Should you happen to spin out and face the wrong direction following such a distraction, your vehicle will automatically reorient itself. Moreover, should you happen to plow through an opposing vehicle, you'll find that amid the explosive burst of broken axles and twisted metal, your own set of wheels remains perfectly intact. The chances of coming in first place without getting considerably more involved in the particulars are next to nil, but you'll find that as you hug a curve, the car magically helps you along, slowing down a bit, even steering slightly on its own at times.
Enter a name for your driver, click through the easy-to-navigate iconic menu to choose your car, driver, nationality, and desired track, and you'll be racing in next to no time (not counting the customary sluggish load times that are an irksome trademark of the EA Sports line). The initial default settings are pretty forgiving and geared towards the likes of such impetuous gamers. But for casual gamers seeking an introduction to the F1 realm, this one's for you.įor those itching to hit the tarmac without a fuss, it's possible to start a race within moments of first installing the game.
Of course, to those familiar with the F1 line, this is nothing to be particularly surprised about, even if this latest edition happens to be the best in the series (and it most certainly is). It doesn't go so far as to reward poor driving, but there are enough drivers' aids features available to allow newbies a very smooth transition into what might otherwise be a very daunting game experience.
In these games, smashing into the opposition is sourly frowned upon, and the ultimate objective is to become an ace driver capable of tweaking a car to perfection and truly paying your dues for first place status.ĮA Sports' F1 2002 shares this latter objective, but has a more reasonable learning curve and a more initially arcade-like feel than one might expect from a Formula One racing simulator. On the other end of the spectrum are meticulous simulations such as the Gran Turismo games and Geoff Crammond's Grand Prix line. On one end of the current spectrum are over-the-top arcade racers like Crazy Taxi, Midtown Madness, and Grand Theft Auto, in which the primary objectives tend to revolve around wreaking maximum havoc behind the wheel.
Of course, the spectrum for this genre is so broad that it has broken up into numerous sub-genres over time. I suppose that's why there are more racing games around than you can shake a stick shift at. There's nothing quite like the rush of burning simulated rubber. Race for the checkered flag with skill, strategy, and style. This PC version of the title offers special features such as multiplayer racing, fully animated 22-man pit crews, and the option to use the state-of-the-art cockpit technology found in many real-life 2002 F1 machines.
The first game designed to represent the 2002 season, the game features the new Toyota F1 and Renault F1 teams in addition to all the returning favorites.
Licensed by the Formula One Administration Limited, EA Sports' F1 2002 features the sport's real-life teams and drivers racing around the tracks of the 2002 F1 circuit.