Having reviewed EA Sports' F1-2002, Ben Constanduros gets to grips with the latest offering from 'King of the race sims' Geoff Crammond - Grand Prix 4

In the beginning, Sim racing was dominated by a lone developer by the name of Geoff Crammond. He made the first grand prix game aptly called 'Grand Prix'.

For 10 years, until the appearance of EA Sports in 2000, Crammond was 'King of the Sims'. By 2001 EA had got it right and the 'sweet' graphics that appeared on their 2001 version outweighed the 'haggis' that was GP3's graphics engine.

Then came the announcement that GP4 was to be launched, 2 years ahead of schedule, indeed GP4 was to be launched only a week after F1 2002. Can it claim back the title of King of the modern F1 sim? (GPL holds the other titles)

The box features the following claim: 'Tracks modelled using GPS data to create stunningly accurate layouts'

This is a very good basis on which to start, after all this really gives the game plus points on the reality front. But scrolling down, the box reveals, possibly the game's biggest flaw, it is based on the 2001 season. In itself this is ok because we already have F1 2002, but delving deeper into the 2001 season reveals a huge array of driver changes. Can this possibly be simulated? Lets have a look.

The opening title screen wets the appetite - it's like the real thing - even better than the 'box shots'. Setting up is simple as your computer basically, and rather cleverly calibrates everything for you!

I select a 'quick-race' at Many Cours and decide that I don't want to drive, just admire the 'phenomenal 3-D graphics engine', as luck would have it, it's raining. I'm puzzled by the spots appearing on the screen, then suddenly I realise… raindrops, landing on the lens of the camera. What attention to detail!

There's chaos at Adelaide as Olivier Panis spins round and thus bringing into play another exciting detail, the marshals run out to the edge of the track and then begin realistically waving their flags - with full body movement!

The liveries and car-shapes are spot on unlike the lacklustre effort from EA, and when you're following someone in the wet your vision really does seem slightly impaired. Got that that EA?

The reflection on the track is awesome and adds to the realism. The AI cars have some brilliant tussles, and when you are in the thick of it, you really feel like you're in the middle of a race. Sometimes it gets too close though and when it does the numerous new features come in to play.

Firstly you must be wary of the debris, this is one of the rare occasions that your race engineer speaks, but if you do collide with an errant wheel, instead of carrying on down the road a la F1 2002, you'll end up with a damaged wing. The 'damage model' in GP4 is just as bad as F1 2002. The cars break up in sections and when a wheel is ripped off the brake discs stays on the car! Anyway, once you've made that critical mistake its time for a trip to the pits.

The pit crew, like the marshals, are like real people just. The marshals run to the car with full body movement push it out of the way and then run back behind the Armco. In the pits the full crew is waiting to do its stuff, 100 times more realistic than F1 2002. Even if you haven't warned them that you're coming in they will rush out from the garage and do their stuff. Believe me, the pit lane becomes a hive of activity once your fuel flap opens.

Back to the action and poor Alex Yoong then gets caught out and retires and as a consequence the marshals have to get to work. Just to spice things up he's left oil all over the track causing problems for the drivers behind.