Description
Put your driving skills to the test in the first game to
feature the new 2002 Formula One season - for the first time, vie for the
coveted Formula One driver ’s title as the real season unfolds. The world’s
best drivers pilot the world’s sexiest racing machines, with the high-tech,
high-intensity panache that could only come from EA SPORTS.
Review
The developers at EA Sports turn their attention to Formula
1 for the first time on the GameCube, and with F1 2002 they have once more
produced an accessible, enjoyable, and challenging game--one that still
needs a little work but has much to offer.
As ever with EA Sports, the game is thoroughly buffed up
with official team names, tracks, drivers, and the like, accompanied by
their usual high standards of presentation. Frankly, it's hard not to feel
sucked in from the minute the game boots up. The gentle learning curve
allows you to opt for shorter, easier races before ultimately making your
way to a full Formula 1 season, where you'll need to brace yourself for the
incredible challenge posed by the computer-controlled opposition. Each race
offers warm-up, qualifying, and pit decisions, and you can choose between a
simulation or a more arcade-esque game.
It's not too easy to get to grips with at first, but once
you're on track F1 2002 feels right, and it does give you the sense that
you're in the middle of a full-fledged Grand Prix. Getting the most out of
F1 2002 requires patience and practice, though, and if you aren't willing to
apply both, then a more arcade-y racing game such as Burnout should be
nearer the top of your list. Likewise, if you bought last year's not
dissimilar effort on the PS2, then you may be better off seeking an
alternative challenge. But if you're willing to put in the time, and you get
a kick out of racing games, then F1 2002 is well worth considering. --Simon
Brew
