Monaco Grand Prix

"It takes the simulation track...unfortunately the track turned, and Monaco Grand Prix kept on driving"

OPENING STATEMENT
It is almost unheard of for a system launch to come buckled with two F1-esque titles. The Dreamcast launch did. They both took different routes in representing the sub-genre. While neither or horrible, there is a clear winner.

GAMEPLAY--6
As I mentioned before, Monaco Grand Prix is a full blooded simulation. An arcade racing fan will detest this. Monaco Grand Prix tries to do everything realistic, and it succeeds to a fault. First of all, the race involves strategy. You need to take strategic pit stops. You need to draft. The bigger racing fan you are outside the video game world, the most success you will have with Monaco Grand Prix.

If you just try to race, like you are able to in Flag to Flag, you will finish last every time. If you do not have a plan to overtake the opposition, do not even bother trying. Ubi Soft is the first developer to blend the genres of racing and strategy together, creating a hybrid that I will call a Strategy/Racer. You will most certainly see me rarely use that term in a review, as so few racing games require so much thinking.

GRAPHICS--9
The graphics are nearly perfect, there is only one small problem that kept Monaco Grand Prix from scoring a perfect ten in this category. But more on that problem later. The good points about the graphics should come first. First of all, the car models look fantastic. They look more realistic than those you will see on the Indy 500. The environments are not quite as good as the car models, but, other than the lifeless, horribly drawn crowds, they are great as well.

That one problem may seem pretty trivial to most of you. But, that problem to me was like a thorn on a tulip -- completely out of place. That problem is an overuse of sun flares. Sun flares are those little glares from the sun you seem to get in moderation from every Dreamcast game, and Hollywood film, these days. They key word there is moderation. Monaco Grand Prix uses these flares constantly. They literally, are always on the screen. This frustrated me to no possible end.

MUSIC--N/A
SOUND--9
For inexplicable reasons, Ubi Soft decided not to include music in Monaco Grand Prix. I really think they took the simulation thing too seriously. The sound effects, however, kind of provide a soothing music, or as close as you are going to get to music. The constant revving of engines provides constant noise, something I need while I am playing video games. The beeping of the lights at the beginning of the race is very realistic. The sound was done nearly perfect, except for the lack of music.

CONTROL--2
Welcome to the biggest reason why Monaco Grand Prix received such a low score! Controlling is horrible. Once you go past seventy kilometers per hour, you are lucky if you can even turn your car into the pit stop. Ubi Soft was so hell bent on keeping everything realistic, that they failed to realize that this is a video game, and it should play as one, not NASCAR training.

FUN--3
Other than the Retro Mode, which seems to have a way to force me to forget that my car cannot turn if it goes past the speed limit on a Minnesota highway, you will be to frustrated by the control to have any fun. The Arcade Mode is especially painful, because you are given virtually no time to go through a long stretch of track with a car that does not turn. It is kind of like Speed except for that you cannot go over fifty miles per hour, instead of under it.

CHALLENGE--MEDIUM TO HIGH
The horrible control makes this game next to impossible. The insane time limits in Arcade Mode make that mode almost unbeatable. The Simulation Mode is deadly, as your opponents seem to have no problems whatsoever with controlling. And the Retro Mode is a bit easier, but it is still impossibly difficult due to the control.

REPLAY VALUE--LOW TO MEDIUM
Guess what? The control is to blame for yet another low rating! Chances are you will never play this game after the first time you play it, except for maybe a few more run-throughs in Retro Mode. Basically, you will never want to do a normal race again. Just what Ubi Soft hoped would not happen!

PROS
*Graphics are excellent.
*Retro Mode is quite entertaining.
*Sound effects are spectacular.

CONS
*No music at all, anywhere.
*Controls like a rhinoceros doing a ballet.
*Difficulty level way to high for all but the most skilled players.

CLOSING STATEMENT
Ubi Soft had three racing titles ready for the Dreamcast launch. It is quite obvious to me, as it should be to you, that they spread themselves too thin, and went for quantity over quality. Our Canadian friends are experienced developers and they should know better. One good game is better than three average ones. Keep that in mind next time.

OVERALL--4

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 11/11/00, Updated 06/14/02