The spiritual successor to Yu Suzuki's seminal 1999 racing classic - F355 Challenge - arrives on PlayStation 3 in the form of Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli, ready to take the racing crown on a format that is still waiting for its definitive racing experience. While Gran Turismo 5 will almost certainly steal that accolade when it arrives, with no sign of an official release in the near future and GT Prologue offering little more than a glorified demo, publisher System 3 has every opportunity to take its place at the front of the grid. While many would argue that Race Driver GRID already has pole position, Codemasters' change of direction and more arcade-friendly handling means that it is no longer in direct competition with the more simulation-centric racers of this world.

Whereas titles such as GRID and Project Gotham Racing sit on the fence between realism and arcade, Ferrari Challenge is unquestionably built as a simulation of real world driving. You may be able to kick the back end out on corners, but braking early - very early - is all but essential if you plan to stay on track. If you still have any doubts as to the game's simulation sensibilities then just try taking off the driving aids, especially in the rain. While this does offer a potentially extremely rewarding driving experience, newcomers will certainly want to begin with the majority of driving aids activated.

Ferrari has always been about passion, so who better to lead the development than Mark Cale, head of System 3 and all around Ferrari aficionado. The project has been a labour of love for Cale, a man who happily admits that his two major loves are Ferrari and videogames; surely a match made in heaven. While this passion is evident at every turn, starting with the beautiful opening shot of a Ferrari F430, accompanied by a soaring orchestral score, at times that passion does feel slightly misplaced. The cars may be sublimely crafted, almost to the point of obsession, and the driving model is probably as robust and accurate as you are likely to find, but at times it's hard not to feel that the game overly clinical, often at the price fun.

The heavy focus on Ferrari and the unforgiving racing action will put some off for sure, but those with a passion for either Ferrari or technical racing games akin to Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport will find a huge amount of joy under Ferrari Challenge's finely tuned bonnet. This is a game made for fans, by fans, a purist's dream with just enough give to be deemed accessible to the rest of the crowd. System 3 and Eutechnyx (unbelievably the team who brought us such 'classics' as Pimp My Ride and Big Mutha Truckers) have got many things right in the development of Ferrari Challenge, with the most obvious being the almost perfect recreation of thirty-two Ferraris, spanning the company's illustrious history - yet it is actually the handling model that turns out to be the trump card. It is extremely unforgiving and certainly time-consuming to master, but thanks to numerous driving aids and the chance to learn the ropes on the official Ferrari Fiorano test track, complete with a surprisingly useful commentary from Fifth Gear's Tiff Needell, the learning curve is as gentle as possible for a racing simulation of this nature.

Even with all of the driving aids on, Ferrari Challenge is no walk in the park, with early braking all but essential, especially given the harsh time penalties for coming off the track. This makes the test track an extremely helpful tool for newcomers as it gives a taste of the many types of twists and turns that you will encounter across the game's sixteen beautifully crafted tracks, two of which are eventually unlocked with extended play. Tiff Needell talks you through your performance in real-time, with suggestions to brake earlier or accelerate through the apex delivered accordingly. At the end of the race you are then given a helpful breakdown of your lap, specifically highlighting your skills at braking, following the ideal racing line and so on, helping to pinpoint exactly what it is that you are doing well and not so well, allowing you to focus on those areas that warrant improvement. It's a simple enough system but one that makes what is essentially a hardcore racer a lot more accessible.

Even though the game becomes more approachable thanks to the numerous driving aids, it's not until they are taken off that the gameplay really begins to shine. With all aids off, the almost faultless physics engine and near perfect handling becomes fully apparent. This game really comes into its own for high level players who can handle the intricacies and skill need to rein in and drive these cars the way they were intended to be driven. The joy of completing an unaided lap, let alone a whole race, truly is something worth aiming for, with the game delivering handsomely for those willing to put in the time necessary to master these wondrous beasts of the road. Of course, if you really want to test your limits then you can always have a go with the rain on. The rain effects are not only some of the best seen since PGR 4 but they also have a profound effect on each car's handling, ultimately lending to an even greater overall challenge for those who wish to push their skills to the limit - and beyond.

While the handling of the cars is second to none, the challenge provided by the AI drivers may seem almost non-existent for the first few hours. Until the game's emergent AI kicks in it will largely be a case of you versus the track; put in a decent race and you will more than likely come away with the win as your competitors all but ignore your advances, instead happy to rigidly follow their predefined racing line. This will lead to a lot of reasonably easy wins early on in the main mode, Ferrari Challenge. However, said emergent AI begins to learn your moves and you will soon find those gaping holes that you have so often exploited blocked, as the rival AI gets wise to your tricks. It's at this point that the championship really comes to life, making races infinitely more challenging but equally rewarding as you battle the now ferocious AI to the finish line.

