F1 2001 (PlayStation 2, 2001)

I like PS2 platform games because there are so many choices! F1 2001 is a good balance of formula race driving gaming skills to add to any collection...it is fun from the get go!!! I purchase most games to collect as well as play! Fast action play from the time you push the start button...also extremely captivating! Hard to stop until you finish some serious lap racing!

If you are a fan of F1 and can't yet afford a PS3, then this is probably the best simulation game out there for the PS2. I know the season is way out of date but this is the way it will always be: you can relive past seasons but will never get to actually race on the current season. Teams, drivers and tracks are all those of back in the day. The Canadian and Indianapolis Grands Prix as well as all the classic tracks are still here.

When I compare this game to those of EA Sports' there is simply no comparison, and my main argument is the sense of speed and the quality of the graphics. And, with choppy graphics and lame frame-rate the driving on EA Sports' is also very poor. Here by contrast, even with the Dual Shocks you can actually put in some very clean laps once you learn a bit about how your car responds. The way the game (your car) responds to the steering, accelerating and braking using the analog sticks is just great. Another good thing about it is that the engine sounds are far cleaner, smoother, and you can always find a bit of difference between the makes involved.

It's a game that's been around for quite some time but I still go into it every now and then to do a new championship (only half distance races for me, please).

I have found that on a dry and sunny day there's not much to do but to race as Michael in the red car or use one of the McLarens to stay at the front but when you are driving in the rain even all the other racers get very cautious with their driving and tend to be less aggressive as usual. I can then get pole with pretty much any driver and try to keep Schumacher at bay, even when driving as Alonso on a Minardi. My only problem there is that the starts don't usually go my way and I almost always have to fight my way back to the front from the middle of the pack.

Also, without traction control and doing manual shifting this game really gets intense. You can't believe just how tough being fast can really get but it is not impossible, you can really drive consistently and keep up with the rest although it's very very hard to dictate the pace of the race as it is with the lower difficulty settings.

The game does not offer much else in terms of pre or post race activity or commentary throughout the race and the podium celebrations are rather dull but when the red lights go all out it will for sure have you putting all your senses into it. It does deliver.

Good for a kid-F1 fan who wants to experience a season like the pros. Includes the old-style qualifying and all tracks from 2001. Good for ages 10-13.