Let's me start with the basic information on the game.
Title: Ferrari: The Race Experience
Platform: Playstation Network (PS3)
Price: £11.99
Developer: Eutechnyx
So now into my review. Well, actually this is more of a first-impressions but the thing is it's really easy to judge this game based on the first hour I've had with it. My score may shock you, and you'll likely - like I have myself - take into account certain racing games that are coming up.
Just hold back thoughts of other racers for a second. We need to be subjective before any game. Firstly this is a sequel to another Ferari game, I never played that so I can't give comparisons that way.
So what are the high points of the game?
The Price; this is put into context with the latter features.
-Every Ferrari you'd want. Ranges from classics like the 250GT to the newest (well, not actually NEWEST as last week or so Ferrari announced 3 new cars) 458 Italia.
-Lots of tracks. I haven't bothered to manually count but there are a lot. Classics like Spa and more traditional ones simply titled "calfornia".
-A decal editor. Yep. It has that too.
-Online with up to 16 players.
-A card "top trumps" esque game. It works how you think it would. It's really pretty damn fun. It also gives you history and statisitcs of Ferrari cars in a unique and less boring way than other games do it.
-3 driving styles. These are more like "difficulties" but with exceptions. Arcade for example is more challenging than other Arcade racers but it's not as hard as the simulation mode.
-Rain. AS PRETTY AS you'd think. Really. The Rain is BEAUTIFUL.
-Team, Nationality editing. This is so you can make authentic Ferrari race teams IF YOU CHOOSE.
So onto the meat of the review:
You start off with 30,000 credits. Doesn't seem like much but the diversity of Ferrari's on offer means you can start with a car you like. You obviously cant have an Enzo or 599XX to start with but you CAN have (to my shock) a Ferrari F430 Spyder. Which is the first car I opted for. -- Oh, and you get a trophy for buying your first car.
There are a slew of modes. I started with Career. In career there are numerous events that require a specific Ferrari. You will have to start with whatever Ferrari you chose. Winning races means credits, and credits mean you can RENT as well as buy new cars. It's a mode that'll take a long time to complete.
Next I chose "single player", here you have quick race: I chose this and this is where I was most impressed. Ferrari F430 in the RAIN. I was drooling when I saw the rain splatter on the windscreen and seeing the stream of water soaking tires. It was something to behold actually. Genuinely pretty game this is.
So I guess I should carry on from that last little paragraph and talk about the graphics :
Cars are rendered EXQUISITELY. As good as a full retail racing title. Sun shines in realistic ways, glare being evident and if you're on a track where the sun is shining you'll see it in the windscreen too. There is a HUGE amount of detail in this game.
Carrying on from my little diversion there, Single player also includes trophy races, time trail and arcade modes. All of which have their own completion standards.
Car handling is great in Arcade mode, which is the mode I've been playing mostly. But the full simulation mode is just as good as other simulators, but it has a distinct feel to it. You'll adjust to it within seconds.
Online scoreboards are up and running, but unfortunately there hasn't been an opportunity to play multiplayer yet. Well... it has been out for only 3 hours (as of writing this review).
StartGame writes: "With a full career mode, plenty of other single player modes and multiplayer, it certainly seems like a bargain considering price (£11.99 or £9.99 if you own Ferrari Challenge), but is it?"
If you want to sit in a virtual cockpit which lets you feel the Alcantara, you'd better wait for GT5. If you'd rather race Maranello's finest in an arcade setting, there's always OutRun Online Arcade (although tragically, for those that don't have it, it's no longer available on PSN). And if you're just after a great racing game, the list of suitors is as long as the Scuderia's history. There is a Ferrari experience here, as long as your idea of the Ferrari experience is a Toyota MR2 with an ill-fitting F355 replica bodykit.
Ferrari don't make video games... but perhaps they should.
System 3 is celebrating the launch of Ferrari The Race Experience on the PlayStation Store with a fantastic monthly competition.
A new competition will be available every month for the next six months, culminating in one ultimate challenge, which will result in 6 people being treated to a trip to Maranello, Italy to experience Ferrari’s own Racing Academy!
Your having a laugh? graphics are terrible...
Reminds me of outrun on the psone..