Introduction

Some time ago Volvo were advertising themselves around the idea of how important life is. But even without all those advertisements, this is the car that guarantees highest safety for its driver and passengers if an accident occurs. Volvo is also the inventor of the safety belt with three-point locking system – used for the first time in 1957 and becoming a standard two years later.

I even had a Volvo, which is why I'm so enthusiastic about this so called racer. It is a pleasure to play with the company's new models which I watched with passion at the Expo. Not to mention it's also a pleasure to play with the old brands – 840 and 240, classics!

However, many people still don't like Volvo and that's mostly because of the somewhat coarse design they have had for most of their existence.

Gameplay and Features

Rating

Now days, Volvo is a leading brand which offers the highest security combined with great looks. The game is as dynamic as the cars are. There are various small features which really contribute to the whole feeling – turning on the window cleaners, lights, manual and automatic transmission. You can also take control of various statistics on your screen, maps and others.

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There are numerous cars to pick from including the new S60, all Volvo's, but even the vintage models look very sharp in full racing trim. There are only two tracks, but one stands out - The Gothenburg Eco Arena, which hosts an STCC event yearly in real life.

Of course as in any other game there are lots of cons – you can't damage your car for example. Would be nice if they added some nice breaking the car feature (complete with airbags to show you how safe the Volvo is -Ed.). The loading time before the missions is too long. We have to remember that this is a free game with advertising purpose, not a racing game you dropped cash on.

Volvo has three modes of play - Quck Race, Competition and Time Attack. The names explain themself perfectly, however, Quick Race is about casual racing or a fast sneak peak of the game. Competition is the real game mode, call it a career if you want. Time Attack is for the players who seek the challenge in the game - setting records and chasing time.

Graphics and Sound

The graphics certainly draw the players attention and it is obvious that Volvo wants this game to show off its cars with good visuals. It's far from perfect, but incredible for a free title.

If I switch it off for a while, I have to say that the textures used for the car models, tracks and the supporting effects are really at a high level for such what is technically an interactive commercial. You can freely compare it to any racing release in the past year. There is also a solid dose of realism: the car modelling was obviously a priority. Even the cars from the previous eras look very good. Of course the designers put the most effort in the new S60 concept.

When it comes to sound, they are also very realistic. The designers claim that they've even recorded the engine sounds by pushing real cars to the limit, and we don't doubt it. The goal was to make everything Volvo-related very realistic and the sound and graphics do the trick.

Conclusion

I'm yet not convinced that this is a game in every sense, as it is an advertisement, though a very good one. If looked at as a full-featured racing game many critiques will follow, but I don't think Volvo - The Game deserves them, considering that it is free. If advertisers want to release free games of this calibre, we'd love to see the trend expand. The main dissapointment is only having two tracks. Hopefully Vovlo - The Game will draw enough attention that, now that they have a whole racing game with only two tracks, Volvo -The Innovative Advertisers, will stick with it, adding cars they want to publicize, and, to keep us interested, new tracks.

Volvo The Game is a free game that has been developed in collaboration with Volvo Cars and Simbin Studios. Simbin has made a name for them self on the racing simulator scene. With titles such as GTR, GT, STCC and RACE, you can be assured that Volvo The Game will keep an extremly high standard.

I'm not a huge fan of race games.

WHen I saw that Volvo the Game was free when I suscribed on GamersGate I said "Meh At least I should try"

After some download I start the game... good it even have my langage (French) so I give it a go... a nice video shows up and i can't passed it.

My controller is detected so I launch a quick race, choose a car and GO !

I tried but ended up loosing (I suck when it comes to virtual driving)

So after some times my thought are that it could be a good game, the graphics a decent but a little empty, the cars and colision pysics are a bit weird I think and there no music (for me at least).

But still it kills sometime and I was a little curious.

So try it, it's not the best game ever but well it's free (oh and you have some add during loadings).

Again I'm not a fan of racing game but maybe some of you who like that will fing it appropriate.

I still think that it misses something to be a good game instead of just a commercial-free game

It's decent for a free racing sim game. It has great engine sounds, surprisingly good car models and track designs, and it will provide a fair challenge for players.

It will satisfy your racing needs, but only for a short time since it's very limited, with few game modes, and only 7 cars and 2 tracks. Still, this is one of the better free games out there.

I was surprised to see this game in my list, but apparently I got this for free. Not expecting too much I downloaded it and I must say I was surprised.

