Monaco Grand Prix 2 Review

First lets look at the presentation, as it is the first thing that you actualy see in the game. The intro is, quality wise, slightly disapointing. The MPEG visuals are good but the actual rendering looks cheap and tacky, like it was done on Atari ST or something, and the title screen is only a little better. The options however are pretty good and almost entirely in English (apart from the do not remove the VMS while it's saving message). The sound on the options screen however is pretty terrible, with only a constant murmuring in the background.

Next the game itself, which is the most important part afterall. Unlike SEGA rally or any other console driving game this is a true simulator with realistic handling (well, to an avid F1 fan it seems realistic, having not actualy driven one before I cant be 100% sure). For realistic handling in driving games you can ussualy read 'crap' and 'incredibly difficult' a la TOCA 2 on the playstation with ford fiestas spinning out after one wheel touches the grass at thirty MPH.

Monaco Grand Prix however handles this realism very well. The control is great after a while, with the DC's shoulder buttons providing analog acceleration and braking and the analog D-pad giving minute control. The handling however does take a little getting used to and after a while you realise that the analog accelerating is realy important. Holding the top right button about halfway in you can easily take most corners with a little braking. Braking first and then flooring it on the exit of the corner (Which, lets face it, is what we're all used to, I was even doing it myself on this for a while) does on some occasions work, but winning a race this way is almost imposible.

Going onto the grass or the rumble strips (technical name for those plastic looking stripey things) does affect your car realisticly, giving you a little slide from the side that touched it. Also Grass and chalk stick to your tyres affecting the handling of your car until they wear off (amazingly enough weaving from side to side a la the procession lap seems to make this process quicker, sick). The Simulation mode allows you to change almost everything about your car and is one of the most in-depth tuning options I've ever seen, and belive me I've seen a hell of a lot of racing games. (along with 3-D beat-em-up's racing games are my favourite genre, I've got about twenty different ones between my Saturn and my Playstation)

As well as this simulation mode there is an arcade mode which is basicallhe flashing return to normal colour once you exit the tunnel is even more un-bearable and a little migrane inducing. Luckily only a few tracks even have tunnels in them, two or three in the actual game and another tunnel in the retro track.

The game is incredibly difficult, which is more than a good thing, it's a great thing. On the thinly spread occasions when I do win a race I'm filled with a huge sense of achievement as I've had to battle all the way for it. Form the start of the first lap to the chequered flag it's action all the way with spin outs and crahses seriously hampering your chances of a victory but not writing them off. When I win I'm so chuffed that even the crappy three second waving a trophy in the air rendered shit that comes up seems good, cos I know I've earned it.

With all the tracks and a championship mode that is even more difficult than a single race MonacoGrand Prix will last the average player a long time, and You'll keep coming back to beat your best times for even longer. One major downer is the fact that the game is not officialy licensed by the FIA (I even know what that stands for, I love motor sports a little too much perhaps) but anyone one witha little knowledge of F1 and nothing better to do can change all the names of teams and drivers if they wish, no prizes for guessing who M. Schmidtke and J.Voullete are supposed to be.

Overall I think the gameplay is pretty awesome, with great graphics, half decent sound (apart from the comentary) and good lastability. I won't pretend the Sim style gameplay and high difficulty are for everyone, or that the game is better than SEGA Rally 2, but I do have to say that anyone wanting a good F1 game, a realistic driving sim, or who has got bored with SEGA Rally 2 would do well looking here. With this and SEGA Rally 2 out on DC I can hardly wait for Metropolis and the imminent release of Super Speed Racing, I just hope my local Import Shop actualy gets it in (NO ONE AT ALL in England watches or even knows about Indy cars now Nigel Mansell isn't in it, plus they have next to no promotion in Europe as they are outside the FIA). Conclusion? Great if you're an F1 or racing game nut, but even then only if you're 'hardcore'. Not for everyone but if it is for you, You'll just love it!

J-Sixx