Grid 2 -
Deducting points for the missing cockpit and dead servers, but awarding points for pure, unadulterated arcade joy.
When Codemasters released the original Race Driver: GRID in 2008, it was hailed as a masterpiece. It struck a perfect balance between simulation damage models and arcade-style drift physics. Fans loved the intense cockpit view, the punishing career mode, and the iconic Le Mans 24-hour endurance races.
| Feature | GRID (2008) | GRID 2 (2013) | GRID Legends (2022) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Cockpit + Bumper | Bumper only (No cockpit) | Full Cockpit | | Handling | Semi-sim (Grip) | Pure Arcade (Drift) | Balanced (Drift & Grip) | | Career | Team management | WSR Reality TV | "Driven to Glory" FMV | | Best For | Sim-cade purists | Casual drift fun | Modern graphics | GRID 2
Then came 2013. The marketing for was aggressive. The trailers were slick. And then the bomb dropped: No cockpit camera. No classic TOCA touring cars. The internet reacted with fury.
Codemasters stated that less than 5% of players used the cockpit view in the first GRID , so they removed it to improve performance and visual fidelity. Fans were outraged. Forza and Gran Turismo had cockpits; why didn't GRID? Deducting points for the missing cockpit and dead
The campaign is split into five chapters. You start in the USA with muscle cars, move to Europe for track racing, then to Asia for street circuits, and finally to the "World Final."
However, if you approach as a spiritual successor to Ridge Racer or Burnout Paradise — a loud, colorful, aggressive arcade racer with stunning visuals and a killer soundtrack—you will have a blast. Fans loved the intense cockpit view, the punishing
Steam (PC), Xbox Marketplace (Backward Compatible on Xbox One/Series X), or second-hand PS3/360 discs. Do you remember playing GRID 2 on your PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360? Did the lack of cockpit view ruin it for you, or was the drift physics a welcome change? Share your memories in the comments below.
