Formula One 2003 Out this week!

[infoxicated]

If you're after a superb semi-serious racing game then you really should check out Formula One 2003 from Studio Liverpool.

Personally, I haven't played a better open wheeled racing game on a console - and maybe not on anything since the original Grand Prix on the Amiga ten years ago.

Sadly there's no news of an NTSC version as yet, but the PAL version is in shops right now and I cannot recommend it highly enough. The AI is probably the best yet in a sim style game - the CPU cars will hassle you, outbreak you and generally behave like they're really racing you as opposed to drifting along like drones. Those of you into your racing games will know what I'm talking about here! :)

And as a bonus, the nose cam actually gives Wipeout Fusion a run for its money!!

If you cant take my word for it, check out the review on Eurogamer (http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=52523)
for straight up racing thrills at insane speeds, Sony's home grown effort is the best Formula One game money can buy
It's race-tastic! :)

[lunar]

I saw some in-game footage on gamesdomain.com, and while it looks very good, and the other drivers seemed to exhibit really good AI, I was concerned how the player driving the car managed to go from 20th to 6th in a 2 lap race, while driving all over the grass and gravel-traps. I think there should be a big punishment in time for leaving the track, as there should be for hitting the walls in wipeout. So is the game tough enough? I`m no supergamer, but I felt I could have done better than the driver in the demo on my first go. Of course I might not be judging it fairly on the demo. MIght this have been some kind of arcade mode, and are there tougher game modes? It doesn`t have to be as hard as TOCA2, but If I was to start winning races on my first or second go I`d be fairly hacked off. I want to support SL games of course, as in some way this might increase the chances of another wipeout.

[infoxicated]

You can only get away with that sort of thing in arcade mode. In simulation mode you can be penalised for cheating - i.e. taking advantage of shortcuts, smashing other drivers off the track, etc.

You can also tune up the AI and turn down traction control (you can even do that while you're driving with the D-Pad) to make the game more of a challenge. I've had a few pretty tough races in a BAR at the medium difficulty level, while at the hardest level you don't get anti-lock brakes and the AI is brutally competitive!

So I wouldn't worry too much about it being easy - there's definately a challenge in there, even for a seasoned racer :)

[lunar]

thanks!

Just have to ask myself whether I have the available hours in my life to get truly addicted to a new game.... and more importantly my SE rankings will suffer.....

what the hell, I`ll get it anyway. 8)