FORMULA ONE '99: THE REVIEW

[Minardi fan]

Ok, I'll start the reviews off with my personal opinion on Formula One '99 on the Playstation. In the up and coming weeks look out for reviews of F1 '97, F1 World Grand Prix, Gran Turismo etc....

F1 '99
Playstation
£29.99
Psygnosis

Well, I was rather excited at the prospect of a decent new F1 game. After F1 '97, we had the terrible F1 '98 and the below-par Monaco Grand Prix. Then came F1 '99.
At first, I really liked this game. It has many good features.
The graphics are very impressive for a Playstation - the game belts along at a marvellous speed, the graphics are smooth, and the draw-distance is the best I have seen for some time in a racing game. There are also reflections on the cars, and some excellent shadow effects (check out Melbourne or Hockenheim for great examples of this).
Plus there are nice touches such as heat haze on the grid and a helicopter flying above the track.
On the downside, the other cars looks seriously under-detailed, with very little detail on them. Yours has quite a bit, but nowhere near as much as the sponsor bedecked cars of F1 '97 or F1 WGP.
The sounds in this game are generally poor though - the cars whine along at a frighteningly high pitch, and your engine just doesn't sound right.
Now for the gameplay. Unfortunately, this proves to be the start of F1 '99's downfall. The races just aren't realistic. The top four or five cars, always the McLarens, Ferraris and Jordans, are usually seperated by only tenths of a second, and Irvine nearly always wins the races. Very unrealistic. The cars dart about the track ridiculously, and seem to slow down at the most inappropriate moments, or suddenly veer into you damaging your car.
The car damage is another bad aspect - the AI cars cannot get damaged, from what I can tell, but you get damaged very easily.
Other problems include the general difficulty of the game on a higher level and the fact it is way to easy on a lower level. Also add to this the handling of the cars themselves, which is just too arcadey for my liking.
In F1 '99, I was hoping for the consummate F1 sim. I was sadly disappointed. Sure, the game has nice touches, such as cars going in and out of pit garages, and the helicopters flying above the track, but all this graphical niceness cannot hide the fact that F1 '99 eventually gets unenjoyable to play.
If you want an arcade F1 game, then go for this. If however you want an F1 sim which is update to date, go for F1 WGP. Even better, get F1 '97 - still the benchmark for F1 games.
A decent enough effort from Studio 33 and Psygnosis, but sadly it falls short of being the classic we hoped it would be.

Graphics: 8 Sound: 7 Gameplay: 7
Presentation: 9 Lifespan: 7

Overall, 7 out 10. (8 on a good day )



[This message has been edited by Minardi fan (edited 19 January 2000).]

[pablo]

Hey Minardi Fan,
Is F1 97 your fav or what?
I think the first F1 from BC was just as good it had replays. I put f1 and f1 97 on the same step on the podium. 1st Place

I'm starting to agree with you though about f1 99, the disappointment that is. I've noticed my car get beat to dog poo and the computer cars motor on as I go in the pits. I would just as soon see the cars on "rails" as to see them swerve and "take me out" and do damage to my car only. Oh well, maybe they will figure it out.

My next question.
Is F1 WGP really that good, I'm thinking about going and getting it again? But I don't want to waste 40 bucks.

Give me a little comparison between f1 99, f1, and f1 WGP. (If you got the time)

Thanks!

[Minardi fan]

Ok dokee....

First, if you don't have F1 '97 then you should go get it.

Second, the comparison between F1'99 and F1 WGP. Ok.

If you want an Arcade game, go for F1'99. If you want a Sim, go for F1 WGP. If you like your tracks to look lovely, go for F1'99. If you like your cars to look lovely, go for F1 WGP. Etc... etc...

At first glance, F1 WGP looks like a poor contender to F1'99. But in fact, the frame rate is good, the graphics for the cars are lovely, the replays are flipping marvellous, the cars handles PROPERLY, other cars get damaged, and it feels like a race.

If you want a serious representation of F1, go for F1 WGP. It isn't easy by any means, but it's a thoroughly more enjoyable (and yet stressful) experience than the disappointing F1'99.

[Ed-f1]

I haven't actually played a F1 game since F1'97 but here are some of my main complaints with F1'97. Have any of them been improved in the sequels?

1) Whatever Murray Walker is saying at the end of the race gets cut off as it takes you to the race results screen so you never get to here the end of it.

2) Talking of the race results screen why do they only show you the top 6 in the race and in the championship. I would like the results scren to be a bit more comprehensive.

3) "You're right there Murray!"

4) Qualifying. If you want to qualify the same way as they do in real life you actually have to sit there for the best part of an hour doing nothing. I think there should be a fast forward button or something so you can got to the end of the session and know what you're up against. If you do all 12 laps at the start and set a time good enough for pole then go to start race you end up starting from the back. (Or is that just because I'm **** ?)

5) The flags. Has anyone ever managed to complete a full race distance with flags on without being black flagged. Actually never mind a full race distance - Has anyone ever managed to complete 2 laps without being black flagged?

6) When Murray Walker says "there MUST be damage to the car", Martin Brundle should reply " Well actually Murray, there probably would be damage to the car if he hadn't turned damage off before the race began so he's actually driving an indestructible car." OK so I don't really expect them to change that one but it would be funny if they did.

OK Minardi fan (or anybody else) - quick quiz. What does Murray Walker say in F1'97 when a Minardi wins a grand prix. Yes, it can be done (I've done it).