Monaco Grand Prix 2

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Review: Monaco Grand Prix 2

This UBI Soft release is aimed squarely at serious Formula 1 racing fans. It does have an easy mode of play that is arcade-like, with the car automatically braking and accelerating as appropriate, leaving the player to simply steer. But while that's fun, most fans will opt for a greater level of challenge. Indeed, at the highest difficulty setting with all the driving aids turned off, the game is devilishly hard. Throw in rain, and you have quite an experience ahead of you.

You can pick one of 17 racing circuits from around the world and play in Easy or Realistic Mode. Realistic mode is broken into three categories: Amateur (with less- challenging drivers to compete against and more driving-aid options available), Pro (with tougher opponents and fewer aids), and Expert.

Or you can play in Championship and Career Mode. Championship mode lets you race for a full season, competing on all 17 tracks and gaining points based on how well you do in each race. The goal is to become the world champion driver. (Career Mode is similar, but the player is restricted to the cars he is given en route. The goal in this case is to perform well enough to be offered a contract with a racing team.)

Graphically, the game is top-notch. Very little pop-up occurs, the cars and tracks look good, and the stands are full of fans ready to cheer you on. The graphics make you feel like you're travelling fast, too, which is always important in a racing game.

Not only does the game do a good job of modeling Formula 1 racing, with realistic over- and understeering, braking, and acceleration, but it also allows you to fiddle with many of the realism options. You can adjust gearbox ratios, steering ratios, and more.

On the pothole side, a steering wheel doesn't appear in the onscreen cockpit. For the less-than-deadly-serious fan, the game might be a bit difficult on the harder settings. The crashes are unrealistic. You can hit a wall at 150 mph and keep on going without any noticeable effect. (More damage will knock you out, but the game is forgiving of the first crash or two.)

The drivers are fictional (although you can edit in real names if you want). And while multiplayer is supported, the server UBI Soft has set up to host games just doesn't have many people using it. Unless you have a game lined up in advance, it's hard to find opponents.

However, my biggest complaint is with the announcer. This odd fellow apparently sleeps through most of the race, wakes up periodically to shout something at the player in a voice much louder than anything else in the game, and then dozes off again.

Nevertheless, Monaco Grand Prix Racing 2 is a superior racing experience that really captures the feel of being in a Formula 1 car. In fact, after playing it extensively, I think it has prepared me for that ultimate driving challenge--driving the kiddie carpool to summer camp.

It's that good.-- Mark Asher / GamePro