First of all, the game looks very decent for a free game. While the cars don't change during the gaming (for the record, the only cars you can play with are of course Volvo cars). For example, there is no destruction and the vehicles aren't that detailed.

However, neither the vehicles nor the tracks are ugly. Not at all detailed, but decent nonetheless. Keep in mind this is a free game.

There is a choice of two tracks, which isn't too much, but the game modes add replayability. My favourite game mode was Time Attack because I love to beat my own records and the ghost feature, like in Mirror's Edge, adds to the suspense.

Overall this is a very decent game, keeping in mind it's free, and offers a few good hours of racing fun.

An exciting racing game and for the price of free - thanks to Gamersgate - I enjoyed it! The graphics are surprisingly good and this game is a good time wasting over the weekends :)

The best thing about this game is that it supports 3Dvision. As such, AFAIK, it is the only free retail game that has official 3Dvision support. A must-have for all owners of 3Dvision. Five stars for stereoscopic support, three stars otherwise. Thanks much to GamersGate for providing this stereo game for free.

This game is ok for a race game and its entertaining for a bored person but it doesn't really offer much in car variety with only a few cars to drive throughout the game.

For a free racing game you cannot go wrong, The graphics are surprisingly good aswell are the physics if you're looking for something to take your up your time this a great option.

For a free driving game its not bad...but still not the best driving game out there. Its great that you are able to try out Volvo's line up of cars to race..but it would be nice to try out some other cars too. Graphics get the job done and the sound is okay...if you got it free like I did I would download it and give it a shot. Probably better to spend your time with EA's Need For Speed Franchise...since you won't be disappointed there.

Volvo: The advertisement. I'm not really sure what to say; I got my money's worth?

It may be a freebie, but do not be fooled, it is also a more than decent simulator. That is no surprise, since it has been developed by SimBin, creators of acclaimed Race 07 or STCC. Its strongest point, in my opinion, is the high quality of graphics. Its weakest, the small quantity of race tracks and car models (just Volvo, of course), which can make it seem kind of half-baked. In summary, it has limitations because of its purpose, but anyway it can give you good fun. When you do not feel like playing hardcore, it provides the opportunity of enjoying a couple of good races.

Interesting game, good visuals, good learning curve and a lot of fun. The realism is there, and whats better than speeding around a racetrack at 150 KPH?

When Volvo first announced the development of a free racing sim based on their cars, it was the name of the studio responsible that gathered the most excitement. After all, SimBin has a reputation for serious racing games, being mostly known for GTR and Race. So, what could go wrong?

Not much... in terms of proper simulation and physics, that is. Volvo The Game features a meagre 2 tracks and 7 cars, too little for any kind of long lasting involvement. The download weights nearly 600MB.

Game modes are also few, ranging from the quick race to time attack and online competition. There's just a quick and in-game registration to make (and an e-mail activation) before entering the online multiplayer. Problem is this is no ordinary multiplayer, just up to twelve players racing for the best lap time. Other racers turn into ghost cars as soon they approach you, so there are no collisions and no real thrill to the races. You can also watch the replays of your best laps.

The cars range from the impressive Volvo S60 Concept to true classics from the past, like the Volvo 240 Turbo Group A. Their handling is distinct and if you're a simulation lover there are a lot of control tweaks to be made in the options menu. No need to say that the best feelings are guaranteed with a steering wheel and pedals, and there are a lot of predefined configurations to choose from. The two tracks are reproduced with faithful detail. The Eco Drive Arena in Sweden is a technical track, mostly surrounded by protection rails. As for the Chayka track in Ukraine, it's more of your average track, with long straights and smooth lines.

There are different cameras but the most realistic and convincing is the cockpit view. The driver can quickly look left or right, check the mirrors and you even see the pilot pushing the pedals. The three difficulty modes make sure everyone is able to enjoy Volvo The Game , allowing for different choices and driving styles.

Graphics are similar to those of Race 07. That being said, they stand up nicely, perhaps lacking some detail on the tracks themselves. The cars are rendered with detail but suffer no damage beyond a few chips in the windshield. Playability is just great, it's the kind of simulation that requires some persistence and understanding of the best lines to clean a few important milliseconds from the lap times.

Volvo The Game is more than a marketing stunt. It's a great free racing game created by experts of the genre. While technically it's perfectly competent it lacks in terms of content, virtually screaming for more game modes, cars and tracks. As it stands it may not have much of a lasting appeal, but everyone should play it until they get bored of it.

