GTSurgeons.com presents yet another GTPlanet.net EXCLUSIVE
FERRARI CHALLENGE TROFEO PIRELLI HANDS-ON PRE-REVIEW
First to explain why "pre-review". The game disc I've got yesterday is preview disc, with plethora of features and all details that I expect to be in the final game. But, since it's not a review-code (AKA "gold") please take into concern that some observations I've made could be result of preview-code.
So, let's start.
As you all probably know, Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli is game developed by Eutechnycs, small but very talented studio that was responsible for one of the most interesting PSone racers ever - one and only "original" "24 Hours LeMans" game. After that game, they've almost disappeared for the scene, making only some games that never actually got too much attention. I've been looking forward to FC:TP mainly because of those guys and their talent. Luckily, the result is somewhat au-pair with my expectations.
This preview feels like a almost-finished game - with all features and gameplay elements that will come in retail on 20th June. However, there are some things that I would like to see enhanced a bit, and I hope that both Eutechnyx and System 3 will deliver in the final game.
TECHNICAL ASPECTS
FC:TP graphics are somewhere near those presented in Race Driver: GRID demo, but I have to be honest and admit that GRID does the job better. It looks to me that game is doing some serious upscaling, but I can't confirm that, since I do not have any equipment I could measure it. EDITED: I've found out that game actually runs in 1080p, so incostinency is probably a side-effect of the downscale to my screen resoolution. Framerate is solid 30fps, no surprises there. Notice that both resolution and framerate becomes non-important once you go racing, and I somehow understand that sheer perfection of Gran Turismo's graphics will never be reached by any developer during this generation.
Sound is nice, Ferrari F430 sounds gruesome, but I didn't like the collision noise. I like the overall mechanical noise the car is producing while driving - from gearbox, suspension to tires. However, I have to make a comparation with GRID again and say that GRID does the job slightly better in sound department. Music is nice, and overall the sound is very OK.
GAMEPLAY
I really like the gameplay structure of the game. Like in the original F355 Challenge game (AM2 studio for SEGA, 1998) FC:TP comes with many different venues that can keep you attached to the racing set for some time in single player. There are 3 "big" championship-venues (Italy, Europe, America) for official Challenge cup-races, classic Arcade mode (with 4 groups of races - amateur, intermediate, professional and expert) to be raced in consecutive order for progression, there are Trophy races (for other Ferrari cars than F430), Time-Trial events (works only with online connection) and Tutorial race (with Tiff Needel). Every of that venues comes with different set of Accomplishments further divided in classes (for instance: "Reach the F430 top-speed") that unlocks "Ferrari Playing Cards". Those cars can later be used for "Card Battle" games against game or online living opponent. I find those cars a nice feature, since it reminds me on childhood years when I was a young car-enthusiast, and those cards were very rare in my country - you could get them only in Italy or Austria.
By winning in Championship, Arcade or Trophy you're receiving Credits - that allows you to buy new cars, once they've been unlocked. Game does not show you what car will be unlocked or when. So far, I've only managed to unlock F355 Berlinetta, and race it in its own Trophy race, in field of 15 F355 Berlinetta's. But, I really like the overall feeling, since it instantly reminded me on Yu Suzuki's masterpiece.
Notice you get more credits for turing off the driving-aids and staying in the lead of the race.
I also liked the fact that Challenge races are done as in real life. Every venue consists of 2 races. After you qualify for the venue, you start from the achieved position, but if you finish 1st, you start 2nd race from the pole position. Race length can be adjusted prior the start of the championship - you can choose to race 5, 15, 30 or 45 minutes, with race lasting around 2 laps extra after the countdown has finished.
Game says there are total of 22 Ferrari cars to be unlocked and raced in Trophy races, and I can confirm the mentioning of 250GT and FXX. However, I still didn't even scratched the surface of the game, since I've played it only for 3 hours yesterday.
There is multiplayer, in both LAN and online. Didn't manage to find anybody on online, but notice it's developer-only-online at this point, so it's not a surprise that nobody was there around midnight. Will try again today.
