The deepest and most enjoyable console NASCAR title to date.

It's time once again for all you NASCAR gear heads to adjust your mirrors, tweak that engine performance, and assure that your steering wheel turns left, as Chase for the Cup has now begun on consoles everywhere. Whether you like Stewart, Petty, Gordon, Earnhardt Jr, or any of the bigwig drivers of the NASCAR circuit, fans of the Nextel Cup series are going to be thrilled by what EA has put together this year for NASCAR fans.

This game has it all; story mode, all the major raceways, the choice to be a hero or villain, over 60 of the best drivers in the world, create a driver, car customization, online racing, and so much more. You will be hard pressed not to pick up this game if you are a fan, and it will be even harder to put it down once you have began your quest for the cup.

NASCAR 2005 at first glace may not seem like the prettiest racing game on the block, and honestly, it is not. The beauty on the other hand is in the details. You have all the authentic car licensees, tracks, logos, day and night themes, and even ultra realistic car damage to view in awe, all running at a pretty decent frame rate too boot. Toss in some very cool ambient effects, like flying debris, tire skids, and clouds of smoke for a NASCAR game that does it all visually for fans. The presentation is splendid, with easy to navigate menus and large font size so everything is easy to read. EA has even added some cut scenes for your story mode that help to provide more drama on your way to the Winston Cup. In future games I would like to see Tiburon get rid of those jaggies, as they are apparent on both the Xbox and PS2 versions alike. Otherwise, this game is a big step up in visuals compared to the Thunder series of old, which gives even more hope for future titles to come.

Audio this year has had some subtle changes, but still has not quite captured the TV style presentation I had hoped. It is true that EA has the on track atmospheric sounds down. You have fantastic engines, tires squeals, bump and crash effects, roaring crowd, and a pit advisor who helps you in the clutch, and all this is done exceptionally well and should leave no fan dissatisfied. What I have been harping on for the last few titles past is getting an announcer aboard to call the game. You have a color man doing the intros, yet once the race starts, you do not have an option to hear the play by play of the race. I do know how important your assistant is, but here's an idea, and feel free to steal it... How about having your pit advisor in your headset, and having the play by play on the TV/stereo sounds? Just an idea of course. Besides my own personal gripe, EA has done an outstanding job with the audio year after year, and this year is no different. Lastly, what kind of EA Sports game would this be if you did not have EA Trax? Fans can expect plenty of kick ass rock and southern rock to hear while weaving through the menus. Overall, the audio experience is just as authentic as the on screen presentation.

Game play in any NASCAR game is key. You must have all the specifics intact in order to replicate the sport to its fullest potential. Drifting, drafting, pit stops, fueling, tire wear, rivalries, and so much more play that pinnacle part of a race, thankfully EA has the right touch that simulates while still maintains a fun experience for even beginners to the sport. While not the hard-core simulation that PC fans enjoyed with Sierra's series, EA maintains the same attitude that they go into all sports games. This is a good thing indeed, as not everyone, including myself, knows all the little intricacies of NASCAR. This helps bring in the more casual audience or NASCAR noobs who may have been overwhelmed if the game was too simulated. This also gives the freedom of doing things in the series not thought of in the past, like creating rivalries. In this year's title, you now have the chance to simply draft and pass, or use what they call the "intimidator" option that will create friction on and off the track. This gauges a hero or villain meter to veer towards which side of the "fair play" field you stand. What's more, the A.I. can be tweaked to the player's performance as well, with each degree of difficulty being more challenging than the next. You can even custom tweak this A.I. and settings so you can have the cars race at your level, while still having that opportunity for fuel and tire changing. The option to tailor your performance is a wonderful addition that will allow racers to wean their way into the game and become better racers for it. Be warned though, if you plan on buying this and jumping straight online, you had better be at your top game, as those people cannot be tweaked.

NASCAR 2005 offers a wide variety of game modes to choose from and is the most that EA has offered to fans thus far. You have the Chase to the Cup mode that puts you in 10 races that mirror the Nextel Cup series. You have the Craftsmen Truck Series, the Featherlite Modified Series, and the NASCAR Nationals. You also have the chance to play online through your PS2 or on Xbox Live. While the races are fun, the game only allows for four racers at a time, which is disappointing considering the rest of the pact is CPU. I hope that next year EA learns the term bandwidth and allows for a full grid and season mode online. The heart of the game though, is the Fight to the Top Mode. This mode allows you to create your own identity in the NASCAR world. Your story starts with you racing a NASCAR star on a street course. He is so impressed with your style when you beat him that he refers you to his agent. From there you are set up with a car in the Featherlite series and the more you show them, the more they give you. In this mode, you will earn sponsors, money, and prestige. Along the way, you will get updates and messages all via a cell phone text. If you ever wanted to step in the shoes of a NASCAR driver, here is your chance. Lastly, throw in tons of upgrades and unlockables, and you will be playing this one until next year's title rolls around.

Fans of NASCAR racing will have little if anything to be disappointed about in this year's offering from EA Sports/EA Tiburon. The game provides all the big tracks, races, drivers, modes, customization, and even online play. Just a few steps short of perfection boys.