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Monaco Grand Prix 2 Review
Noel Brady
00/12/0000
Can an F1 game without the real drivers and courses still be up to much, find out...
Ubisoft certainly know how to make the most out of a license, that's for sure. It looks like we'll never hear the end of this game. It's been released on the PC, Playstation and now Dreamcast (Looks like Nintendo fans miss out again). All three versions have the same basic elements, but they don't look the same, or indeed, have the same standards of playability.
Proudly displaying the Automobile Club de Monaco's approval, Ubisoft's simulation lacks the tracks and genuine drivers of the real sport. It's not as bad as it sounds though, because the tracks are virtually identical to the circuits used in the 1998 season. Drivers by any other name would drive as sweetly, and you can always use the editor to change Damon Hughes and Mikkel Shoemaker to something a little more familiar.
One track that is identical is the gorgeous Monaco, hence the title, and this is always a good way to test the graphical capabilities of a Grand Prix game. Sure enough, Monaco GP passes our stringent 'pretty test', and best of all the frame rate keeps up, even when you're zipping through the famous tunnel, with yachts getting a free view to your left.
If you're looking for an arcade game then this probably isn't the way to stare, or even peek, as Monaco GP is a pure simulation of the sport, like the title says. There is an arcade mode but even it doesn't let you away with cheating in the slightest part. While you car may be a little easier to control in this mode, the game still expects you to reach milestones before the viciously low timer hits 0.
Once you've got the hang of the control system, it's inevitable that you'll be drawn to the Championship mode (possibly stopping off for a quick single race, or even your own customised competition). There's a host of options to use and abuse as you see fit, some of which mean that you can't help but think that Monaco GP is slightly influenced by the FIA. Driving is made slightly easier if you elect to work with the game's anti-skid, anti-spin and ABS options, for example. These are slight misnomers, however, as they really ought to be known as skid-, spin- and lock-resistant- your first hour on this game will be beset with major crash incidences.
You can also elect to have random failures on your car, everything from the minor problem of a broken radio, to the slightly more bad brake, gearbox and other turkey problems. Other options will have you introducing real personalities to the various drivers is that they behave exactly as the people with similar sounding in Formula One do. As such, Arrows, or whatever they are called in the game, will always find themselves at the back of the grid.
Weather effects are possible too, from the sunny day that would have your tyres clinging to the road like an over-affectionate child, through the average cloudy day, to the slip-sliding experience during rain. For the extra outlook, I suggest you request a random outlook. Races can last a percentage of the total race distance, while you can select for little touches to be included- false starts, free practice and qualifying within 107 percent of the time of the pole position driver, and on.only having one replacement car for the whole weekend.
Getting the fastest lap times on each of the circuits requires careful adjustments to your car during testing. Monaco GP handles the engineer's heaven comprehensively, from the basics such as altering downforce, selecting linear or non-linear steering, shifting brake balance from front to back, setting gear ratios, and even deciding on fuel load and race strategy. It can get even more physical if you're prepared to experiment with dampers, ride height, wheel camber, bump stops, springs and maximum engine revs. All a little too Ross Braun if you ask me.
And then the race. Well, don't go thinking that you're going to make it to the podium on your first go. Frankly, you probably won't make it round the track on your first go, and if you do the only thing you're likely to be doing is bring up the rear. You're placed at the front of the grid each time you race, and just for a couple of minutes it's possible to remain in pole position. That is until someone clips your back tyre slightly and through none of your own fault you end up spinning wildly off the track. Then, of course, the other 21 drivers go spinning past and you're left at the back once again. This a tough game that takes a lot of time to perfect. It's hard-core but then this is what some people want. When some games offer a weekend's enjoyment for 40 quid, it's refreshing to think that your money is well spent on a game that will take months to master.
The one thing I can't fault, though, is the improvement in the graphics. This game really fell down on it's lack of interesting backgrounds on other formats. They may be ropey but at least the looks of the game are interesting with planes whizzing over the skyline and urban cities resting in the background. In fact, the new landscapes at the back of the track have been made three times bigger and even more detailed than the successful Japanese version. Other differences to the Japanese mode include checkpoints being added to the races, and some new cheesy music tracks.
Racing Simulation: Monaco Grand Prix is no great racing game. Chances are that two months from now it will be remebered as little more than another racing game. It's not for casual gamers, that's for sure. But for the F1 pursit, it provides the nearest simulation to the lightning fast sport that you can get. That said, I'd wait to see what Video Sceinces can do with F1 World Championship before buying this. Definitely one to try before you buy.
