Formula
1 – 2001 vs 2003
In this ‘head to head’ we are comparing two Formula 1 games on the PS2 from the last few years. Both games are very good but is there much of a difference between them?
Gameplay: 2001 - 85%, 2003 – 88%
As with most games, there are different modes of the game to play. These go from Arcade (race or season – 2003 only) which is great for beginners because it’s easier to handle the cars, Custom Race where you can set up a short race of your own choosing, Race Weekend where you can choose an individual championship race, and World Championship where you race the full season. You can also watch a single race in Spectator Mode where you are not driving any cars, just watching.
The
actual driving in both games is simple to understand (just stay on the
track!) and it’s fairly realistic in terms of the overall driving. The race
rules can be modified to include/exclude real car damage, tyre wear,
disciplinary flags (e.g. disqualification, warning of a crash, jumping the
start).
The only real difference between the two games is that the overall driving experience in the 2001 game is not as realistic as in the 2003 version.
Graphics: 2001 - 80%, 2003 – 82%
Despite the two year gap between the games, there is practically no difference at all in the quality of the graphics. The cars and track are good enough, however in both games the scenery could be better, especially in the 2001 game.
Sound:
2001 - 80%, 2003 – 80%
In these games the sound isn’t a key issue, but the car engines sound fairly realistic, especially when revving the engines.
Value: 2001 - 84%, 2003 – 86%
Both games offer a good lifespan because of all the modes the game offers you. Even when you are more experienced, the arcade modes can still be fun (as you can make the difficulty level harder e.g. Pro or Semi-Pro), while the Championship mode with a 17 race season will certainly keep you busy. The main reason the 2003 game gets a better score is because of the extra modes.
Conclusion:
Although there is a 2-year difference between the games, the gap doesn’t seem to have resulted in a big improvement as both games are very similar. Despite this both games are top quality and fun to play.
Overall Score: 2001 -
82%, 2003 – 84%