I am sure we have all dreamed about getting behind the wheel of a Formula One racing car and driving like there`s no tomorrow, wheels screaming on the tarmac, adrenaline pumping, heart racing and women in bikinis waiting to shower you with champagne.
Now with Sony`s Formula One 2004, you can live that dream.
A refreshing addition in this racing game is the career mode, where you start off as a rookie trying to break into the world of Formula One driving. After a few test sessions in front of talent scouts for the smaller teams, you might be offered a rolling contract with Minardi or Toyota.
The career mode is incredibly tough and, like the real sport, getting a break out of the backend teams can prove to be the toughest area of the game.
This is where the challenge of actually getting a drive in a championship race begins. But do not expect to drive a Ferrari or BMW yet; you have to work for that, and it is not going to be easy.
I noticed that the championship cars handle much better on the road, compared to the career mode car, which feels like you are forever struggling against the car, and it is difficult to get a significant position.
You could skip the career mode and go straight to racing (which, face it, IS why you would be playing this game in the first place). Here you could either race the AI, or up to three other players.
For the multiplayer, the game offers both online and offline options. Offline consists of a split-screen multiplayer race. Unfortunately, you cannot have live races online against other players but rather try and beat racers` best times.
The graphics, although not close to Gran Turismo, are fairly decent. When you are driving alone, the car can feel like you`re almost standing still, but add a few high-powered machines around you and it appears you are about to break the sound barrier.
There is also a colour arrow that appears in the middle of the screen. When you are clearly going too fast to make the turn, the arrow turns a dark red, fading to a bright green when you reach the optimal speed with which to successfully complete the task.
On the downside, this game has several drawbacks that I feel outweigh the good.
Firstly, there is the commentary. The 'snappy` one-liners will have you muting the game and checking back at the options to turn the voices off completely.
With the total number of circumstances that could unfold, it feels like they are simply recycling the same restricted phrases.
Loading time is another big thing. There were times I actually forgot which game I was playing because it took so long to load. While sitting and waiting I lost count of how many times I wanted to turn it off and play something else.
I also found it difficult to tell what was selected in the options menu, and found myself playing the game, going back to the options, changing something and then going BACK to the game again to see if I had actually changed what I wanted to be changed.
I am sure to some, this game will provide hours of fun but it left me disappointed and I would not rush off to buy it until the price comes down substantially.
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