Porsche Challenge - PlayStation

A driving game with just one type of car to race with? What fresh madness is this? Well, when the car in question is a Porsche Boxster, cause for complaint is kept to a minimum. Upon its original release, Porsche Challenge was something of a big deal. There have been many additions to the driving genre since 1997 so let us explore just how kindly (or badly) time has treated this game.

Porsche Challenge offers different drivers rather than different models or makes of car, and these drivers come complete with their own reactive personalities. For example, Italian Marco the Mechanic is a volatile character and a bit of a man’s man, and the female participants are, as a rule, aggressive, bitchy and smug. This adds a little spice to what might have turned out to be a dull driving game. To add to the fun, the tracks are very well designed and, as befits a game with Porsche in the title, the cars move as quickly as you’d expect. All the usual modes are present: Arcade, Simulation, Time Trial, Championship, Practice, the lot.

So what’s missing? Well, Porsche Challenge is something of a vintage title, so it won’t knock you out with its graphics, and there is no great depth to the gameplay. As a straight-ahead racer, it’s ideal for a quick spin around the block, but think again if you’re after a virtual career in racing. The most disappointing aspect of Porsche Challenge however is the lack of analogue control. It plays well digitally, but it would be so much better if you could poke it with a stick, so to speak. Porsche Challenge is really only recommended for fanatics with shallow pockets.
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