First look: Grand Prix Challenge

On the same day that Infogrames has 2880329announced the cancellation of the Xbox version of Geoff Crammond's Grand Prix 4 from MicroProse, it has announced a new Formula One game for the PS2.

Grand Prix Challenge, which is being developed by Infogrames Melbourne House, has been designed to appeal to all players rather than just F1 fans and as such will feature three different levels of handling difficulty and four different levels of artificial intelligence for the other racers. Officially licensed by the Formula One Administration, the game will feature all of the current season's 22 cars and 17 circuits, and Infogrames even claims to have re-created different racing styles so that players will really feel as if they're up against different personalities.

"Grand Prix Challenge offers the ideal balance between accessibility and depth," commented Frank Heissat, marketing director for Core Games at Infogrames. "With this game, our aim is to fully entertain not only the F1 fans but all the gamers, seeking the perfect combination between graphic quality and addictive gameplay within the fantastic F1 universe. Grand Prix Challenge on PS2 complements the already successful Grand Prix series perfectly."

The game will feature five different gameplay modes in all, with multiplayer support for up to four players on a single screen. As is befitting of a game based on the sport of Formula One in its current form, the game will also feature interactive pit stops where players will be able to gain valuable seconds off the track.

Grand Prix Challenge for the PS2 is scheduled for release in Europe in November. No release date has been announced for North America at this time, but we'll bring you more information on the game as it becomes available.