So different to Gran Turismo. So different to EA's indominitable PC series. While EA had previously handed console development to third parties, this year their latest F1 game is back in the hands of a highly experienced and capable in-house team. Their PC version of F1 2002 was a shining achievement, beating Geoff Crammond's Grand Prix 4 in most areas and subject of a host of mods from its enthusiastic coding community.

So why the change of developers on Playstation 2? And why the Career Challenge tag? No doubt both are related to Sony's recent agreement to become sole licensees of the FIA with exclusive rights to develop related games. While press statement mention of the license belonging to the Playstation 2 alone till 2007 sounds impractical given the console's life cycle, inclusion of computer games in the exclusivity sounds more plausible. Such licenses normally apply within the boundaries of computer or video games, not both. But in a total reversal of the FIA's previous policy of allowing multiple licenses in the interest of productive competition, now it seems the F1 gaming market is to be shaken up as much as the sport itself.

Although not a retrospective title, F1CC encompasses the past four years of the formula one circuit. As a driver, you take yourself through each season rather than opting for one of the sport's personas. This isn't face-mapping stuff, and you could always create a pseudonym under which to race, but that's not the point. Bereft of a renewed license to take EA through another year, Career Challenge is about getting better as much as it is about winning.

Improvement begins with a series of license tests. Stop-start drills, timed runs on selected track sections, all usual stuff. Apart from the career structure the game immediately shows a surprising similarity to EA's previous console F1 games in terms of, well, everything. Sound effects are nice, with nails-on-blackboard tyre gouging making a return along with the delightfully painful engine noises.

It's the handling which, it was hoped, would follow the PC series' lead as much as anything now that EA has taken development back in-house. Here again is a remarkable similarity to prior thirdparty-developed games. The feeling of hanging on to the tarmac against waves of terrain and turning forces, of just keeping your grip with a fine balance of the immense power you sit in front of - it is all but absent here.

Managing the throttle via the DualShock2 is disappointingly difficult, going from all to nothing with hardly a step between. Try with a steering wheel and a new problem arises of a delay between your turning input and the corresponding in-game effect. Coupled with the same twitchiness of past versions, using an officially supported wheel renders the game unplayable.

However there is a great sense of speed, especially in the nose-cam view as one would expect, and all cameras offer very fast feel. Sitting low to the track with a DualShock2 makes for the best control combination in F1CC; using the D-pad or control stick is a matter of preference and both take some getting used to in the game.

Graphically F1CC is again similar to past versions. The game world retains a grimy touch and a blur effect persists with the apparent ambition to help overcome frame rate and general texture quality issues.

At least EA offers full-grid racing for two players and four-player simultaneous support via the multitap. One completely new feature is also the offering of a series of EA Sports Cards. These convert to car upgrades and are earned during racing. As well as achievements such as pulling off the fastest lap or the cleanest race, there is also a range of arcade-style challenges to complete during a race. 'Hot Zones' are sections on the track with their own mini time trial, leading to a card if completed under time and with no collisions. There are also 'Overtaking' and 'Cornering' multipliers, which are self-explanatory.

Unfortunately while each feature of F1CC makes for great reading, there is a real lack of cohesion throughout the game. This is evident right from the license structure, where pit remarks can be inconsistent with your test and the tests are sometimes useless in terms of improving your driving. We recommend going immediately into quick races and spending time racing, as this will allow the tests to be passed with less frustration.