Auto Modellista (2003) Review

Originally published Nov 7th 2022

Lemme tell yall about this little gem of a PS2 game I've been playing, it's called Auto Modellista. It's one of two racing games put out by Capcom before they gave up on the genre. What makes it stand out among its contemporaries of the time is its use of cel-shaded graphics.

Unfortunately the game is plagued by some poor design choises that were only made worse when the game was re-tuned for North America. The steering just feels off, if you tilt the control stick all the way in either direction you will spin out. If you try to hit the emergency brake while turning to drift you will spin out.

The track design boils down to either ovals with mostly straight lines or down/up hill tracks that require turns so tight they feel like they weren't designed with the games controls in mind. And finally the games balancing is a bit of a joke, just pick a Nissan Skyline and make sure to tune for the course your driving and you'll be almost guaranteed a win.

Despite all these issues, I have a fondness for this game. It's aesthetic oozes early 2000s in its menus and music. You also get a cute customizable garage that you unlock more items and posters for the more you race. Auto Modellista is definitely not the best racing game you could play on the PS2, but it's definitely worth playing for anyone who loves 6th gen arcade racers like me.