Visually Juiced is a sharp looker, with the race tracks and cars well modelled. The vehicles look especially good, with a large range of visual enhancements well integrated within the game. Races are smooth, with no indication of any slowdown. Occasionally the movement of the cars does look a little odd, though. Damage does not appear to have as big a part to play in the game as we had hoped, with little noticeable effect on either visuals or performance.

Accompanying the fine visuals is the car handling, which on the whole is well done. Cars feel different to each other, with the change between front-wheel, rear-wheel and all-wheel drive vehicles especially noticeable, although the ease with which some cars spin out is a concern in a game aimed at arcade racing.

The single-player mode in Juiced is a large one that will see players competing over a large number of circuits and environments in a range of races. Players start out in a crew of one as a rookie driver. After purchasing a car in the lowest car class they must compete in races against other crews, generally against five other racers but occasionally one-on-one.

A number of race types are included, most rather standard in the genre, including circuit, point-to-point, show-off and drag races. Of these Show-Off shows the most originality. In this mode racers drive around a track, performing tricks as they go. Donuts, 360s, 180s, and a range of other tricks all earn points, depending on how well and how long they are performed. A comprehensive training video explains all of the tricks and the mode provides a good alternative to the more ordinary racing.

Progression through the single player mode is done by accruing respect with eight other race crews. Earn enough respect points with a crew and they will start inviting the player to races they run, filling up a calendar that initially seems a little bare. Earn even more and other crews will start offering pink slip races to enter and eventually offer their tracks for players to host their own events.

Earning respect from the other crews is not just a matter of winning races though, as each team has its own agenda. Different teams will give points based on how much money players bet on a race, winning a certain type of race, and the quality of a player's garage and crew. Just as points can be earned for winning a bet or a race, points can just as easily be lost for losing, as well as penalties by each team if damage is done to their car in the race. Winning and losing by large margins will involve more respect points, and hitting other cars in a race will lose points from the team involved.

The result of the Respect system is that playing through Juiced becomes a balancing act, affecting how players drive, the make-up of their garage and crew, the way they bet, as well as performance in actual races. Instead of progression being based on just winning races, how a player wins those races becomes just as important, and in some races even losing a race can be of benefit. This makes the single player mode in Juiced a little more interesting than many other games of its type, but for many players could just provide an unwanted headache when they just want to race.

Possibly the cruelest part of Juiced is the pink slip races. These tense races pit a player's most powerful car against a rival in a short race, with the winner taking all. The difficulty in these races seems to escalate slightly, making them harder to win than normal races and any minor slip could cost the pink slip too. The cruelty of the mode is amply displayed for those who try to back out of a race. Once accepted, the race results are binding, and even turning off the power to the Xbox will not save the ownership of the car from being turned over to a rival. Not that we would do that.

The tension in pink slip races is artificial, to be sure, but one which is no less palpable. While it would have been good to be able to choose which class of car to race, the requirement to use the most powerful car creates some interesting choices in handling the roster of cars and choosing which to upgrade. There is nothing more heartbreaking in Juiced than seeing a car that has had thousands spent on it to upgrade both performance and visuals lost in a matter of minutes.

Possibly just as challenging, but executed a little less successfully is the ability to build up a crew of AI drivers to to compete with in team races and even on their own. These drivers start out a little green, with players needing to sit through a few losses before drivers start to perform well. Possibly a few more commands during the race, or a better indication of the skills and progression of each driver would have made cultivating a crew a little more enjoyable.

While the single player mode is possibly more complex than players are wanting from a racing title, the multiplayer racing gets back to basics with the emphasis on winning races and events. The need to worry about respect or financials dissipates while playing online. Pink slip races are no less tense, and the ability to build up a crew of racers something that will surely appeal to a small group of online friends.

On the soundtrack Juiced includes the typical range of dance and rock tracks, with no great surprises or standouts. Roni Size and Paul Oakenfold sit well next to Xzibit, and Lemon Jelly in the listing of around two dozen tracks. It's a selection that fits the game well though, with the option to switch to a custom soundtrack providing an alternative for those wanting to switch the off the default soundtrack.