You can find various host-online options on pics below, and I'm eager to find about the in-game voice chat that was confirmed few days ago.
You can create your Team, you can give it name (character limited), nationality (no Croatia - Eutechnyx, I demand an update
) and apply Team Livery you've created in Livery editor for online races. Very nice touches indeed, great attention to detail there.
DRIVING MODEL & Co.
Besides GRID being better in technical aspects, Ferrari Challenge is a much better driving simulation. Although it doesn't come close to GT5
, I find the driving model demanding and challenging - and I really liked the overall feel.
It almost fell like F355 Challenge, but it's not that good to be honest. Maybe I love original F355 to much, but some further tweaking could seriously improve the handling towards Yu Suzuki's spot-on perfect model. I'd say it's somewhere between Forza 2 and original F355 game - somewhere in the realms of first GTR game probably. Which is good at the end I guess
Game instantly recognized my G25 wheel, and clutch seems to be supported, but I managed to shift gears in H-Shift without use of clutch. I guess the final game will come with full clutch-support. However, both steering and pedals are very precise and force feedback does it job spot-on. What I really liked is the feel of braking - the cars goes to serious understeer when braking, followed by great oversteer if you turn-in too-fast. I drove without any assists and I really see strong potential in the FC:TP driving model, especially for online racing. I didn't bother to drive with controller, so no expertise in that area. As I mentioned before, FC:TP blows-away GRID in terms of driving, and I really loved that. Codemasters, learn something from Eutechnyx
But, both Eutechnyx and Codemasters should learn that auto-centering of the wheel after restarting/quitting a race should be mandatory in code, because there are situations when you're not aware that wheel is not centered - and that leads in compromising the race start. That could be very serious issue in online racing and I find that should be fixed ASAP.
COCKPIT-VIEW, REPLAY & OTHER DETAILS
I drove only form cockpit view, and it's nice feeling. Personally, I'd like to be able to adjust the seating position, but whatever. Animation of driver hands are not as slick as in GRID, while GT5
is out of comparation. I'd like to see some improvements in that area, because animations looks too "digital". Overall, cockpit view looks exactly the same as on all old screenshots we've seen around here, and I seriously hope that final game will improve in that area. Notice that F430 comes with sequential gearbox so hands are on wheel, while F355 Berlinetta has manual gearbox and right hand shifts. "Digitaly" fast, but shifts
However, sensation of speed form cockpit is au-pair with original F355 Challenge game, and that is the single most important achievement for FC:TP - great job there. Other views are just not important, while driving from the hood is just not an option in my book.
Replay options are very limited - there is no way to change the camera and replay tracks only your car. Replay can't be saved. I hope that final game will offer some improvements. However, kudos for camera angles and use of aperture - replays have a nice TV-style looks.
Menus are very slick. Livery Editor is a blatant Forza 2 rip-off, and I guess we can expect some serious internet-debates on both Forza forums, Forzacentral and NeoGaf especially around that matter
But it works flawlessly, while I didn't waste much time to mess around with it.
But loading times are long, especially after we've been spoiled with GT's speed. There is no option to install the game on HDD and I don't know will the final code offer such an option.
I could go even further in other details, but I guess I'll wait for the final review code. In closing words I can say there are some areas that could use further development time, but maybe the final game has gone some serious improvements above this preview code.
What is important is that Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli is a good driving and racing game, that can be called simulation, and I see a great potential in online racing with other people around the world. I love what Eutechnyx did in total, especially when I take into account that this game is almost an "indie-game" in today world of gaming development.
You've noticed I did many comparations with Race Driver: Grid, and it was intentional. I did it because I had high expectations from Codemasters, which were not met by what I saw in GRID demo. On the other side, Ferrari Challenge met many of my expectations, which made me very satisfied - even further when it comes from the game I was very conservative about.
For me, this game could offer a great time to spend, and I hope that will be the case. Notice I'll do some driving in days to come, and I will make additional updates of this pre-review.
Below you can find some pics, they were taken by mobile-phone camera, so sorry for bad quality. Od course, ask anything and I'll try to answer.
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