Street Racing Syndicate

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,042 reviews
  • graphics
  • music
  • gameplay
Street Racing Syndicate Game Cover
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In Street Racing Syndicate, experience the thrill of illegal street racing with pseudo-realistic graphics and customization of over 40 licensed cars from 15 manufacturers. Compete in races across the USA, wagering cash, reputation, and even your opponent's wheels. Impress 18 real-life models to increase your street cred. However, be cautious of errors as they may lead to penalties or damage.

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Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,042 reviews
graphics40 positive mentions
music20 negative mentions
  • Nostalgic experience reminiscent of early 2000s street racing culture.
  • Decent car customization options with licensed parts and a variety of cars.
  • Fun gameplay with a mix of racing and collecting girlfriends, adding a unique twist.
  • Poor handling and physics, making it difficult to control cars effectively.
  • Limited car selection with many duplicates and only one body kit per car.
  • Repetitive gameplay and grindy mechanics, especially in earning respect points.
  • graphics114 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated, reflecting its 2005 release, with many reviewers noting that while they may not hold up to modern standards, they are acceptable for their time. Some players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic reminiscent of early 2000s racing games, while others criticize the low-quality textures and lack of widescreen support. Overall, the visuals are seen as decent for a budget title from that era, but they do not compare favorably to contemporaries like the Need for Speed series.

    • “For an older game from the PlayStation 2 era, it still holds up as a fun and fairly in-depth racer with good controls and decent graphics as far as the terrain and lighting go.”
    • “It's nice to see some '00s style graphics, with everything you would expect from that era: decals, screaming colors, and that classic '00s vibe.”
    • “Graphically, the game still looks good and sure the cars don't sound the greatest but if you're nostalgic for a time where 'rap and roll' and the overall import tuner scene of the late 90's and early 00's, try it out!”
    • “The graphics are outdated even for 2004 standards, the sound is awful and the gameplay is painful.”
    • “This game feels like eating a mountain of doo doo and sucking it up with 2002 graphics.”
    • “The graphics are 90s level.”
  • music95 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a lack of variety and repetitive tracks that detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the nostalgic early 2000s vibe and find a few standout tracks, the majority criticize the soundtrack as mediocre or low-quality, often opting to mute it in favor of their own playlists. Overall, the music fails to leave a lasting impression, with many players wishing for a more diverse and engaging selection.

    • “Nice handling model and peak 2000s custom car era with its vibes and music.”
    • “Fun, engaging and great music selection of its time!”
    • “Great breakbeat/hip-hop/nu-metal soundtrack, totally catches the 90s early 2000s street racing vibe.”
    • “The soundtrack contains less than 20 tracks in total, which doesn't seem too bad until you hear the same mediocre songs over and over.”
    • “The music, however, gets repetitive, and eventually it's best to turn it off, or play your own music on the side.”
    • “Now the other features of the game, starting with the big bad, the music, which is basically SoundCloud garbage, and I had to mute it as soon as I started the game for the first time.”
  • gameplay75 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the realistic driving mechanics and extensive car customization options, while others criticize its repetitive nature and dated physics. The inclusion of a "girlfriend" mechanic has drawn both amusement and disdain, and while the game offers nostalgic elements reminiscent of classic racing titles, it struggles with technical issues and a lack of polish. Overall, it provides a straightforward arcade racing experience that may appeal to fans of the genre, but it is not without its flaws.

    • “The gameplay mechanics are realistic, and manual transmission feels better to control than most other car sims.”
    • “One of the finest old racing games with really good gameplay and cool old school cars.”
    • “This game was so much fun when it first came out and took me back to the simpler times when gameplay was more important than the graphics.”
    • “The gameplay leaves a bit to be desired, however.”
    • “But the gameplay is horrid; the graphics are fine, and the sound is somewhat bad.”
    • “The graphics are outdated even for 2004 standards, the sound is awful, and the gameplay is painful.”
  • story44 mentions

    The game's story is generally perceived as simplistic and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it serves primarily as a backdrop for racing rather than a compelling narrative. While some appreciate its humorous elements and moral lessons, the overall consensus is that the story is underdeveloped and often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics and car customization. Many players found themselves more engaged in racing challenges and side content than in the main storyline, which is described as boring or non-existent.

    • “The story begins with Ken from Barbie (played by Ryan Gosling) telling us about his driver being arrested for being sober while driving (which is illegal in LA).”
    • “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
    • “A cheesy version of Need for Speed Underground, driving is super arcady on borderline terrible; the story is funny and right from the start you can tell where it goes.”
    • “The game's depth is found in street mode, which starts out with some inkling of a story but quickly boils down to a fairly standard career mode.”
    • “Graphics and presentation are very dated, along with a very boring story that desperately tries to get your attention with tasteless scantily clad women and cheesy early 2000's dialogue.”
    • “There's no story whatsoever, the necessity to run the game in a 4:3 screen ratio is pretty annoying and when in pursuit, expect cops to be spawning right in front of you out of thin air.”
  • optimization24 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players noting that while it is generally well-optimized, it suffers from issues like crashes and unclear performance impacts from upgrades. Players appreciate the variety of performance customization options but criticize the handling and the need to repeatedly purchase parts, which can detract from the overall experience. Additionally, the lack of significant differences between car models and the repetitive nature of upgrades have been points of contention.

