F1 Career Challenge

It's really hard not to be cynical about the annual deluge of EA Sports updates. Games that are essentially the same as the previous year's with just a handful of new features and 'refinements' don't qualify as essential purchases in our rheumy, game-weary eyes.

So it's with salty tears of surprise that we greet EA's latest F1 offering. It's got new ideas, whole new game modes and could be the turning point for annual updates. Here's hoping, anyway.

CAREERING all over the track
What makes F1 CC different is the fact you can now race as one persona through four entire seasons, from the '99 season to '02. Starting as a rookie, it's up to you to fulfil your racing bosses' criteria and earn the respect of rival stables who might want you to race for them.

All the data from the four seasons is accurate - down to Schumacher snapping his leg and being out of the competition until 1999's Malaysian GP.

The EA Sports card reward system has been included: performing certain actions in the main game (like overtaking four cars cleanly) unlocks bonus points which you can use to upgrade your game. Also making a welcome return is the slipstreaming, though it's been improved to suck you into the catapult effect more subtly, and propel you forward more realistically than in 2002's game.

Essentially it's still F1 - that's the nature of an F1 game, dummy - but the depth of the Career mode will provide a whole new way to play.

CVG Staff