With a brilliant handling system, progressive AI and superb weather effects, it's a shame that Eutechnyx didn't seal the deal with a solid damage system for the cars. Although by simply having one the game immediately one-ups Polyphony's master of the genre, the fact that it has no effect on handling whatsoever leaves it as little more than a very basic visual accompaniment to the action. Moreover, those visual effects hardly equate appropriately to what is happening onscreen; drive into a wall at 172 mph and you are left with little more than a minor dent in the bumper and a few scratches to the paintwork! This is especially jarring in light of GRID's magnificent damage model that sees cars crumple and fold depending on their point of impact. Okay, so full levels of destruction were always unlikely in a Ferrari-licensed game (the company is notoriously strict on seeing their beautiful creations damaged, even in digital form!) but even a basic effect on the handling would have added greatly to the sense of risk versus reward.

Ferrari Challenge is the core single player experience, where you take to the wheel of the Ferrari F430 across all sixteen tracks. Just like the real Ferrari challenge, the races are split into three geographical locations in Italy, Europe and the USA. All sixteen tracks have been painstakingly crafted to mimic their real-world counterparts and while some have been renamed, more than likely thanks to some iffy licensing laws, all of them look the part, as well as offering up a decent variety of blistering straights and challenging twist and turns, with special mention going to the extremely fun Monza and Silverstone tracks. Although extremely traditional in terms of progression, points awarded throughout the championship allow for the purchase of a wide range of unlockable Ferraris for the other modes, thus giving ample reason to push on through the main mode of play.

The Ferrari Challenge mode is fun in its own right but it doesn't offer up a great deal of diversity, with the only break coming in the form of the pre-match qualifying sessions. Sadly these often feel more like a chore than a pleasing diversion, as you are forced into these lengthy time trials with no option to skip them. This may be true to the real world event but it serves only to accentuate the game's often-rigid pursuit of realism.

This of course would be wholly forgivable if the Arcade mode had any resemblance to, well, an arcade mode. Sadly, thanks to races being split into four race events with no option of saving in between, any hopes of a quick pick up and play aspect are swiftly dashed, as even these races turn into time-consuming events. Basically, if you don't have at least half an hour to spare then you may as well stick something else into your curvy black box.

Beyond Ferrari Challenge and Arcade mode is the usual Quick Race, along with a collection of Trophy events for you to take your choice of unlocked cars through. There is also a bizarre Top Trumps style card game, which for reasons unknown can only be played against the CPU. There is also no split-screen option either, meaning that, for those who aren't online, the only challenge you will see is that of the game's AI. For those who do venture online there are sixteen-player races to be contested, something that sadly isn't nearly as exciting as it should be; like much of the game, the multiplayer feels a little too sterile. That competitive edge that often comes with online racing is strangely absent from this somewhat overly clinical affair. Of course, it doesn't help that the online options are extremely bare; with no option for online championships or leaderboard progression, there is little reason to keep coming back once the initial curiosity has passed.

The package is wrapped up via a customisation option that's seemingly ripped straight out of Forza 2. Although it holds great depth, allowing those who are willing to devote some time to create some truly unique artwork, due to the lack of online community at present for sharing such creations, Ferrari Challenge's customisation options will never have the same draw as Turn 10's online auctions.

From a presentation standpoint, Ferrari Challenge is a surprisingly hit and miss affair. Although each of the thirty-two cars have been lovingly recreated and lavished with an almost obsessive amount of detail, the roadside textures occasionally come up short. The game also only runs at thirty frames per second but it is admittedly pretty solid for the majority of the time, with an impressive and smooth sense of speed. While never jaw dropping, the game does have its own unique look that manages to once again pander to the Ferrari mythology; it just looks like a Ferrari licensed game should. That may be an unquantifiable claim, but somehow, the colour palette and weather effects feel just right. On the subject of weather, it's worth noting once again just how impressive the rain effects are - the game never looks better than when your beautifully rendered Ferrari is caught in the midst of a downpour and the track is covered with a rain-soaked glow.

There is little doubt as to the visual splendour of the cars on display either; I just wish I could say that the same effort had gone into the audio. Although the cars may sound correct from a technical standpoint, the growl and roar you expect just isn't there. Unless you're using the in-car view, the engines actually sound wholly underwhelming, a surprising choice given the game's aim to evoke passion in the player. It's not just the cars either; the audio tends to disappoint across the board with collisions sounding especially strange and the in-race soundtrack being of the most monotonous and annoying persuasion.

Although a few surface options would suggest that Ferrari Challenge Trofeo Pirelli is a game that wants to encourage casual gamers to jump on board, that fact of that matter is that this is a racing sim built very specifically for fans of the sub-genre. Ferrari Challenge is a largely no-frills affair with little interest in pulling in gamers who have been brought up on a diet of more forgiving, user-friendly racers. Nevertheless, if you're willing to put in the effort and push past the unforgiving difficulty and slightly rough edges, you will find an extremely deep racing experience that few other games can match - and with constant updates promised in the form of downloadable cars and tracks in the near future, this could turn into the game of choice for those with a taste for the more technical side of racing - at least until the release of GT5. The Ferrari passion might be slightly misplaced, but make no mistake, it's here in droves. Like Yu Suzuki before him, Mark Cale and his team have created a game that does the badge and the Scuderia proud.

Reviewed by Liam Pritchard for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).