It seems like simulation games like Race Pro and SuperCar Challenge suffer from the same problem sometimes- they can end up looking a bit dull really. So much effort has gone into recreating every camber on the road, and the position of every grandstand, that someone forgot to add any life to the game.

 

 

There’s few crowd members about, you never get a bird or a plane in the sky- it’s just lacking that bit of personality that can make a game look special. Having said that, there is one outstanding aspect of the game which is just amazing. The weather effects are just fantastic. When it’s raining, the track shimmers, pools of water grow in the track, and your windscreen wipers are working full-time to get the rain off- it’s a magnificent experience that begs to be seen from the in-car view.

 

Talking of which, the in-car views are again fantastic, and are the view to play from. The level of detail inside is impressive, and so is the sense of speed. Outside, things also don’t look quite as good. Some cars seem to have problems with reflections, giving them a slightly unrealistic sheen at times. Having said that, the game has no technical problems, it’s just a shame that when it’s raining, and you’re in car, that SC can look simply stunning, but in some cars, and on some tracks in the dry, the game can look bland and generic.

 

Sound was one of the most brilliant aspects of the first game, and it’s no different here. The problems from the first game have been fixed- like the awful collision noise, and the engine noises are back and better than ever. If you have a surround system, this is one game that deserves to have it plugged in. Your own engine noise is almost always behind you, like it should be, and the growls and roars as you accelerate are just simply sublime. No other racing game gives you such a fantastic feeling (from a sound perspective) of being in a thrilling race with 15 other high-power vehicles.

 

There are a couple of issues, however. Tiff Nidell’s voice work sounds totally recycled from the first game, and the new collision noise, whilst infinitely better, isn’t perfect, and there still appears to be but one noise for a crash, no matter how hard or where you hit another object.

 

 

 

Multiplayer was always one of the strongest parts of FC, and it’s no different here. The original game attracted a relatively small, but very dedicated group of players who loved the driving model and action driving that made it feel like you were in a real, tense race.

 

Not much has changed with multiplayer, but then again, not much had too. The lobby system is pretty similar, but you can now obviously race on all the new tracks with the new cars.

 

 

"SuperCar Challenge" is an improvement over last year’s game. However, a lack of non-Ferrari cars, some poor design choices in the career mode, and an arcade mode that doesn’t live up to Forza or GT:5 Prologue. However, when compared to similar hardcore racers like Race Pro, the game looks much more favourable, and also in terms in the quantity of content. Hardcore PS3 racers who want a great online racer won’t go wrong with this one, but the more casual driving fan may be better getting 'Forza Motorsport 3' (if you have an X360) or the upcoming 'GT5'.

 

 

 

 

+ Hardcore simulation
+ Gorgeous weather effects
+ Online