Grand Prix 2
PC CD-ROM minimum system requirements:
486/66mhz; 8MB RAM
(16MB RAM if running under Windows
95); 15MB hard disk space;
DOS 5.0; Double speed
CD-ROM drive, VGA.
£32.99
IT'S mid season and Damon Hill currently holds the lead in the current drivers' championship - but who cares now that Grand Prix 2 has finally arrived. Instead of watching the action on TV you can now get fully involved yourself. No, not just taking a car out for a Sunday spin but becoming enveloped in the whole make up and strategy that is Formula One racing.
To get some idea of just how realistic Grand Prix 2 is, it is worth noting that this game's predecessor (Formula 1 One Grand Prix) was often used by drivers to familiarise themselves with the various different circuits. I'm sure it will be no different this time around either.
The improvements in Grand Prix 2 are not just cosmetic the car handling has been improved to such an extent that springs, dampers, down force, gear ratios, brake balance and ride height are fully adaptable and really do affect the way the car performs.
If you are serious about these kind of things you can check the performance of your car by using the Data Logger. This enables you to record information relative to the car and can be graphed and analysed so that, in an instant, you can see exactly where the car needs improvements.
That said, Grand Prix 2 is not all about number crunching. It still remains a racing game and for the rookie there is the chance to jump straight into the cockpit - without worrying about the car's set up - and start racing. Just like FIGP, Grand Prix 2 has a host of driver aids like automatic brakes, automatic gears, self correcting spin, indestructible and ideal racing line to help you along. FIGP veterans, on the other hand, will find no problems becoming acquainted with this revamped version as the controls are virtually the same.
And news addition is the inclusion of some of those unfortunate things that happen in the real world of motor racing. If you so wish, you can access the "car realism" menu whereby you can select a host of possible failures which may occur at any time during a race, such as suspension failures, loose wheels, punctures, transmission failures, oil and water leaks, throttle and brake problems or electrical malfunctions.
Another vital part of formula one motor racing nowadays is team strategy. Again, MicroProse's attention to detail shines through as they have included this vital cog in Grand Prix 2. As a result, the amount of fuel and how many pit stops one must make in a race become important factors. If you're looking for either a straightforward motor racing sim or one that goes into all the technicalities of the sport, look no further. There is simply no better car racing game/simulation around and even the spectacular crashes look frighteningly real.
Grand Prix 2 does have some drawbacks, however. First and foremost is the fact that if you want to run this game at its optimum, with all the fancy graphics, then nothing less than a Pentium 120 will suffice. The other sore point is the fact that all the drivers and teams are exactly as they were back in 1994. So Irvine is still in a Jordan and Schumacher has yet to experience the V10 power of Ferrari's prancing horse. In a game so near perfection, such oversights leave a bad taste in the mouth. But Grand Prix 2 is so good that we'll forgive them this time around. Exhilarating stuff~!
Graphics: 95%
Sound: 93%
Gameplay: 96%