I received this free so i tried it... suprisingly, it stayed on the computer because it's perfect when you want to play a race or two, or to put a game on for your nephew.

On a fast, powerful system, Volvo is surpringly good given it's a free game. For those who like driving games, this game might entice you to buy other games from the same studio. This to say it's a convincing game. On slower systems, the games takes ages to load. You may also want to have the right gear to take full benefit of it ( Wheel ? ), so obviously it will be a welcome addition for the lovers of the genre.

its free racing game so dont expect much. its not underground !!!

but thanks for the gift

Hop into the Volvo! It's getting a bit dated, but racing is racing. And hey - it's free!

Volvo the game at first looks like a good simulator; but once you get into the actual game play you'll see that it fails in almost every aspect. The graphics are outdated and it almost looks like a 2D game even though it uses a 3D engine.Animations are also extreamly choppy and collisions between cars look awful. The tracks are linear and there's little variety between each track in the game, sounds are annoying and no music is added to the misc.The amount of stages and vehicles available in the game is ridiculously low. No replay value, not enjoyable... just a bad game.

GOOD:

+ God for killing some time...

Bad:

- Graphics

- Gameplay

- Pretty much everything...

Only a game in the sense that the endless grey grind of life could be categorised as a game. Perhaps useful to those of you suffering from insomnia, or seeking a means to sap the joy out of an otherwise cheerful existence.

Decent Racing game considering the price, a lot of different cars to choose from so despite there only being 2 tracks it's still is a very fun game to play.

The game looks surprisingly good for a marketing game, yet in the end it is just that.

Good to have a little fun, but nothing more.

If you're really bored or into racing games, you can download it, else skip it.

This is a racing game that also solves as a bit of a Volvo advertisement. If you're a fan of the genre, you should give it a download, as the only cost is hard drive space. What's there to lose, folks?

Now, Now, You Might Be Saying, This is a Free Game you get just by having an account. But It is actually an alright game. spent about 30 minutes myself. I have trouble with the controls, but that doesnt mean you will. Have a go at it. It's free, so it can't be all that hard to do!

As far as free games go Volvo The Game isn't too bad. It's a nice welcome to Gamersgate and it's unlikely you'll be playing it for extended periods of time in any case.

A driving game and its free to all new users. The game features a number of cars that are all volvo. Not a bad game having good quality graphics with great interior car details.

A must try for every car enthusiast

I always appreciate a free game, but unless you're dying for some simply okay racing action it probably isn't worth your time, though you won't be out anything besides a few moments.

There are many better racing games that won't bore you to tears which are worth the money, such as Grid, that I would recommend over this poorly made game.

Jon Riggall

“Surprisingly good driving simulator”

by Jon Riggall about Volvo The Game

Volvo have never had the exciting racing image of companies like Ferrari, but with Volvo - The Game, they are trying to show that you can be a speed freak and drive a Volvo.

This free racing game features a collection of Volvos for you to race around two circuits. There are three racing modes - quick race, time attack and competition.

We couldn't get the competition mode to connect - it has an online element, but the other two worked fine.

Many control systems are supported, as well as keyboard.

There are lots of difficulty settings, so it can be as realistic as you want it to be. Even on the easiest settings it's a tough game to win, though.

It plays like a simulation, and although you can set your opponents abilities, the only thing that they do poorly is recover from spins. Knock an opponent into a spin, and you won't hear from them for some time!

Graphically Volvo the Game is great for a free game, but a little behind the polish of recent commercial efforts. However, it's good enough, the sound is good and it provides a solid racing experience.

Who thought Volvos could be exciting? Volvo the Game is a great little free game that will challenge even the the most race hardened gamers.

Pros

Realistic physics

Variety of Volvo cars

Configurable gameplay

Cons

Difficult

Computer opponents can be stupid

For Volvo fans, Volvo has released a FREE promotional game with game developer, Simbin, called "Volvo-The Game", which allows you to race road versions of the C30/S60 concept, along with a DTM 240, STCC C30 and STCC S60, BTCC 850 Estate and BTCC S40 saloon. The game is pretty cool, some game features/options have been disable, but is pretty neat.

This game is a small racing game which promotes Volvo's car. The number of cars are hugely limited and there are few tracks. However, that is what you would expect from a free game, and as a free game, it is definitely worth your time. The game cries out for a modding community which I do not know of.

