Formula One Championship Edition (PS3)

Having not experienced the F1 feeling on a console for some time, nostalgia was one of my main reasons for picking up Championship Edition on launch day - and it hasn't disappointed. Graphically stunning and with enough gameplay and car mods to satisfy any fan of the sport, this game is a must buy for petrol-heads.

Jumping in with assists and racing line on is a great way to experience the joys of the game without having to worry about getting your braking perfect into corners. The graphics are amazing with realistic shadows and reflections adding that extra bit to the races - I've even found myself going out of my way not to spoil my cars paintwork with a slight nudge.

Turn up the heat by switching off assists and adding damage to create an amazing challenge to your driving skills. First corner pileups are frequent as you try to get that perfect braking point into the corner. Your car will take an extraordinary amount of damage (short of losing a wheel) and this adds that extra element as trips down the pit lane will cost you big.

Tired of taking on the all-be-it amazing AI? Why not jump online to take on racers from around the world? This definitely adds an extra element to the game and does a lot to break-up the linear quality of the one-player game. Rack up the points on specific servers and you'll place on their top drivers list, adding that extra competitive edge in an already competitive world.

Despite being one of the background launch titles for the PS3, Formula One Championship edition succeeds were others have failed - to really make us feel that Sony's next-gen system is here to compete.

I'm not sure why everyone is so negative...As a hardcore F1 fan i think this game is actually amazing! The way they have made everything so realistic and actually do a proper race weekend...Its incredible realisim...For people who say its hard without the assits, its not hard you just have to learn how to drive it doesnt take long! with the assists turned on all you have to do is press go, which in my eyes is incredbly boring!

The carrer mode is exelent, where you start off with a few trials for lower classed teams then you work your way to better teams and up the championship...

In my eyes this game is the only reasen i want a ps3, as i am a 360 owner...but i play this alot round my mates.

5/5

A staple title for any games console, Formula One games have suffered over the years by being 'much the same as before' - and let's face it, there is only so much you can do with the genre. However, this first outing for the series on a next-gen console is something else. Graphically, it doesn't disappoint. Ultra-realistic weather and lighting effects make this game stand head and shoulders above it's predeccesors, and it sounds far more realistic than anything in the genre thus far.

As you would expect, there are a number of different modes you can play in, depending on how much time and effort you care to expend. Either stick all the available assists on and jump right in to a race, or embark on a full career (where you have to progress through the ranks from test-driver to a regular seat within a better team). With all assists off, however, this game presents an almighty challenge. The race physics are the most sophisticated in the series history, and the algorithms for tyre wear and fuel consumption are exceptionally well done. AI for other drivers is much better than ever before.

The tracks are beautifully detailed and accurate, but it is the sensation of speed that this game delivers that makes this game so much fun to play. The motion blur and slightly shaking of the 'camera' as you race really adds sensation to the action.

You can use a wheel with F1CE, but there is no real force feedback (FFB), which is a disappointment to anyone used to full FFB support in PS2 games such as GT4 for example. The game supports the tilt function of the new PS3 Sixaxis controller for steering, which works well, even if it is not entirely suitable for serious driving.

There are a few extra goodies lurking in the game that I know of so far, including a bonus track (Jerez) as well as classic F1 cars including the 1973 Lotus 72E and a Williams or two (according to the credits in the game). Sadly, the game is based on the 2006 season, meaning that the excellent Spa circuit is not in the game but this is a minor quibble.

The game is great overall, but it does suffer from one or two drawbacks. Some of the driving views leave a bit to be desired, and as you might expect, there are no major surprises in the gameplay from past games in the series. The game does not support the much-vaunted idea of using the PSP as a rear-view mirror either (although this may well be patched in at a later date). Probably the biggest downside is not really the fault of the game, but it is the lack of vibration/rumble. For legal reasons, Sony did not include the Rumble Pack hardware in the first edition of the Sixaxis controller, and hence there is no rumble available, which makes the game feel slightly weird (esp. if you are a hardened PS2 racing game addict like myself). Hopefully now that Sony and Immersion have sorted their legal wranglings, Sony will release a new version of the Sixaxis and patch in the rumble effects into the game, but this is more likely to be an inclusion in the 2007 Season edition of the game.

(c) TM and Amar212@GTPlanet.net