I maintain that this video game is a masterclass in arcade racer track design, but a touchy handling model and overly aggressive AI emerged as two major frustrations for me, and the grindy second half of the game completely sunk it.

Really interesting track design, cool gameplay mechanics and well-made controls make this a pretty solid kart racer. That being said, although its rapid pace in championship mode keeps the game from getting stale eventually, it did feel just a little bit too short.

A nearly second-to-none multiplayer offering, a rebuilt handling model, a brand-new progression system & the most strategy-focused racing in the series are not quite enough to make up for the inclusion of the most lackluster singleplayer Forza campaign in 10 years.

The handling model feels solid, the tracks are nicely designed and the game looks surprisingly good for 2002, but the AI behavior is infuriating, police chases are straight-up unfair and many tracks are just reverse-layout repeats of existing maps.

Despite a myriad of minor issues related to collision detection, third-act pace and rubberbanding, MW05 is still one of the finest racing games around even almost 20 years on thanks to its gritty presentation, dark soundtrack, intense pursuits and weighty driving physics.

I shouldn't like this game as much as I do considering the combat is surprisingly bad and much of the game involves walking around barren landscapes, but I do - many small but fun systems intertwine to create a much greater whole.