Like Italian sports cars? Of course you do. How about Alfa Romeos? Not so much, eh? There's nothing wrong with the brand, it's just obviously not in the same league as Ferrari or Lamborghini. But, in the unlikely event you're some Alfa obsessive, then this is the Alfa Romeo motherlode. 25 different models and no other types of car. Repeat: none whatsoever.

This is a serious racer in the style of Gran Turismo - you won't find any crazy takedowns or ghetto-fabulous paintjobs here, but it does have a few interesting tricks under the hood. SCAR takes GT's obsessive money-collecting, garage-improving elements to their logical conclusion - boasting enough role-playing features to warrant the ludicrous 'CARPG' moniker (that's car and role-playing gaming welded together, yeah?). Rather than just souping-up your motor, in SCAR you have to improve your driver as well.

You begin by creating a driver profile, and then success in racers rewards you with points that can be spent on gear such as helmets, gloves, boots and racing suits, along with boosting your driver's skills. There are standard stats like acceleration, focus, handling and endurance but the really interesting stuff takes SCAR into genuinely new territory. By increasing your driver's intimidation ability you're able to force rivals into mistakes out on the track.

Say you're all over the back of the leading car in a battle for first place - if you boast some hefty intimidation stats you can expect to pressurise him into a mistake, enabling you to overtake. On the other hand, if you don't ramp up your own heart rating, which governs health and strength, you won't be able to withstand much intimidation from other drivers and will soon crach under pressure. When your condition hits zero, the screen goes all woozy, heavy breathing kicks in, and it's a battle just to see the track, never mind stay on it, until you regain composure.

All very clever, then, and the variety in the game is equally accomplished with an in-depth single-player Dynasty mode, taking you on a world racing tour of exotic locations. Plus, there's a range of multiplayer contests that can also be accessed online.

Trouble is, it doesn't matter how innovative and feature-packed your driving game is, if the racing sucks tailpipe. Behind the wheel SCAR is a lifeless experience. It doesn't help that car selection is restricted to the Alfa Romeo range but the main problem is the lacklustre driving. Neither realistic enough to challenge Gran Turismo or as thrilling as the likes of Burnout 3... it's just, y'know, okay. The handling's decent, there's a reasonable sensation of speed, and quite impressive opposition. If it wasn't for the RPG elements, SCAR would get nothing more than a shrugged 'whatever'. Only really worth a look if you're a driving game completist or an Alfa obsessive. So yeah... limited.

Graphics 60%
A tad blocky, but decent car models.

Sound 40%
Awful muzak, passable engine sounds.

Gameplay 60%
Clever ideas spoiled by humdrum action.

Lifespan 70%
In-depth single-player, online multiplayer.

Overall 60%
Full marks for innovation, but out of the track SCAR doesn't even come close to challenging PS2's top racers.