AceGamez writes: "When you're asked to name the best horse racing game on the market, the one series that comes to mind is the G1 Jockey series. This largely due to one reason: it's the only horse racing series on the market. The first next-gen version of the series, G1 Jockey 4 2008, brings the sport to PS3 for the first time, with new graphics and sixaxis control in tow. Does this horse fall at the first turn or is it the best in its class, however small that class is?
Starting off as a student in a jockey school, you and your peers set out to take over the world of horse racing one race at a time. After learning the basics and completing a series of four mock races, you're thrust into the spotlight as the latest upcoming jockey, taking on races for different agencies while trying to scrape the money together to get a horse of your own. That's the plan anyway, which is easier said than done. A complex knowledge of the intricacies of a race is needed from the start, which means that you won't win any races for a long time. The fact that there is no tutorial in the Story mode, replaced by a completely separate hour-long, step-by-step guide to all the different manoeuvres on offer, makes the experience that bit more difficult. Even after going through this tutorial multiple times, the complicated nature of the control scheme and the amount of things you have to do at once in a race make the game near impossible to get into."
RealGamer writes: "For the record, I have no interest in horse-racing what-so-ever and so this review of G1 Jockey 4 2008 maybe slightly biased.
This game sees you shrinking and losing weight as you take on the role of a jockey where you will train and race on many noble steeds, hopefully to victory.
These games have had huge success in Japan and have started to appear in the shops over here. Is now the time to change our opinions on horse-racing? Can gaming achieve the impossible and make this "sport" entertaining and enjoyable? The answer is a resounding no, actually it more like a "No" uttered by a man falling off the side of a cliff, which is usually followed by a large "splat" sound."
Last year's G1 Jockey Wii took a lot of people by surprise. While it had complicated controls and layouts, those who took the time to learn all the bits and pieces discovered it had a lot of depth and was a decent horse racing game. Sadly, fans of last year's outing have little reason to pick up G1 Jockey Wii 2008. The game is more or less the same, with only a few new options that don't really warrant a second look.
The game's story mode isn't all that spectacular. Players simply assume the role of an upcoming jockey who's just graduated and about to enter the world of horse racing. The story is told through conversations with 2D cardboard cut-outs, it doesn't really hold your interest for long and in the end you'll just be pressing the A button to skip the endless amounts of dribble. What it lacks in presentation however, it makes up for with in-depth gameplay.
Thomas McDermott writes:
"I am sure there is an audience that will love this game, and will have some solid fun with it. However, that audience - no matter how niche it may be - deserve a better game to accurately represent their hobby. Right now this version seems to have the lowest production values you can possibly have for a PS3 title, and that, in conjunction with the game's many other problems, is not going to please anyone in the long run."
