This is my first review here on VDZE Media. I got into F1 in a pretty unusual way. Back in my late teens when I had started going out drinking with my friends at the weekend I would wake up the next morning a little worse for wear and lay slumped on the couch for hours trying to regain some form of normal feeling in my body. This is where I was first properly introduced to F1. It would often times be on TV Sunday mornings here in the UK and there was something I found peaceful and relaxing about the engine noises and the beautiful backdrops where a lot of these races were staged.
I have always enjoyed cars and racing, but the sport spoke to me in a tactical sense. The constant jostling for position and waiting for that one moment to take your chance. This type of racing lends itself well to gaming and Codemasters have really worked hard over the last few years perfectly this type of simulation. It certainly isn’t the pick up and play racer like Forza, Need for Speed and others are, especially if you switch to a manual control system, but if you are willing to put the time and effort in the rewards are superb.
Gameplay is similar to last years entry but the refinements are noticeable from the off. Traction has been improved and the handling feels more responsive than ever. This is still a game that is best enjoyed with a steering wheel, but Codemasters have done an excellent job mapping everything to a Dualshock 4. As I stated earlier this is not a game for casual racing fans, but hardcore F1 enthusiasts will love the attention to detail that has went in to this years release.
One of the main changes to career mode this year is the inclusion of post session interviews that have consequences throughout your journey. At first I really liked the idea of using the press to frame the narrative and it having an impact on my team and the R&D at the back end, but unfortunately the system at this point is not fleshed out well enough and begins to show cracks a few hours in. When asked about crashes you basically have to blame one of your team, when in reality you probably glanced down to check a text on your phone. Being able to own the crashes would perhaps lead to a career with character development which this lacks.
Time trial mode is a blast as always and I ended up spending a lot of my time with the game in here. Selecting a track and racing against various online ghost racers was fun and challenging. Should you beat the selected ghost on any particular lap the game will automatically switch it to another user with a slightly better time so that you feel like you are pushing yourself all the time.
A lot of work has went into the sound of the engines. Cars roar around the tracks and this really adds to the immersion of the game. If you can get your hands on a pair of surround sound headphones for this you won’t regret it! Visually the game is in line with games, but don’t expect the level of polish you see in a Gran Turismo or Forza.
In terms of trophies it is a challenging list. Reaching level 25 online and 41 career podium finishes will keep you busy but if you are a fan of the series there are no spanners thrown into the works. Achieving 4 online wins may be enough to stop many from getting the platinum, especially if you don’t get in fast before only the seasoned pros remain, but it’s the type of list you expect from F1.
Jock C.
Reviewed on PS4. Also available on Xbox One and PC. Review code provided by the publisher.
