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F1 2001

Score: 85%
ESRB: Everyone
Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: EA Games
Media: DVD/1
Players: 1 - 4
Genre: Racing

Graphics & Sound:

It's always fun to bust out a new game for a new system and see what kind of power is under the hood. It seems that F1 2001 has a ton of horsepower, and is ready to roll. It's absolutely amazing how realistic the graphics look. Car models will leave you in awe as you're racing down the seamless pavement, stadium seating screaming by. Add sparks and smoking tires to the mix and you have yourself a graphical powerhouse.

F1 also boasts the Dolby Digital logo, so you know that the audio is superb. Screeching tires and revving engines put you into the driver's seat and into the middle of a Formula One racetrack. So get ready for some intense action on the track. F1 2001 also features music tracks from Chicane.


Gameplay:

Everything in a Formula One race is in F1 2001. For starters, you can learn the controls while earning points in the Challenge Mode. After completing the Challenges, you can move on to one of a number of events. F1 includes a Quick Race, with little setup needed, or Grand Prix Seasons with many different options. Also included is a multi-player split-screen game with plenty of options on its own.

The Grand Prix is the meat and potatoes of F1 2001, including all of the drivers, tracks, and teams from the official World Championship. If you choose a Single Grand Prix, you will be able to race a full race weekend, including Practice, Qualifying, Warm Up, and the actual race. Choosing Full Championship treats you to 17 full Grand Prix weekends. To spice things up a bit, you can also enter a Team-Mate Challenge, where you must work your way through the ranks defeating all of your teammates before the season is up.

If you don't have time for the real deal, then you have the option to set up a Custom Championship, where you reign over the schedule of your season. Domination is the epitome of difficulty. In Domination, you must complete the entire Championship Season while winning every single race. If you're up for a real challenge, this is the mode for you!

For another F1 challenge, ask a few of your buddies to compete in some Multi-Player events. Events include the standard Split-Screen, as well as a Time Challenge. Also included is Tag Team, where players team up and actually take turns racing each lap, relying on each other for the win. Advantage Mode gives one player a bit of a head start, by a selectable number of seconds, over the second player. And finally, Last Man Standing makes you put the pedal to the metal, or you're out of the race. The slowest player after each lap is eliminated, so you'd better kick it in the tail.


Difficulty:

F1 2001 is actually not a very easy game. It will most likely take a lot of practice to become a seasoned veteran. You will certainly need to learn how to brake, corner, and accelerate properly, or you won't be victorious. This is where the Challenge Mode really helps you out. There you will learn to deal with everything from different cornering techniques to driving in different (and changing) weather conditions. Your driving opponents' AI is also very well done, so timing is sometimes key to making smooth and uninhibited passes on the track.

Game Mechanics:

F1 has many options, and the pre-race setup of your car is one of them... if you want. Without touching the controls, cars are actually set up very well, but if you want to tweak it up a little bit, you have the option. During races, you of course can hit the pits, and it is fully interactive. This means get in and get out! You can loose valuable time in the pits, and it may just cost you a win.

Fans of the series won't be disappointed with all of the features included in F1 2001. The action is fast-paced and accurate. F1 is a very nice first-generation title on the Xbox, and certainly worth a look whether you're into racing or not. With numerous options to choose from as well as multi-player capabilities, F1 2001's replay value is pretty high also.


-Woody, GameVortex Communications
AKA Shane Wodele

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Game Vortex :: PSIllustrated