Formula One 2003

Published by Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
Developed by Studio Liverpool
Platform: PlayStation 2
Released - Out Now
Price : £39.99

Usually we have a wave of Formula One titles throughout the race season. This year however it's all a little different as Formula One 2003 is the only officially licensed simulation, so you won't be seeing an official F1 game (with 2003 data) on any other platform which is real plus for Sony and their PlayStation 2. Of course with this being the only game based on the Formula One 2003 season it had better be a good one so let's take a look at it.

In terms of content Formula One 2003 is very similar to last year's game. For the single-player game you have the choice of an arcade race, arcade season, custom race (which allows you to pick a race on any circuit, with the desired amount of laps, without having to qualify), race weekend, world championship and time attack. There are also various two-player games such as head 2 head and hotseat races. There is, as there was last year, a spectator mode where you sit back and watch a race. I can't see the point of it myself but some gamers obviously thought it was a worthwhile feature otherwise it wouldn't have remained. A variety of driving assists are available should you wish to use them. The AI drivers can be set to easy, normal or hard. Races can either be one third, two thirds or full distance if you really like the full simulation experience.

Last year we thought the handling with the 2002 version was a bit twitchy. This time though Studio Liverpool have got it spot on and it feels just right with the Dualshock 2 controller. I found that my lap times were very similar to what I would achieve on a PC Formula One racing simulation which is impressive. I do have one concern with the controls though. You use X to accelerate (you can use the right analogue stick for acceleration and braking if you wish but I find it awkward) and you need to press the button right down to attain full speed. Over the course of a long race this caused me some discomfort. Other than that though I was very pleased with how the cars handled.

Visually Formula One 2003 looks marginally better than last years game. The simulation moves along at a blistering pace even in the wet weather races. I did notice a few glitches, particularly with the mirrors at the start of a race but otherwise everything was fine. The cars are all present and correct in their 2003 liveries too which will please the enthusiasts and let's face it, it's the main reason Formula One fans buy new versions of the game. This year a dynamic cockpit camera is available. In effect this means that the movement of the driver's head during a race has been emulated in an attempt to make it feel more realistic. You can disable this though, and choose a static cockpit camera if you wish.

Formula One 2003 is OK for deaf gamers. The only verbal information is the comments you receive from your pit crew and this isn't subtitled. This isn't really a problem though. Direction symbols appear onscreen to show you which way you have to turn. These are colour coded and range from green (a subtle turning) to red (a turning that must be taken with extreme caution). The HUD displays information that you require during a race.

Formula One fans will be pleased with what Formula One 2003 has to offer and it is an improvement on last years version. All the new rules and regulations are in place too to give you an authentic experience. Personally I would have liked to have seen tutorials included to help break in novice drivers and it would have been great if you were allowed to meddle with the cars setup. Overall though this is probably the best Formula One experience you can buy on the PlayStation 2.

Overall Game Rating: 8.5/10
A nice improvement on Formula One 2002. The handling in particular now feels just right.

Deaf Gamers comment:
The pit crew comments are unsubtitled but otherwise Formula One 2003 is fine for deaf gamers.