F355 Challenge: Passione Rossa

The Good
For a game released in 2000, it is impressive how more modern games fail to replicate realism and driving a car in real life. F355 is not just a game, but a simulator, and the fact that it includes only one car and few tracks (a very good selection of those, however) proves that the developers had a blind confidence in their product and, oh, boy, it was justified. First of all, the fact that there is only one view and you can not change is one of the best things ever in a video game, not only because the realism but because it also keeps you concentrated on the road without temptations of changing the view over and over again, just to see how cool the car looks, no, here, you get straight to the point of the game, which is driving.

The training mode is quite helpful. I manage to have decent results if I do not use it, however, they improve if I use it.

The replays, although not so breathtaking, comply with their duty, which is letting you see the race.

The driving data is always cool to look at to see how good you are, see your results and say "Yay that's me".

The Bad
It does not in anyway make the game boring, because it takes its time to be mastered enough to achieve podiums and, or wins, but I think that some more circuits will be nice, specially taking into account that Ferrari does indeed run, as in the game, its own single maker championship (or spec-series if you prefer) and they use much more circuits than those in the game.

The replays are, in my opinion, excessively abridged and have not options to change the replay view, and, while not being able to change the view is something good for the race, I would like to be able to do so during the replies.

The Bottom Line
I saw this game for the first time in one of the most prestigious and older car magazines in Spain (Automóvil), in 2001, and I was impressed. 22 years on, in 2023, I am still impressed. A must have for Dreamcast.