Formula One Championship Edition (PS3) Review
Posted by Andrew Mellick on 02.27.2007
Nascar has always been the big dog here in the US. Can a racing game based on Formula One steer out of the shadows and into the spotlight? Read on to find out!
Thanks in large part to such racing greats as Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, and Ricky Bobby, Nascar racing has become a phenomenon. All around the country, hillbillies…I mean racing enthusiasts gather around their TV’s cheer for their respective racer to be ahead of the traffic in an endless circle.
Sure this sport of ovals is big in the US, but is it really the Crème de la crème of the racing world? Hardly, no that moniker belongs to Formula one also known as Grand Prix Racing. Here cars are precision crafted down to the slightest detail and racers such as Michael Shumacher and Fernando Alonzo speed through tracks filled with hairpin turns at break neck speeds of 200 plus miles per hour.
Can all this high-speed action translate into a decent game? Sony thinks so, and thus I give you Formula One Championship Edition reviewed for the PS3
Graphics
The graphics in this game are nothing short of amazing. Everything down to the finest detail has been studied and transferred to the game perfectly. For example, racing in heavy rain is so ultra realistic that you’ll be checking your face for rain drops. As your car idols and rain pounds all around you, the green flag drops and you are instantly enthralled in a tire-induced mist. As you tear through the first turn drops slam against the screen and smear off the sides, making visibility almost non-existent. You are able to make out the much slower competitor in front of you, but far too late as you slam into his side sending both of you into the grassy knoll and out of the race.
But there is more to these graphics than just pretty rain, as you pit your crew jumps out with expert timing to refuel, retire, and get you back on your way. Even as you race, you can see the affects of speed as your rider bounces around every turn pulling the wheel at incredible speed. I have no complaints about the graphics they even included realistic crashes! What more can you ask for?
Gameplay
One of the most important things in a racing game are the controls and Formula One does not disappoint, offering a wide variety of control options. You can even give the SIXAXIS a whirl and turn the controller to steer your car. All these controls are tight and functional. There is no button clutter, as each control placement feels natural.
As far as game modes go Formula One has everything you’d expect, quick races, season modes, etc. While I enjoyed the career mode, I would have liked to have seen voice acting used instead of the usual “email from the boss” format that so many of these games rely on.
The game is incredibly customizable, offering the ability to alter your tires, fuel, suspension, etc. You can also tweak a variety of difficulty options. This allows you to make the game anything from a straight simulation to a Formula One version of Mario Kart. It’s these types of options that make this game very friendly to first time users as well as hardcore fans.
Sound
The engines roar as everyone waits for the green flag to fall. As you race through each turn, you’ll notice the amazing accuracy of the sound as you quickly speed up to competitors, hearing their engines transition from quiet hum to roaring demon machine.
Over the roar of the engines, the announcer is heard. The voice acting here is spot on, not just your run of the mill “final lap” and “Here we go” type observations. No the announcer offers insight into the race as well as the excitement of a real live event. The pit crew as well offers solid advice, slowly teaching you the nuances of the game.
My complaint in the sound department is the music. The game offers a pretty vanilla array of instrumental soundtracks with virtually no customization available. In this day and age in the gaming world, there is no reason why a gamer shouldn’t be able to customize his or her own play list; especially in a title where you spend most of your time in the car.
Lasting Appeal
With a solid season mode, tons of customizable options, and a vast array of racers and teams, Formula One offers a lot in the lasting appeal department. The game is available for online play; however, I was unable to do so, seeing as this was a pre-release review.
As far as playing a friend goes, the game only offers the ability to play against one another on a LAN or online, no split screen action. I found this a bit annoying as split screening has been a staple of racing games for quite some time, and I wouldn’t imagine it costs much more to develop it.
Fun Factor
The game does have a lot to offer. If you are a racing buff you will be busy for many a night customizing your car and learning all the ins and outs of the SIXAXIS controlled driving and the varying difficulty levels.
If you are not a racing fan, you still might be able to get into this game, as the learning curve can be as mild as you want it to be. The only thing that would have helped to cross that bridge into “fun for everyone” would have been the ability to customize your own racer. The game does make a stab at this but it is a pretty sorry attempt considering how deep it could have been.
The 411
This game is high-octane fun. With deep customization and an intriguing season that will leave gamers feeling satisfied. The racing itself feels smooth and natural as you slide through each turn.
With graphics I could stare at all day and fun that doesn’t get old, this may just be the game that brings Formula One racing to the forefront.
Graphics
9.5
From rain, to racing, to crashes, the graphics are amazingly real.
Gameplay
7.5
The game play is fun and easy to get into, but not quite as deep as I would have liked to have seen.
Sound
7.0
Good voice acting and sound affects, they just needed to take more time on the other areas.
Lasting Appeal
8.0
Online play, season mode, and quick races provide plenty to keep you busy, but the lack of split screen racing is a disappointment.
Fun Factor
7.5
A fun title for sure. However, I would have liked to have seen a more fleshed out season mode and a challenge system.
