GRID: Autosport (PlayStation 3)

GRID: Autosport is the third game in the GRID race simulation series. It offers a large variety of auto sports and leans more towards the realism of the original GRID. It does not move away entirely from the arcade-oriented approach of the predecessor GRID 2’s as those elements are now combined with the more realistic ones from the original game in a single package. For instance, a first-person cockpit view returns, but the game is not presented as a difficult simulation as aside from the detailed steering and physics model there are various assists to guide the player. The game no longer has a narrative-driven career mode and the menus have been simplified. Technical novelties include wear and tear, a decrease in performance over time through use, a suspension damage system, requesting various types of information through the radio. Pit stops are not supported in the game. Returning from the first game is the Flashback feature that allows player to briefly rewind time for a few seconds to correct mistakes.

Next to single races, both offline and online with the option for split-screen and custom cups where all settings can be altered, the main career mode lets player start a career of 25 years. Each season a discipline, championship and team can be chosen. Five types of auto sports disciplines are offered: Endurance, Open Wheel, Street, Touring Car and Tuner. To keep progressing all classes need to be played, to unlock new team and team mates through objectives for the season and sponsors. The team mate can be influenced by the player during a race, for instance to change his racing behaviour to defensive and hold off racers behind him to catch up. Experience is earned based on result and completing objectives. Disabling assists is rewarded with more experience. Unlike the original GRID it is not possible to manage an entire team with hiring drivers, designing liveries of recruiting sponsors.

Each discipline comes with its own objectives, cars and races. There are standard races for Touring Car, in Endurance races tyre wear comes into play and Open Wheel races require strict and correct racing behaviour with Formula 3 and Indy Cars and only on real circuits. Tuner cars participate in time trials and drift events, Street races take place on dense city circuits, and these two generally take place on fictional tracks. When a certain level has been reached for the combined racing disciplines the player gets an invitation to participate in a GRID Grand Slam with additional, difficult challenges.

The championships are not licensed, but there are many real-life circuits such as Indianapolis, Spa-Francorchamps, Mount Panorama and the Yas Marina Circuit, as well as various fictional races in real locations such as Dubai, Paris, San Francisco etc. There are over 100 configurations for 22 locations in total. The cars are divided into different tiers for each racing discipline, including BTCC, V8 Supercars, GT, Formula A, muscle cars, hypercars and more from licensed manufacturers.