Mixed or average reviews - based on 43 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 43
  2. Negative: 1 out of 43
  1. Thankfully, you can turn off the VGS display completely and never see it again. Manabu Akita's system is a clever one, certainly, but did the developers really need to find the most annoying place on the race screen for it to live in? I don't think so. Rant over.
  2. Rather than the car being the star, Enthusia puts the driving first -- it's a shame that the rest of the game can't quite keep up.
  3. A quite decent and demanding racer.
  4. The simple fact is Enthusia is simply a simulation of life, but has little life itself.
  5. The true disaster here is the likelihood that nobody will really play Enthusia. "Gran Turismo 4's" massive popularity is destined to overshadow it even though both games rank at the top of the genre.
  6. Built for those who want a bit more 'pick up and play' in their racing simulations, and it does that fairly well.
  7. While it’s an excellent entry in the crowded racing genre, your overall enjoyment of Enthusia Professional Racing is dependent on a number of things: patience, persistence, and practice being the three most pressing.
  9. While the game's touchy driving model and overly complex career mode won't appeal to everyone, Enthusia is a worthy game for those looking for something different in the four-wheel genre.
  10. It does one thing well and that is teach you a new way to take turns and drive.
  11. 72
    If the driving had been left alone with just a focus on racing the different courses and scrapped the calendar and the Enthu Points this would have been an easier title to digest. With a fully analog control scheme it could've even been quite good.
  12. While the customization is very limited, there is still a plethora of cars to select from, each with their own specific feel.
  13. Konami’s handful of ideas to make driving sims better (VGS displays, Enthusia Life mode, etc.) are worth sampling despite a handful of odd decisions by the programmers (losing Enthu points to a rear end crasher??!!).
  14. As it stands now, it’s really a game for the most serious driving enthusiast.
  15. It's a solid racer, sure, but in the world of killer sims and arcade racers alike, solid just isn't enough these days. Hopefully the follow-up will iron out the rough spots, because if they can, Konami has a really good racer on their hands.
  16. Most gamers don't want to play something out of a driver's-ed simulator, which is what Enthusia plays like.
  17. 80
    The most obvious problem is that the system is far too forgiving of dragging a wheel or two off-track. Do that in real life, and you'll easily lose control almost instantly. In Enthusia, you'll barely even feel the car pull in that direction.
  18. 70
    For all it does with innovations in HUD, career mode, and vehicle unlocking, multiplayer is a bit underwhelming.
  19. 60
    A good-looking, challenging game with a nice collection of cars to win and race. You'll also get the steep learning curve that some gamers thrive on.
  20. We’d love to see a sequel with a beefed up handling engine, some damage models and online play, but as it stands, Enthusia is only recommendable to the more hardcore Japophiles with a penchant for motoring action.
  21. One of the least user-friendly gaming experiences I've had in a long time.
  22. Is Enthusia the Gran Turismo killer? Nah, but it is a nice standby for those who want something more after playing it, or are just sick of the GT series and want something fresh.
  24. 8 / 7 / 7 / 7 - 29 [Vol 849]
  25. Personally I find it annoying that I lose points when my opponents hit me and not the other way around, but I still like the idea.
  26. Without the hulking form of GT4 on the shelves next to it, Enthusia Professional Racing would be a worthwhile purchase. Unfortunately however, it falls short of the behemoth in almost every aspect, leaving you with little choice but to dismiss it as a capable but ultimately second-best title.
  27. 60
    Though the many tracks on offer (which amusingly take inspiration both from reality as well as other racing games), varying weather conditions and racing styles (including rallying, desert-crossing and touge racing) offer a lot of variety, the Enthusia Life format itself proves to be a little too simple and short, as reaching higher ranks does not involve as long a road as possibly it ought to. [JPN Import]
  28. It simply doesn't really do anywhere near enough to unseat Polyphony's great monolith of a game. In some ways it's a whole lot more accessible (if you can be bothered to wade through the somewhat daunting layers of formulae that get you up the pecking order), but in others it lets itself down with appalling presentation, rank front end, awful music, and visuals which while perfectly serviceable won't have you gawping in awe if you saw it on a nearby demo pod.
  29. Yes, there’s a good sense of speed, but the dreariness of racing against brainless AI opponents who combine little awareness of their surroundings with a remarkably lethargic and lifeless approach to a supposedly exciting activity soon has that counterbalanced. [May 2005, p.85]
  30. A solid, enjoyable driving game with great graphics. The controls are good and the RPG-ish level system makes the experience feel fresh. [July 05]
  31. A very nice alternative to "GT4." Though its physics engine provides a proper challenge, the game itself is simpler and easier to pick up and make make progress. If you haven't got time for "GT4," play this instead. [May 2005, p.40]
  32. The concentration required to go six or so laps without hitting walls or A.I. cars is incredible but also really rewarding. [June 2005, p.100]
  33. This isn't a game for the faint of heart or the heavy of foot. [June 2005, p.129]
  34. The sound is unremarkable. You’ve got your engine sounds, your squealing tires, and other sound effects that all sound like you’ve heard them before.
  35. Even hardcore racers will find Enthusia's default difficulty setting is soul-crushingly hard, with absurdly demanding physics and cars that feel heavier than battleships, yet spin out at the slightest provocation. [June 2005, p.76]
  36. Bad weather conditions are unnecessary for Enthusia. The controls are either stiff and awkward, or overly slippery.
  37. Sadly for Konami, Enthusia is here, slightly queer, and we just can't get used to it.
  38. 65
    But can someone please explain why we lose Enthu points when aggressive opponents tag us in the ass-end? Only a cloven-hoofed Enron accountant would think this was OK.
  39. I honestly believe that it will have a tough time stealing track hours from GT4 and Forza on most gamers' consoles.
  40. The ideas are well thought out, but implemented poorly, and nothing can excuse the total lack of speed in a racing game.
  41. With the VGS system, the demerits and the odds, you are forced into a style of racing that is neither sim nor arcade. It's a hybrid that is more challenging than fun, though some might want the word "challenging" changed to "frustrating."
  42. Brilliant career mode. [July 2005, p.85]
  43. With its first game, Konami’s franchise-hope doesn’t quite match up to the game it is trying to challenge, "Gran Turismo 4." Still, the more realistic driving model and extremely well balanced challenge level bodes well for the sequel. [May 2005, p.68]
User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 16 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 1 out of 8
  1. JamesE.
    Jan 1, 2006
    Amazingly addictive and stunningly fresh, this game is easily as good as every Gran Turismo, if not better. Unfortunately, this game is Amazingly addictive and stunningly fresh, this game is easily as good as every Gran Turismo, if not better. Unfortunately, this game is destined for oblivion, as very few people who hear of it will bother to try it. And most of the people who DO try it will play it for five minutes, and being used to the controls of other racing sims, they will jump to the conclusion that this game is way too hard when it really isn't. It's too bad really, as this game could have had a future, if it weren't for Gran Turismo 4. As I play this game, I pray that Konami will make a sequel, but I am fairly sure that they won't. It's a shame. Full Review »
  2. LiamG.
    Aug 17, 2005
    Xxcellent game i have it!!!!
  3. XERO
    Jun 1, 2005
    What a tremendous it just to see how bad it is....sorry it's back to GT4 and MC3.