F1 2011 was a great game for racing fans on home consoles, but questions were being raised about the PlayStation Vita iteration while it was in development. Disappointing visuals and rogue AI led commentators to be apprehensive about the forthcoming title.
Thankfully those fears have been alleviated almost completely with an impressive, well rounded racing-sim for gamers on the move. The Vita version simply blows every other portable racing-sim away.
Presentation
A fast, intuitive menu system lets the user get into the action quickly providing a plethora of game modes within the user's profile.
Loading screens are frequent but thankfully pass quickly, meaning most of your time will be spent on the track, rather than looking at pictures of it overlaid with racing tips.
Frame rate issues are non-existent and an engaging story line accompanies the career mode, adding a layer of immersion to the frenzied action.
The musical score is enjoyable if a little insipid, although this is a minor quibble really - you'll be much more interested in hearing the fantastic notes of the cars themselves once you start the game up.
Graphics
F1 on the Vita looks GREAT. The game portrays a world of beauty with both the cars and the environment worthy of commendation.
Lighting effects on the cars are particularly impressive, with weather effects adding to the experience in a positive way.
The hardware performance on the Vita is all the more impressive when you consider that it's comparable to that available on the PS3 and Xbox 360.
Gameplay
Seasoned console racing gamers will quickly find their feet on the Vita, with the twin analogue sticks providing a familiar experience.
The challenge posed by AI-driven competitors at low difficulty settings is especially poor and when coupled with aggressive driver assists.
The game can be very easy to begin with (think - winning from the back of the grid in every race).
Ramping up the difficulty can lead to a much more rewarding experience, although driving without assists in the rain is a particularly perilous pastime.
Weather, damage and penalties are all very welcome additions to the mix making this a very expansive and realistic F1 sim.
Lasting Appeal
A great range of modes, teams, cars and tracks means there is plenty of content to keep the user busy in the medium term, but there's little in the way of replay value.
The career mode rewards the driver who comes from humble beginnings with the smaller teams, progressing to World Champion.
Unfortunately there is no compelling reason to replay the three year season other than for the experience itself.
Challenge mode adds interesting mini-games to the system, enabling the gamer to hone their skills whilst tweaking the gameplay mechanics slightly.
Racing through gates or avoiding obstacles might sounds mundane on face value, but doing so at 200 mph certainly brings a degree of excitement.
Grand Prix, time trial, championship, quickplay and multiplayer round out the offerings giving the gamer a lot of options if they want to dive into the action quickly or play a longer session.
Despite an apparent lack of material enticing gamers to come back; the incredible performance, gameplay and presentation of F1 2011 will have players returning on a regular basis.