Straight up I have to admit to having been a fan of KUNOS Simulazioni going back to the days of Namie, the predecessor of netKar PRO. Whilst it hasn’t always been a smooth ride, simulations developed by the team at KUNOS have always been synonymous with stunning realism, most notably in the form of brilliant driving physics and painstaking attention to detail.
Ferrari Virtual Academy Adrenaline Pack RaceSimCentral Review
When Ferrari Virtual Academy was announced in 2010 it came as no surprise it was the work of KUNOS Simulazioni. Along with many others I lined up to purchase and experience FVA which challenged sim racers around the world to better times set by Ferrari’s F1 drivers with prizes including real world driving experiences at Ferrari HQ. Cool stuff in anyone’s book. My lack of driving skill (particularly in F1) combined with minimal time to commit to playing meant I had no chance of even breaking into the top few hundred (OK top thousand I admit!) but it didn’t matter. Priced at a fraction of the cost of the real thing, Ferrari Virtual Academy was something that any passionate car nut — real or virtual — couldn’t pass up taking out for a few laps.
The recently released Adrenaline Pack adds the Ferrari 150° Italia + 458 Challenge to the F10, along with the Fiorano, Mugello and Nurburgring circuits, all accessed with the existing Ferrari Virtual Academy game.
Ferrari Virtual Academy Adrenaline Pack Review
For those not familiar with Ferrari Virtual Academy let’s take a quick look at the interface. Red and lots of it – there’s no mistaking which car company we’re talking about here. The UI looks great and is easy to use. Car and track selection is straightforward.
Ferrari Virtual Academy Adrenaline Pack Review
Three 458′s are included in the Challenge — the Rosso Corsa, Giallo Modena and Ross Scuderia. All look and sound fantastic as well as being very enjoyable to drive.
Ferrari Virtual Academy Adrenaline Pack Review
The Ferrari Virtual Academy interface provides players with easy access to key information and tools. A very cool and useful feature is being able to compare the telemetry of your laps to Ferrari’s G. Fisichella. Not a bad effort for only three laps in, but all the same it shows I still have the same problematic tendency to brake way too early. Oh well!
Ferrari Virtual Academy Adrenaline Pack Review
Enabling the racing line indicator during practice helps players come to terms with car/track combinations. Cockpit detail is impressive too.
Ferrari Virtual Academy Adrenaline Pack Review
A well executed, flexible replay system encourages players to make and share screenshots and videos, lots of fun and also plays a key role in the viral promotion of any game. Ferrari Virtual Academy’s Replay capability is up there with the best. Easy to use controls, cinematic default cameras, and lots of options when it comes to alternative views. Good stuff.
Ferrari Virtual Academy Adrenaline Pack Review
After blatting around in the 458 Challenge cars it was time to face my open wheeler demons and put in some laps aboard the Ferrari 150° Italia around Fiorano, my personal favorite of the three tracks. Thanks to the incredible levels of grip the F1 almost seemed less of a handful than the 458 cars, though admittedly I was even further off the pace in the 150°.
Ferrari Virtual Academy Adrenaline Pack Review
Even with the addition of the 458 Challenge, as a casual racer Ferrari Virtual Academy isn’t something I’d play every day — for me playing a variety of games is where it’s at. However the high quality/easy to use/difficult to master Ferrari Virtual Academy is something you’ll keep coming back to play and is a must have for all PC based sim racers. At € 9.90 for the Adrenaline Pack or € 19.90 for the complete pack it represents great value for money. Buon appetito!
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