With football games, you have the license-heavy FIFA competing with ISS and its “R. Gibbs”. It seems that Formula 1 games were also having a similar competition, with Ubisoft’s Monaco Grand Prix: Racing Simulation 2 coming in without driver names, competing against F1 World Grand Prix. As it can’t provide as authentic an experience, it attempts to make it easier to play.

And in a way, it is. The “arcade” handling is much easier than the “simulation” handling, but at the same time, the game also lacks assists like raving lines, so it’s still quite challenging for someone like me. The tracks are based on the 98 season of Formula 1, but the track names are missing and, while some look great, there’s just an inauthentic air about the whole package. Unlike ISS where you could ignore all that when playing the game, this just feels a bit off everywhere.

My biggest issue was the CPU racers. Blocking is a big tactic in Formula 1, but it’s not something you can do in Monaco Grand Prix, as it’s one of the racing games where the CPU doesn’t seem to be aware of where you are – going as far as barging through you and making you spin out while they zoom off ahead. It’s something that sours the experience somewhat.

This just feels like an inferior version of F1 World Grand Prix, without the polish.

Fine

Despite such faults, though, Monaco Grand Prix Racing Simulation 2 is a rattlingly good game. It’s the brash and enthusiastic younger brother to F1 World Grand Prix’s deeper, sober, older sibling. It certainly delivers in the F1 thrill stakes but, crucially – and ultimately – it’s unable to compete with the depth, complexity and challenge that Paradigm’s game provides, leaving it to coast as a close second.

Jes Bickham, N64 Magazine #27. Review Score: 87%

Remake or remaster?

Newer games do a better job.

Official ways to get the game.

There is no official way to buy Monaco Grand Prix: Racing Simulation 2