Game Card
Ferrari Challenge (PS3)
- Publisher:
- Play It
- Developer:
- System 3
- US Release:
- 14.03.2008
- EU Release:
- n/a
- Number of players:
- n/a
- Type:
- Car
- Reality Factor:
- Realistic
- Extra:
- Racing
- Age:
- Modern Times
Review
We play Ferrari Challenge...
System 3 has created a fine game in Ferrari Challenge though unfortunately one let down by the initial lack of a decent online service and some very rigid, insipid AI.
The presentation is the first thing that grabs you; the game is one of those rare titles that actually runs in 1080p and looks stunning. The frame rate however is only at 30fps in order to maintain resolution and the races can feel sluggish at times. However, the cars themselves look awesome. Any racing enthusiast - especially - Ferrari ones should have bought this game by now as driving one of these babies must be like a virtual dream come true. Each car feels different, handles different, has plusses and minuses and yes, you can tweak it all to your hearts content.
What did initially impress me about the game was that you didn't need a PhD in mechanics in order to just sit down and race. More importantly, race and win. In fact, the inclusion of the virtual garage seems to be an odd one as all of the races are indeed winnable without changing a thing. Various Ferrari's are awarded to you as you progress from one challenge to the other and they are more than adequate to see you through most races.
The above paragraph might annoy the motor heads out there as they would say it's all about performance and lap times and of course they would be right. However, Ferrari Challenge doesn't exactly live up to its namesake in this regard, ergo; it doesn't really present you with a challenge. I found that after I'd gotten to grips with the first two to three laps, I started to leave the AI behind: way, way behind. So much so in fact that I began to lap the other cars. Racing on my own for the best part of a nine lap race isn't my idea of fun. In short, the AI just doesn't seem to care where you are. The other cars simply stick to the racing line and some pre-set speed and that's it. Shame.
Again, this will bring some of you to ask the question if the racing lines are on or not. I'll freely admit they were. As racing without them just becomes too difficult. Which really does highlight the fundamental problem with Ferrari Challenge, there is no middle ground. It's goes from either far too easy and not much fun, to extremely challenging, loads of tweaking - which entails an enormous amount of trial and error for those of us who don't have the aforementioned PhD - and thereby back to not being too much fun again.
Which brings to yet another negative: the online "experience". This is what most of us buy racing games for. Sitting down on the sofa with a group of mates doing same thing on their houses on their couches, creating races, arguing, bumping into each other and generally having a good time. Not so with Ferrari Challenge. The online part of the game was broken that getting a game was nigh on impossible, making me wonder how on earth the game was released with such glaring technical - albeit restricted to network - issues. Fair play to System 3 however, they have made an appeal to the fans, asked for patience, and assured us all that a patch is on the way. Fair enough, but too little too late in terms of a favourable review, I'm afraid.
To surmise, Ferrari Challenge is an excellent fan-service. Everything is there for Ferrari fans, the cars, the presentation, even the inclusion of a seemingly arbitrary Top Trumps game where you play against AI and do your best to win them all, betting on price, age (year of issue), top speed etc. The sound is also impressive with realistic engine noises all sounding like you're in the vehicle when played at Dolby Digital 5.1. In fact, most Ferrari fans would have already bought this game so these comments will fall on "deaf ears", so to speak.
For the rest of us however, we've got a game that is so detailed it's off-putting, and if you do choose to ignore the mechanics and race anyway, it becomes far too easy. However, if you're trying to convince a friend to buy a PlayStation 3, demoing this game will most likely make them a convert. System 3 have made a decent little title, hampered only by its own aspirations: sometimes balance is a hard one to get right and sadly the team were a little off with this one.
Top Gaming Moment: Finally getting a decent multiplayer match
The presentation is the first thing that grabs you; the game is one of those rare titles that actually runs in 1080p and looks stunning. The frame rate however is only at 30fps in order to maintain resolution and the races can feel sluggish at times. However, the cars themselves look awesome. Any racing enthusiast - especially - Ferrari ones should have bought this game by now as driving one of these babies must be like a virtual dream come true. Each car feels different, handles different, has plusses and minuses and yes, you can tweak it all to your hearts content.
 |
 |
|
| The game looks better than this when you play it, believe it or not. | At 30fps, the game sometimes feels slower than it looks. |
What did initially impress me about the game was that you didn't need a PhD in mechanics in order to just sit down and race. More importantly, race and win. In fact, the inclusion of the virtual garage seems to be an odd one as all of the races are indeed winnable without changing a thing. Various Ferrari's are awarded to you as you progress from one challenge to the other and they are more than adequate to see you through most races.
The above paragraph might annoy the motor heads out there as they would say it's all about performance and lap times and of course they would be right. However, Ferrari Challenge doesn't exactly live up to its namesake in this regard, ergo; it doesn't really present you with a challenge. I found that after I'd gotten to grips with the first two to three laps, I started to leave the AI behind: way, way behind. So much so in fact that I began to lap the other cars. Racing on my own for the best part of a nine lap race isn't my idea of fun. In short, the AI just doesn't seem to care where you are. The other cars simply stick to the racing line and some pre-set speed and that's it. Shame.
Again, this will bring some of you to ask the question if the racing lines are on or not. I'll freely admit they were. As racing without them just becomes too difficult. Which really does highlight the fundamental problem with Ferrari Challenge, there is no middle ground. It's goes from either far too easy and not much fun, to extremely challenging, loads of tweaking - which entails an enormous amount of trial and error for those of us who don't have the aforementioned PhD - and thereby back to not being too much fun again.
Which brings to yet another negative: the online "experience". This is what most of us buy racing games for. Sitting down on the sofa with a group of mates doing same thing on their houses on their couches, creating races, arguing, bumping into each other and generally having a good time. Not so with Ferrari Challenge. The online part of the game was broken that getting a game was nigh on impossible, making me wonder how on earth the game was released with such glaring technical - albeit restricted to network - issues. Fair play to System 3 however, they have made an appeal to the fans, asked for patience, and assured us all that a patch is on the way. Fair enough, but too little too late in terms of a favourable review, I'm afraid.
 |
 |
|
| There are so many cars to choose from. | You can add your own decals and colours to your lovely new Ferrari. |
To surmise, Ferrari Challenge is an excellent fan-service. Everything is there for Ferrari fans, the cars, the presentation, even the inclusion of a seemingly arbitrary Top Trumps game where you play against AI and do your best to win them all, betting on price, age (year of issue), top speed etc. The sound is also impressive with realistic engine noises all sounding like you're in the vehicle when played at Dolby Digital 5.1. In fact, most Ferrari fans would have already bought this game so these comments will fall on "deaf ears", so to speak.
For the rest of us however, we've got a game that is so detailed it's off-putting, and if you do choose to ignore the mechanics and race anyway, it becomes far too easy. However, if you're trying to convince a friend to buy a PlayStation 3, demoing this game will most likely make them a convert. System 3 have made a decent little title, hampered only by its own aspirations: sometimes balance is a hard one to get right and sadly the team were a little off with this one.
Top Gaming Moment: Finally getting a decent multiplayer match
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Exclusive Race to Win Trailer
Posted 04.07.08
Length 01:10 Views 482
User Comments
By RS (I just got here) on Sep 22, 2008
