Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli
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Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli
An ode to Ferrari, nothing else.
Eutechnyx’s Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli is the first racing game to use the license of the legendary Italian car builder since Yu Suzuki’s Ferrari 355 Challenge was released on the Dreamcast back in 1999. And since I don’t have a Ferrari waiting for me in my garage, I was excited to play a new Ferrari game…and especially on my PS3. Was my experience fulfilling? To a certain point… but I did wish I had a real Ferrari to drive though. Here’s our review.
Gameplay
Ferrari Challenge screams Ferrari so if you are not a fan of prestigious car maker, then this game is not for you. From the menus to the interesting list of cars featured, the game is genuine and faithful to the brand on every level but not only that, the developers did the amazing job to recreate the feeling of responsibility to be in control of a Ferrari. Like Uncle Ben said: With great power comes great responsibility. The game is not your regular arcade racer like GRID but comes closer to Gran Turismo in terms of unforgiving driving mechanics and realism. Playing Ferrari Challenge feels like getting trying out for the right to drive these bad boys for five minutes and being evaluated by a die-hard Ferrari lover (Tiff Needel in this case). While the game captures the essence of the true nature of a Ferrari, the gameplay mechanics are just too unforgiving to be actually enjoyable at all times, unless you’re a huge fan of the car maker or a racing fan armed with patience and will.
The game does feature several single-player modes and a multiplayer mode (if only it would be easier to find more people online…) but something struck me, as I’m sure most of my fellow reviewers felt the same thing: the tutorial mode wanted to actually teach me how to drive and then put me to the test in the Challenge Mode, which are the best modes in the game. During the tutorial, you’ll be driving a Ferrari F450 with your buddy Tiff and your goal will be to unlearn what you learned on other racing games by smashing your previous driving game experience and learn the proper way to drive a car once more just like Lee Majors: you’ll be faster, stronger, wiser by getting comments and grades over your acceleration, turns and braking techniques. The game racing handling is as strict as a nun so arm yourself with patience, you have been warned. Once you survive the tutorial, you’ll be entering the Ferrari Challenge mode where three territories will be made available for you to beat with each having its own qualification processes and final races.
While these modes make Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli stand out as a racing game for purist, the other game modes feel kind of odd and unwelcome. Trophy mode sees you racing with Ferraris bought using credits from playing through the Challenge mode, the classic Quick races and Time Trials modes are also there and the Arcade mode, but who needs an Arcade mode in a game where you can’t go crazy with the cars without being punished in the process? But the sad part about all this is that whatever the mode you’ll be playing, it will always feel like the tutorial, and so little fun is felt. And while the game features an online mode, few people are actually playing the game and some stuff seen on other racing games like time trial ghosts and the ability to see the other players lap times are missing. So yes, the game offers a good amount of modes but it feels like the Tutorial and the Ferrari Challenge are the only modes the game actually really needed. A game featuring only two modes and a more complete online experience, you say? Maybe Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli would be the only one doing that in the gaming market and no one would really have a cow. But where I really do have a cow is on the A.I driving department…they’re too darn perfect. No mistakes are made by them and it’s quite hard to pass them if you’re not following the rules shown during the tutorial mode. You can’t just go in there with no training and expect to win, not even on easiest difficulty.
Graphics and Sounds
Since the game is a next-gen exclusive title on the Playstation 3, I was kind of hoping the game would look simply amazing. Unfortunately, the game isn’t as good looking as what we’ve been accustomed to see lately in Grand Turismo Prologue, GRID and Forza 2. Although car models and race tracks are well rendered, the whole visual experience on Ferrari Challenge left me wanting for more, much more. Framerate drops, graphic engine running on 30 frames per second, weather engine kind of clunky at times. If the game was ported from an Xbox 360 build, I would expect these kinds of problems because we all know that programming on the XB360 and porting it to the PS3 is not über-cool to do but since the game was developed with PS3 developer tools, it just doesn’t feel right. And while the Ferrari cockpit view details everything you would find on a Ferrari car (I was told that by a friend of mine while playing), this same view shows you how bad details outside aren’t good looking as everything feels compressed and pixelated. The inside of your car is so nice looking.
But you know what I hate the most? To play a racing game and not being able to see my cars get some damage. Okay, I can bet that Eutechnyx was told by Ferrari that they didn’t want to see their cars getting smashed like Dany Heatley’s Ferrari one night in Atlanta couple of years back (no hatin’) but I did felt like the damage engine would do more than a just few scratches.
As for audio, Ferrari Challenge delivers some great racing effects but a rather uninspired soundtrack. It is sure cool to hear the engines roaring, tires screeching, bumpers colliding all in a 5.1 surround set-up but I would have wished I could use that new Custom Soundtrack feature touted on the 2.0 update scheduled for this month but until then, I will have to deal with some unknown artists and some music I did not enjoy.
Value
Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli feels like a Ferrari diorama. Everything is presented with class, respect and little show-boating. There is no way any racing fan (especially the Ferrari lovers) should avoid this game or at least not giving it a shot but do not go in with high expectations. If you are more of a generalist racer as I am and looking to give more bang to you buck, then maybe investing on this Ferrari simulator will not be such a good idea but it sure deserves a good look.
Conclusion
Ferrari Challenge could have been the great Ferrari racing game, but sadly the difficulty level, the physics/graphics and of course the lack of cars variety has put my enjoyment in the glove compartment. This game would sure be played the heck out of it and loved by Ferrari fans but us, the non-Ferrari fanatic racing gamer that constantly looks for “the game” to satisfy our craving for the need of speed won’t find many reasons to stop playing GRID and even GT 5. Don’t get me wrong, it is not a bad game at all, but since I am not a Ferrari lover per say, I need more variety and less whipping for my sub-superior driving skills. With a patch scheduled for September in North America (but still no signs of it), some of the complaints about the game might be addressed, but it’s just too bad the patch wasn’t available at press time.
Verdict
The game is worth checking for the love of the Scuderia while the others might want to stay away from it since car variety and total car destruction is not available here.
Pros
+ The most realistic way to learn how to drive like a pro
+ Ferrari modelling is great and accurate
+ Good variety of modes
+ An excellent tribute to the Ferrari label and a must have for Ferrari fans
+ Exceptional sound effects
Cons
- Graphics are not what we wished for
- Cars do not catch the light and it looks off
- Cockpit driving view is not that pretty
- Driving difficulty level is very unforgiving, could turn off some people
- A.I drivers are too darn perfect
- Damage limited to cosmetic
- Sub-par soundtrack
- Tracks look and feel bland
- Game does not know what it wants to be
Final Verdict
Here's a small guide to help you understand our evaluation of games.
PRESENTATION GRADE
Can be from the game's box to the contents of the booklet, and even the game introduction. (Intro, menus, options, etc)
GRAPHIC GRADE
Up to what point the graphics have been worked on my the developper. The design type, the effort used for textures and environments, as well as animations and framerate.
AUDIO GRADE
Is the soundtrack a good match to the game's style, he ambient sounds keeping with the gameplay and the sound effects clear and convincing?
GAMEPLAY GRADE
Placement of the controls and the inferface that the player with be using during the game.
REPLAY VALUE GRADE
The most important factor in the evaluation of a game. It identifies the lifespan of the game and the fun of coming back again and again.
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