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THE ORIGINAL FORMULA ONE was the first PlayStation game in Europe to sell over 1 million units within a record-setting 6 months after launch. With the release of Formula One 2000 on PSone, combined worldwide sales of the Psygnosis franchise have exceeded 5.5 million units. So enter Formula One 2001 for PlayStation 2, marking the first time the franchise has been developed in-house, as SCE Studio Liverpool takes over where the Psygnosis franchise left off, bringing the experience to the next level.
It would be forgivable to approach Formula One 2001 with a high degree of scepticism. With countless numbers of F1 games scattered throughout the library of every console, how does one differentiate between them? How can driving the same cars on the same tracks be made enjoyable the second, third, forth, or even the fifth time around? There is only so much any developer can do with a finite number of real life tracks, teams, and drivers. The aim of any F1 'game/simulation' is to recreate the experience of F1 in your living room, where developers strive to get closer to this goal whilst trying to maintain the fun factor. So while Formula One 2001 is indeed unashamedly the 'same' as any other F1 simulation, it is by far the best available on a home console, and we're going to tell you why.
Booting the game up you're greeted with a highly polished menu system where you must choose a play mode. These include your now standard 'Quick Race' the mandatory 'Championship' the solo 'Time Attack' and the novel 'Spectator Mode.' Quick Race and Championship are self-explanatory but 'Time Attack' featuring an online competition where you can test your skills against players from around the world. Spectator Mode involves sitting in a stand to enjoy the race, not that we found that very enjoyable. Once you have selected your play mode, you must then select from one of the seventeen teams each with two drivers, then depending on your 'mode' select a track, and in a Quick Race select your position on the grid. For a Single Race and Championship you must go through the stage of warm up and qualifying.
Once in the car the first thing to hit you will be the graphics. They are quite simply brilliant. The tracks are modelled beautifully, each with unique trackside details and background landscapes. Tarmac textures differ from location to location, grass and gravel are rendered using highly detailed textures – run over them (as you will) and dust and gravel will be thrown into the air. Beautiful. Tyre marks get left on the track, rain looks like real rain with individual raindrops complete with overcast skies. These graphics combined with a rock solid 60 frames per second make it one of the most impressive graphical showcases thus far on the PS2. Sadly the sound effects are a huge let down. If you've even been to a real life Formula One event prepare to be hugely disappointed, as the game doesn't come remotely close to replicating the sound of a V10 spinning upwards of 15 000 rpm. Instead you're greeted with a weak buzz doing a brilliant impression of a Ford Lazer. This combined with terribly repetitive and poorly sampled voice-overs from the legend himself Murray Walker helps to make this a feast for the eyes, but sadly not the ears. |
