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ESRB: 
Platform: PS3
Category: Racing
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Graphics 8 |
Sound 7 |
Gameplay 7 |
Tilt 7.5 ||
Overall 7.5
Author: Trevor H
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Developer - Eutechnyx
Publisher - Activision / System 3
Feature:
Number of Players: 1 (online: 16)
Playstation Network Compatible
Online: Broadband Required
Required Hard Disk Space: 1.2 MB
Headset Compatible
Driving Wheel Compatible
HDTV: 720p, 1080i, 1080p
Racing games have never been my expertise; however they remain a genre I have enjoyed since my early days of gaming. Grand Prix for the Atari 2600 is where it all started and more recently I have become hooked on games such Forza 2 for the Xbox 360 and Motorstorm for the PS3. Yet with the Forza 2 honeymoon long since over and Motorstorm 2 not due out for another couple of months I have been searching for a racer to fill the gap. Just in the knick of time, Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli for the PlayStation 3 arrived. Admittedly, I was apprehensive about the game as Ferrari Challenge was released with little fan fair and no hoopla. After only a couple of hours into the game my fears have been put to rest as Ferrari Challenge stands as not only a terrific racer but a great tribute to one of the most famous names of sports cars in the world.
Graphics
When you first give Ferrari Challenge a spin you will quickly take notice of how surprisingly good everything looks. Granted it is not quite as sharp as the visuals in Forza 2 or GT5 Prologue, however the presentation and overall looks of Ferrari Challenge is top-notch. The following stood out for me as I progressed through the game:
- The Ferrari’s look great and identical to their modified real-life counterparts;
- The tracks and environments are very slick looking;
- The small details such as the smoke from the tires and debris kicking up from other vehicles are second to none; and
- The detail that went into the vehicle cockpits is stellar.
All in all, the amount of detail that went into Ferrari Challenge for the PS3 is impressive. It may not be on par with other big budget racers out there but it does come close. For starters, Ferrari fans will be pleased to know their Italian made sports cars look great. With over 50 different Ferrari’s available, from vintage legends to the FXX, all the cars are quite recognizable, especially by Ferrari fans. I was especially taken back while watching a replay of my previous race. The cars look fantastic and every detail is truly impressive. Ferrari Challenge offers approximately four different camera angles for your racing pleasure. The cockpit view is one camera angle that is quite stunning. On a downside, this view does make it difficult to see some corners and it can be especially challenging to see in rainy weather.
I should note that while the vehicles do take some damage it is virtually impossible to total your car. This was evident as during one of my races I slammed into a wall at top speed but I was able to continue to race and actually pass other racers. When I looked at my car from the rear camera, the damage was minor. Needless to say, I felt the damage modelling could have used some more work.
In addition to the well rendered vehicles, Ferrari Challenge features some impressive environments featuring well designed tracks and beautiful landscapes. The frame rate stuttered at times but overall the races ran quite smooth while the draw distance was surprisingly good. Granted some of the visuals along the tracks do not appear as sharp as they could, however at the end of the day Ferrari Challenge is decent looking game.
Sound
As far as the audio is concerned Ferrari Challenge’s sound is a satisfactory complement to the solid graphics. Overall, the game sounds great in 5.1 surround sound. All the vehicles have their own unique roar. As you race different cars you will notice some vehicles sound distinctively different than others and I would imagine they sound identical to their 'real-life' counterparts. Now I haven't driven many real life Ferrari’s, so I cannot confirm if they sound the same or not, nevertheless they do sound pretty good.
Ferrari Challenge's soundtrack is also very well done however you won’t hear any noticeable recording artists. In fact, during the race I found the music was not very noticeable as my focus was on the race, the sounds of the car and other in-game sound effects. The music is only really noticeable when racing alone with no other cars anywhere nearby, in the menus, and during replays. The soundtrack is about what you would expect from the genre, however some noticeable recording artists would have appreciated. Unfortunately, you are not able to listen to music from your hard drive with the PS3 version as you would with other racers such as Forza 2 on the Xbox 360.
As for the rest of the sound effects, I would have to give kudos to them. Such things as squealing tires, breaking glass, or bumpers crashing against a wall, all manage to convey the sound of the on track action. Overall there was very little to nitpick in terms of the overall audio package in Ferrari Challenge for the PS3.