Probably one of the better FREE racing games i have got from a site(which is not very many). I found the car handling to be refreshingly real, since i really didn't play realistic racing games. Anywho, it's worth a hour or so, and also to just test drive this wonderful site with :D.

pretty stupid game imo, lots of ad space and long loading screens with even more ads. Also, having to press exit on three different screens to even leave the game FROM THE MAIN MENU is insane...

A decent racing game, pretty much what you would expect for a free game that's really just an interactive ad for Volvo.

The game may be free, but it is possibly one of the most boring racers I have played. It may be classed as 'realistic' but I do not want to go round one of the two tracks at 30 mph because I will crash if I go any faster. I don't like the fact that all the other racers in singleplayer have the same name and car, as it just makes each corner a spam of the same car. 15 boring brown cars together is not a good sight. In any case, the graphics are clean and the tracks look nice, which is one of the only good things I can say about this game.

Volvo The Game is a really nice racing game. Despite it being free, it is very capable as a game. Developed by SimBin, who previously developed GTR and Race, they have a reputation for high quality racing games. And in this free game, it shows. Although this game has less content then most expensive games, it does have 12-player multiplayer and many other great features. For example, it only includes two tracks. But the driving is very authentic and each car mocel drives very accurately.

Much more than a mere marketing tool, this is a great free game made by some of the best developers in the industry.

This game is a must download!

Certainly a good value considering that it is a free game. It helps, though, if you are a volvo fan, as it may not interest those who have no interest in volvo. I would recommend it however if you are into racing and have the time to download.

This game is rather impressive.

I mean, for a free game, I thought it would be life a flash game or something like that... But no, definitely no, it's a hell of a good driving game, with very good graphics and a realistic approach.

To download (c'mon, it's free guys!).

Is a perfect game for play in causal times, if you like volvo you can enjoy this game and you can have a very nice time, is a free game, and is like other car company games, if you enjoy playing other car company games, you will enjoy this.

Certainly worth giving a try if you have the bandwidth and time, which now days is easier for most than ever before.

The game is a vanilla racing game, if you like that, then you're going to play this for a few hours easy.

You need to be a Volvo-Fan, but if you are, this is a quite fun game ... AND FREE!

Depending on the settings, you can actully play this game andbe challenged.

Not bad at all.

A free game is always fun to download!

This simulation with Volvo is fun and exciting in the beginning but you will sooner or later get bored of it.

I recommend this game for people who are far from home and wants something to play.

My rating is 3/5 for this game.

This has excelent graphics and the user interface is simple. It is very realistic compare to real driving. I would recommend this game for car enthusiants.

If you are a fan of racing games your just love to drive fast this game is for you, with the nice car selection and fun driving controls, and the fact that it is free just makes it better, you can't afford to miss this!

A very good driving simulator, with nice-looking graphics and an overall fun experience. Obviously, it is a free adver-game, but is up there among the best ones I've ever had... plus is free. Driving sims fans will love it, no matter how short it is.

When Volvo first announced the development of a free racing sim based on their cars, it was the name of the studio responsible that gathered the most excitement. After all, SimBin has a reputation for serious racing games, being mostly known for GTR and Race. So, what could go wrong?

Not much... in terms of proper simulation and physics, that is. Volvo The Game features a meagre 2 tracks and 7 cars, too little for any kind of long lasting involvement. The download weights nearly 600MB.

Game modes are also few, ranging from the quick race to time attack and online competition. There’s just a quick and in-game registration to make (and an e-mail activation) before entering the online multiplayer. Problem is this is no ordinary multiplayer, just up to twelve players racing for the best lap time. Other racers turn into ghost cars as soon they approach you, so there are no collisions and no real thrill to the races. You can also watch the replays of your best laps.

The cars range from the impressive Volvo S60 Concept to true classics from the past, like the Volvo 240 Turbo Group A. Their handling is distinct and if you’re a simulation lover there are a lot of control tweaks to be made in the options menu. No need to say that the best feelings are guaranteed with a steering wheel and pedals, and there are a lot of predefined configurations to choose from. The two tracks are reproduced with faithful detail. The Eco Drive Arena in Sweden is a technical track, mostly surrounded by protection rails. As for the Chayka track in Ukraine, it’s more of your average track, with long straights and smooth lines.

