F1 2005 (PS2)

Needless to say, I am looking around for a new contract, and Sony PlayStation’s

Formula One 2005 game has just the power to put this McLaren behind the wheel

of a McLaren. It’s 2005, and all the current teams, drivers, and indeed circuits

are available for either a quick race, full race weekend, online race, a championship,

or an entire career.

The fact that most of the current grand prix drivers have admitted to learning

the new Turkish track via their PlayStations months before they were given the

chance to leave the pits for real, should give you an indication of how accurate

and to what levels the graphics and gameplay have evolved on the new game. Although

the same drivers have said that the game didn’t quite duplicate the undulations

of the actual track during a race, there are only 20 or so of them around, so

for the rest of us we’ll take it as pretty accurate.

While this game is best enjoyed from behind an actual steering wheel and pedals,

one of the advances that F1 2005 offers is the increased sensitivity of the buttons

on the standard PlayStation controls. While this sensitivity allows for a smoother

input of power out of corners etc., the trade-off is that maximum throttle for

any length of time will leave your thumb seriously bruised from the pressure needed.

While previous generations of the game have been found to be either far too easy

or frustratingly difficult, the new one offers a good level of optional driver

aids and difficulty settings that make it enjoyable to play for both novices and

experts.

With all the driver aids switched on, it’s just about possible to keep your "foot"

flat throughout the entire lap while the aids make sure that your car follows

the illuminated racing line, brakes when it changes to red, and downshifts the

gears for the optimal cornering speed. The challenge, of course, is to gradually

switch off the driver aids until you are eventually in control of your own destiny

- culminating in switching off the damage control as a sign that you are very

confident… or cocky.

In career mode, you are required to attend some trial drives for one of the smaller

teams who, if you make the grade, offer you either a first, second, or test driver

contract. Your manager, corresponding with you via e-mail, lets you know how your

future is looking.

As your career progresses and your trophy cabinet grows, so do your bonus prizes

as your helmet gains more individual treatment and, if you do really well, you

win some of the classic Formula One cars from past eras for you to enjoy during

free practice sessions.

You know that the graphics and game play of a racing game are up to scratch when

you find yourself feeling nervous while going through corners like Copse, at Silverstone,

without tapping off.

Just as in the real GP world, you are required to qualify on the fuel for the

race and you choose a pit stop strategy – pit stops being interactive.

Get the race line correct, without cutting any corners to incur a time penalty,

get the power down smoothly, in the optimal gear, and try to avoid other drivers

(especially ones in red cars) turning in on you, and this game provides hours

of great fun and an entertaining challenge.

Addictiveness rating:

IAN McLAREN