Entering Arcade mode for practice, the reverb-heavy announcer voice reminds of 1980s coin-ops. Available Mustangs range from a 1965 coupe to the recent Concept GT, the predecessor to the latest model. Racing for both position and style points through glossy cities is good, side-sliding fun. True to the non-sim feel, the cars do not take on dirt or damage, remaining in better-than-new condition despite scraping safety walls, rubbing fenders, and the occasional spinout. The shine on the cars is so great that Meguiar's should have been sought as a co-sponsor.
Career Mode doesn't feel much different from Arcade mode, and all but one track is locked out until you earn enough points. To unlock all cars and tracks requires playing through all the modes, placing equal emphasis on Arcade mode as well as Career mode, making "career" feel like a misnomer.
The graphics on the Xbox version actually look like a PlayStation 2 game, being a bit more jaggy than most titles. However, there is a subtle, cool speed graphic that blurs edges of the horizon and screen, and the tracks are convincing and satisfying enough. Ultimately, the game graphically feels like a pre-production build awaiting the final fine-tuning.
Continuing through the miscellaneous game types, the cars all sound too similar. I expected a tremendous rumble from classic Boss and Mach 1 models, but they sound rather like the more plebian 1965 'Stang. Further disappointment as a car enthusiast is that there is too little performance distinction between cars, and the driving feel is about as isolated as any current title.
Sadly, there is much greater potential than single-marque titles have achieved, as they tend to be assembled on a budget using an outdated game engine. In sum, this title feels like a Mustang V-6 - all the promise of something greater. Launched as a discount title, player expectations should be based on getting your $15 worth, not $50. In this case, "Mustang" is good, quick fun for pony car enthusiasts, though it lacks the distinct car physics, historical insights, and performance data to make it a real standout title. Caveats and criticisms aside, it is worth the pocket change for fans, as an entertaining escape from the more serious, top-tier titles.
For those who enjoy "Mustang," also check out "Ford Racing 3" from 2K Games featuring a century of FoMoCo models in a similar budget title.
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