There are different cameras but the most realistic and convincing is the cockpit view. The driver can quickly look left or right, check the mirrors and you even see the pilot pushing the pedals. The three difficulty modes make sure everyone is able to enjoy Volvo The Game, allowing for different choices and driving styles.

Graphics are similar to those of Race 07. That being said, they stand up nicely, perhaps lacking some detail on the tracks themselves. The cars are rendered with detail but suffer no damage beyond a few chips in the windshield. Playability is just great, it’s the kind of simulation that requires some persistence and understanding of the best lines to clean a few important milliseconds from the lap times.

Volvo The Game is more than a marketing stunt. It’s a great free racing game created by experts of the genre. While technically it’s perfectly competent it lacks in terms of content, virtually screaming for more game modes, cars and tracks. As it stands it may not have much of a lasting appeal, but everyone should play it until they get bored of it.

Not a bad game for being free. Its a good game to try out and worth it.from the makers of gtr so you know its a good game.

This game will keep you on the edge of your car seat!!!!! lol

it has great graphics and is awesome to anyone who likes racing games (and volvos lol)

you can unlock different volvo-made cars which look SWEET!

Volvo The Game? 12/5/2009

By Jeremy Swantner

(swat72)

What can I say about Volvo The Game?

I was surprised to see that after I singed up with GamersGate they give you a free game.(Very cool of them!)

But then to find that the free game wasn't just some old junkie thing they had laying around.

Volvo The Game has excellent graphics and great game play it is outstanding for a free game.

With multiple choice's of controllers that can be used,

and the countless configurations that someone could setup for those controllers makes this one heck of a good game.

I give it a BIG THUMBS UP!!!

Many thanks to all the folks at GamersGate for hooking everyone up with this game.

Great job!

Keep up the good work!

The best thing abut Volvo: The Game is probably the fact that it is free. Sure, it's developed by SimBin, whore are best known for the simulations based on the GTR license and for the RACE ON series, but the game lacks the depth of more complex modern racing sims, like the new Need for Speed: SHIFT or Forza Motorsport 3.

Volvo: The Game allows all players who get it to race in the: Volvo C30 as seen in the Swedish Touring Car Championship, STCC Volvo S60 (an older touring car),Volvo S40 seen in the British Touring Car Championship, Volvo 850 also a veteran of the BTCC and Volvo 240 Turbo Group A.

Maybe the biggest weakness of Volvo: The Game is the lack of more than two racing tracks. The title allows the player to experience the Gothenburg Eco Drive Arena in Göteborg, Sweden and introduces for the first time the Chayaka track outside Kiev, Ukraine.

The handling in Volvo: The Game is very good, the cars all feel responsive yet have their own personality. The cars are very detailed and even if they lack some polish the tracks offered are well built, allowing for some nice speed on the straights while introducing some tough corners where overtaking is quite a challenge.

This game is not bad for a free game. It certainly wouldn't win any awards but it's free and if you're a fan of cars and Volvo, get it!

Pretty standard racing game with mediocre graphics and a limited selection of tracks and cars. Still, it's free, so there's no need to complain :D It actually has multiplayer and pretty realistic racing physics. Does it make me want to buy a Volvo? Err, not really...

this game is great it has a great playability, great graphics cool cars u should try this and it is free

A neat little racing simulator, though it has only a few cars and two tracks to choose from. Still a good bang for your buck though ;). Realistic and with fairly good graphics makes it a fun thing to try for free.

This game is free, but that doesnot make it good. It is quite boring and for those who are not a fan of (Volvo) cars, there is little point in even installing it. Still I think Gamersgate did well to bring us this, I hope we can expect these things more often (strategy).

All together it is nice and free, but not for those who do not like the cars.

I was a bit disappointed from this game, but then - its for free, so for the money ok :).

Free is always good, a good game and free is always great. :)

A game has only Volvo-cars, but if you haven't ever played any car simulator games,and have driving wheel, this can be great fun. It's free, so there isn't any reasons why you shouldn't try this game.

SimBin is a great company that makes awesome simulation games and this game is also very realistic and fun to drive if you have a great driving wheel. Sad thing is game's content is so small but this is a Volvo only game and it is free. Go and try it!

If you like Volvo-cars and racing you should download this free game!

You can drive a number of Volvo cars from the old classic Volvo 240 to the new concept car S60. It is a relistic and difficult game depending on the difficulty settings.