F1: Formula One Championship Edition

Customer Ratings:
List Price: $59.99
Sale Price: $39.75
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Unlike other reviewers, I'm going to base my rating on what the game offers, not what could have offered.

Positives:

1 The game offers a bunch of driving aids for n00bs.

2 The graphics are fantastic even though the output is only 720p you will be amazed when the rain starts to pour down.

3 The tracks and the environment around them are perfectly detailed.

4 The presentation is 99% TVlike. Including displays, commentary, camera angles, etc.

5 You can set up the car just the way you want. You can change more than 15 aspects, including the basics (tires, wing, brakes) and advanced (camber, gear ratio, brake bias).

6 The online mode is really entertaining. There are a bunch of options that allow you to enjoy the race without getting bothered by n00bs or a-holes.

7 You can earn rewards like tracks and cars by playing the different game modes (career, single race, time trial, etc).

The only negative thing I could find is the difficulty mode. Easy mode is too easy, and medium feels almost impossible, forget about difficult, you'll never see the cars infront of you again. And also, when racing in the dark, either dusk/dawn, the track is almost impossible to see, even in hd. You'll have to guess your way around the track for the career mode tests.

Of course as an avid f1 fan I would have liked to see more things included in the game, the pace car, corner workers, marshalls, etc. But that will not stop you from having a heck of a time with this game.

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The game was released incompleted, packaged just with the basic funcionality for F1 game. SOME flaws:

1) No replays, unless during the race, we can't get a save not even for one lap.

2) No Pace Car and poor managing the accidents events.

3) Pit stops are dummy, we need to press the 4 controler buttons, when it should be done for itself.

4) No race delegates with flags anywhere, not even crossing the line for chess flag, nobody waving a flag there, just a symbol in top of screen, very poor.

5) Running outside the track and eating the sand or grass don't bring much trouble to car speed or performance.

6) Chase right in back of another car don't shows very good air tunnel effect.

7) Multiplayer: US version DON'T allow on-line play with EURO version and vice-versa !?!?

8) Crashed cars (our ours) disapear from track moments after accident or other event that not allows to proceed in race. Big flaw. If we see one accident, in next lap the track is completely CLEAN, not a clue if any accident happen there. (I raced one lap where I saw one car engine blowing in front of me and when I turn I saw it disapear and I got up one position in race, not realistic at all.

9) I tested Logitech Wheel (Driving Force Pro) with it, no Force Feedback at all.

...and many others flaws, not to forget its based on 2006 championship, not allowing us to update/customize drivers or team names.

...BUT, the game is the best F1 game ever, provides lots of fun and is addictive, mainly because PS3 power provides it, visualy and speed almost make us forget the flaws. This game need to return to dev time and should came a new version as UPGRADE for F1 owners, as its really incomplete.

My 4 starts goes mainly for the addictive fun we can get from it. Gameplay = good but imperfect, Simulation = far form reality.

We can just hope the 2007 version with all the flaws fixed and some extra bonus for all people who got this dated 2006 version.

Buy F1: Formula One Championship Edition Now

I am addicted, plain and simple. I am a big NASCAR fan. I don't follow Formula 1 on TV, but when I saw the demos for this game and the graphics of those demos, I was hyped to give this a try. I was not disappointed. The look of this game is AWESOME, the physics of the game are AWESOME, the adaptability and varying modes for this game are FREAKIN AWESOME !! There are so many options that make this game appealing to hardcore racing sim lovers and newbies alike !! I am so used to EA's cheesy NASCAR games where cars flip 4 times and recover with no damage and finish the race. This may sound weird, but having experienced that, I was thrilled when I braked late in this game and destroyed the front of my car. BAM and I am out of the race, the way it oughta be !! Now, that may frustrate me later, but right now, the realism is exciting.

Another cool point...I was driving and made a turn going down a straightaway and I suddenly found myself mad at the game because I couldn't see hardly where I was going because the sun was in my eyes...but then I thought....holy cow, the SUN IS IN MY EYES !! Like it would be in a real driver's eyes !! Talk about realistic !!

The speed in this game is also very realistic, you actually FEEL just how fast you are supposed to be going. The sounds and environment are great also.

Bottom Line: This is one of the games to use to show off your new PS3 !! We had to wait a bit for this game, but it was worht it. If you are a fan of racing games at all, then stop reading, grab the wallet and head to the game store to get F1 Championship Edition !!

Read Best Reviews of F1: Formula One Championship Edition Here

After a long wait, F1 is finally back to the US in the best format available: PS3. A lot has been sad of graphics and sound, but when it comes to recreate a sport that is son technical, Sony has done an outstanding job. By now, it is obvious that this is no arcade game. I've tried several F1 games in the past, but none capture the essence of the sport, specially when EA sports was in charge of licensing. Car setup is very detailed. I haven't seen this amount of options available since the PC game Gran Prix II from Micropose, back in 1992. Starting from the downforce all the way down to manage individual gear ratios, this game takes the simulation to a next level.

Unlocking classic race cars from the past was my favorite feature. Driving a Lotus and just enjoying the sound of those V8 engines is simply priceless. Great detail too!

Minor details could be improved, such as more commentaries from the pits and commentators, a better celebration at the end, or a more interactive pit stop. None of these however, will change the fact that the game rocks.

One thing that could improve though, is the multiplayer options. There is no mic option available, and the interface is a bit confusing. Trying to get realistic is a challenge, for example, if somebody ignores a pit stop and rans out of gas, he will just be re spawned in the track with more gas. The lenght should be bigger, I know there are several fans dying to try a full scale race, with the actual qualifying session. For what the games costs nowadays, multiplayer support should be something to keep in mind. Anyway, this games is 99% solo game, career mode is quite a challenge. Simply the best F1 simulator out there.

PROS

Sweet Graphics

Great Sound

Incredible attention to detail

Very technical

Addictive multiplayer

CONS

Multiplayer rules and interface could improve

No voice chat option

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Just wanted to make sure that people are aware that the only way to play this game with other people is to play them online or through a "lan." There is no way for two people to play if they are in the same room with each other and you have one console with two controllers.

Seems weird for a game to discourage playing with people with whom you might have a genuine relationship and to encourage playing with people who you are less likely to know. Actually, seems kind of stupid. Just an FYI.