Grand Prix 3 PC CD-Rom £34.99
Few games receive the accolades Grand Prix 2 won when it was released four years ago. Though there have been numerous Formula 1 games since, Grand Prix 2 has remained the benchmark for all Formula 1 simulations.
A triumph of substance over style, it had none of the bells and whistles associated with other games, but under the bonnet its engine was far more robust. Geoff Crammond was behind the first two instalments of the Grand Prix series, and his attention to detail is also evident in his latest creation.
Some might be disappointed that it doesn't feature any commentary, but to consider this an omission is to miss
the real point of this ultra-realistic simulation. Grand Prix 3 is less a simulation of what you see on the TV every few weeks, and more like what the driver really experiences. Drivers need nerves of steel, but they would need to be super human to drive these machines at break-neck speeds and listen to Murray Walker at the same time.
Another superficial flaw is that all the teams and drivers are based on the 1998 season, but when a game is this good it can be forgiven. Besides, all the tracks from the 1998 season are included, and replicated in every detail, as almost everything in the game is. This includes dynamic weather (it can start to rain during the race, or stop as the case may be), and the cars behave accordingly. Wet tracks can dry out in certain places, yet puddles can remain elsewhere.
For novices, all the driving aids from Grand Prix 2 (steering help, throttle help, suggested gear, show best driving line, auto-right the car, automatic gears, automatic breaks and indestructibility) are included. In the beginning almost every one of these is best left on as these cars are extremely difficult to master. Wheels can spin off, front and back wings do likewise or if you happen to touch wheels at high speeds your car can become airborne and smash to smithereens. Making a crash look realistic is tough but is carried of with aplomb here.
Plenty of fun can be had whizzing around the tracks racing for the World Championship, but to really get the most out of this game you have to get your hands dirty setting up the car. This can mean changing gear ratios, softening the front springs, adjusting the ride height or stiffening the rebound dampers. It's all here and you can study the effects of your tinkering from the comprehensive Performance Analysis menu.
Grand Prix 3 more lives up to expectations and will remain on Pole Position for some time to come.
Recommended: Pentium III 450mhz/64MB/3D card/Win 9x/