Gameplay
Probably the most burning question on everyone’s mind reading this review is how does Ferrari Challenge play? Overall, it plays quite well. It is not an ‘arcadish’ racing game by any stretch as it falls more on the side of a simulation racer. So of the Need for Speed franchise, or even Project Gotham Racing, Ferrari Challenge may not be for you. I will admit it took me a few races to adjust as the steering as it is quite sensitive. One wrong move and you are in the dirt. Nevertheless after some time you will adjust to the sensitivity as well as to the nuances of each vehicle. Bottomline, if I can eventually start to get the hang of things and win some races, so can you.
Something that Ferrari Challenge does well, and which is becoming a trend over the last few years, is it allows for any level of gamer to enter the realm of sim-style racing and be competitive. This is accomplished by the availability of car assists (e.g. ABS and Traction Control) and the implementation of a driving line which shows the proper racing line of the track as well as the recommend speed to navigate the various twists and turns. This line comes as a welcome relief as without it I am rendered useless. Although it is a blatant rip-off of Forza’s line I love the fact that it is included in Ferrari Challenge and will be a welcome addition for a lot of rookie racers. The great thing about the line is that it not only shows where to go on the track, but it is also color coded to show what speed you should be driving. The line stays green for the correct speed, turns yellow to indicate you need to slow down, and turns red to indicate you better hit the brakes. It is such things as this driving line, along with the car assists, that really makes Ferrari Challenge a racer for everyone.
Before you start jumping into the challenge mode (the main single player mode) I highly recommend the tutorial mode. Granted it isn’t Ferrari Challenge for Dummies by any stretch as it does not spoon feed you, but rather it serves as a great place to become acquainted with the controls, the cars and the tracks. Here you are rated on several aspects of your driving ability and it also suggests what areas you need to work on. The mode also gives offers up a few tips on how you can improve your driving, but more often than not you are generally teaching yourself through trail and error.
Once you have completed the tutorial mode you are ready to embark on the challenge mode. If grinding through a single player experience is not your bag, Ferrari Challenge also offers a few other modes such as quick race, arcade, and time trial modes. Overall, it is ‘slim-pickings’ however many unnamed racers tend to go overboard with the options. Ferrari Challenge in my view is perfect in terms of the options and modes available.
As you would guess it, I spent the majority of my time in Challenge mode. Here you race through the Ferrari Challenge championship series. The only difference here compared to your typical racer is that the races are based on time rather than laps. Each race runs approximately 15 to 20 minutes which can be a grind if you jump out to an early lead, which I did on several occasions. I would have preferred shorter races to keep my attention span and just mix it up a bit. But sadly, right from the get-go the races simply run too long.
Challenge mode is split into three territories and attempts to mirror real life tracks in North America, Italy, and Europe. Each territory features races split into seven separate race weekends. Your typical weekend consists of a qualifying session and two races. With assists on, I had no problems winning the majority of my races. I was pushed a bit as the season progressed however at the end of the day I won handily. However, once I turned the assists off and it was a ‘gong show’. It was a humbling experience as I non-effective without the assist line and I was driving all over the road. Unless you are a hardcore simulation racer I recommend gradually removing the assists so you are not so shell-shocked like I was.
My overall experience to date with the online portion of Ferrari Challenge has been quite positive. I found the online races seamless and there was pretty much no lag. I was amazed how smooth it was to race other racers over the PLAYSTATION Network while the game maintained a smooth framerate. With 16 players online the races are a riot albeit with a lot of banging and crashing going on. My only concern with the online portion is that there does not appear to be many people online with the game. Perhaps over time as popularity grows the online play will catch on and be a hit with gamers.
Conclusion
If you are looking for the next great next-generation racer then Ferrari Challenge: Trofeo Pirelli is not quite it. That being said, the game does feature some solid visuals, good sound and enjoyable gameplay. There is no question that Ferrari Challenge remains one the better PS3 simulation racers available. Bottomline, it is a solid purchase for those with a hunger for a new quality sim-racer now that GT5 has been out for awhile on Sony’s monster console.
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