This has been worked on in Asphalt 5 and it is much easier to keep your car in the middle of the course, it somewhat resembles the controls of the Burnout games on consoles, you also have a damage meter too. Drifting is also much easier: you simply press the brake while turning to initiate drift, tap it again to switch drifting direction, and tap and hold the brake or tap the nitro to exit the drift. The only problem I have with these controls is that it is sometimes hard to exit the drift without accidentally holding the brake and slowing down. The car customization screens have gotten rid of the tedious scrolling down the menus and simply has single screens with various levels of upgrades for the engine parts, suspension parts, and boost. You can also change the color of any of the 30+ cars and even add decals. As far as the racing events go the format is the same: each level has four different races to complete and you get money, unlock parts, unlock races, and unlock girlfriends like the last game (the girls are real models now and get their own intro videos and galleries!). Multiplayer works well with two modes: Asphalt Academy and Online Multiplayer. Asphalt Academy is a cool mode if you don't have a great connection where there is basically a weekly race setup and you can attempt to get the best time or score in the race to climb the leaderboards. Online Multiplayer is self explanatory and you can join rooms with other players and compete head to head with up to six players. The connection seems to lag at times but for the most part it is very smooth for a handheld mobile game. Asphalt 5 is an improvement on 4 and is definitely worth the money, arcade racing fans are sure to be pleased with this one.