    • “You need to find what combinations of parts give the best performance, and each comes with tradeoffs.”
    • “While you can go in depth with performance parts, the visual customization is limited to body kits and spoilers.”
    • “You can tune your car's performance with turbos, nitrous, exhaust systems, flywheels, better ignition, weight reduction kits, etc. You can also tune your car's visual side too.”
    • “Poorly optimized, constant crashes, difficulty ramps artificially, 3 lap tracks and 1 lap tracks demand the same amount of stunt points making the 1 lap tracks almost impossible, cars handle poorly, upgrades are unclear as to how they'll affect the car, you don't get to keep parts you purchase (every time you switch you must pay again).”
    • “Applying upgrades to your car is a chore due to multiple categories of the same items and a performance graph that must refresh every time you pick a new part.”
    • “HKS and Greddy turbos have no real difference in performance.”
  • humor14 mentions

    The humor in this 2000s racing game is characterized by its cheesy and over-the-top elements, such as the quirky garage bios and the absurdity of losing your girlfriend if you drive poorly. Players appreciate the game's lighthearted approach, featuring hilariously bad videos of real-life import models and amusing dialogue, despite acknowledging its outdated graphics and simplistic gameplay. Overall, the humor is seen as a charming and entertaining aspect that adds to the game's fun, even if some may find it tasteless or sexist.

    • “The funny part is when you go to the garage and check out their bio.”
    • “The girl you're currently 'hooked up' with serves as the flag girl when you race, and she can be lost if you drive poorly, but if you drive well, you can unlock hilariously awful videos featuring these real-life import models.”
    • “All jokes aside, Street Racing Syndicate is a cheesy, funny, charming, and overall fun game to play.”
  • replayability7 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable and immersive enough to return to after years, others note a lack of variety and repetitive gameplay that diminishes long-term engagement. Customization options and police pursuits are seen as mediocre, impacting the overall replay value. New players may find it engaging initially, but seasoned gamers might feel it lacks the depth of other titles in the genre.

    • “But forget graphics, this game is super fun and replayable for the immersive and fun driving experience. It looks really good for what it is, and I managed to run the highest graphics settings on my regular laptop.”
    • “I love this game and the fact that it still has replay value for me today after ten years is a testament to its core quality.”
    • “It's not as immersive or as replayable as, let's say, Need for Speed: Underground 2, but for those who are playing it for the first time, it'll likely keep you occupied for quite some time before you move on to the next game.”
    • “Also, there is little to no replay value here.”
    • “The races are playable, customization is somewhat decent, but mediocre. Police pursuits are unplayable; you will get busted going 60 mph, there's no escape.”
    • “Replay value: 6/10 (can get repetitive doing circuit and point to point, though I don't mind).”
  • stability7 mentions

    User reviews on stability are mixed; while some players report a smooth experience on older hardware, others encounter significant issues such as game crashes, screen glitches, and unresponsive launches. Overall, the game appears to have a range of stability problems that can vary widely depending on the system configuration.

    • “If you are on a 15+ year old HP 530 notebook like I have, with a T7200 Core Duo CPU, 4 GB DDR2 memory, and Windows 10, put all the settings to the lowest and it runs great!”
    • “Game won't even launch despite extensive technical efforts to try troubleshooting absolutely everything.”
    • “How do I get the random stuff off the screen? While I played the game, I experienced screen lags (glitches, slices) and it's really annoying.”
    • “No, it's still a piece of buggy crap.”
  • grinding6 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is often described as tedious and frustrating, particularly due to input lag affecting vehicle control and the repetitive nature of earning respect points. Players suggest that the experience can become monotonous after completing race series, recommending alternative racing games for a more enjoyable experience. Overall, the grinding mechanics feel reminiscent of RPGs, but may not be well-suited for those seeking a more engaging racing experience.

    • “Grinding for the respect points is tedious. Doing drift, leading the race without hitting anything, even when you're driving a rear-wheel drive car, is an absolute nightmare, as the physics suffers from input lag. Cars like the AE86, RX7, RX8, MR2 Spyder, and 350Z are examples of this.”
    • “I recommend you just get and play Need for Speed Underground 1/2 or other racing games that are more popular on Steam instead, because this game can wear out pretty swiftly after you complete the race series across Los Angeles. Grinding for cars and respect feels rather pointless.”
    • “Just find some good music to listen to and get ready for a grindy experience.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive experience, reminiscent of classic titles like Juiced 1 and Underground 1, effectively capturing the essence of the import tuner scene. Players appreciate the ability to progress at their own pace, enhancing their enjoyment of the overall vibe.

    • “The atmosphere is great; it's up there with Juiced 1 and Underground 1 in terms of providing a real import tuner feel.”
    • “Move on at your own pace in this atmosphere, and you will truly enjoy this game.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players express a nostalgic emotional connection to the game, reminiscent of childhood experiences, despite its outdated graphics and lackluster story. However, the attempt to engage players through superficial elements like scantily clad characters and cheesy dialogue detracts from the overall emotional impact.

    • “It has that old school charm, and the feeling I had playing this game made me feel like I was four again.”
    • “The emotional depth of the story left me in tears; I felt so connected to the characters.”
    • “This game truly captures the essence of nostalgia, evoking memories and feelings I thought I had forgotten.”
    • “The graphics and presentation are very dated, and the story is incredibly boring, trying to grab your attention with tastelessly clad women and cheesy early 2000s dialogue.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

60% average critic score

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Play time

6hMedian play time
6hAverage play time
5-9hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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