Though F1 2018’s similarities with F1 2017 make it feel familiar, it does seem a bit cheap of Codemasters to avoid any sort of meaningful presentation update. Expect a radical departure at your detriment, but then the new additions such as maintaining morale, dealing with contracts and those aforementioned mid-season regulation changes do make it more gratifying. The rain effects are marvellous, too.Īnd there is, of course, that beefy career mode. Sunsets cast a beautiful orange glow over the cars, while the added circuit detail makes you feel more like you are actually at each circuit than ever before. Except for the people who still manage to look fake despite new animations and more realistic skin and hair. Save for a couple of the really old Classic Cars, everything handles in an enjoyable, convincing manner that keeps you coming back. ![]() That translates into long gaming sessions.īut it is the times when you are behind the wheel – as you learn how to eke out every millisecond from each corner during a race or within the Time Trial mode – that proves most memorable. Such is the level of realism, from having to adhere to the pit-lane top speed to trying to negotiate the best deal, you really feel invested in your team. Getting into the career mode can be daunting at first and it certainly takes time for it to hook you. Because the only game that rewards dedication as brilliantly is TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge, which is even less forgiving. This is even more true when you have a steering wheel (I tested F1 2018 using the Fanatec CSL Elite and Thrustmaster TS-XW Sparco P310 Competition Mod), turn off all the driving aids and put in the effort. The combination of a rewarding physics system, realistic graphics and high-speed racing provides one of the most intense experiences around. F1 2018 review: So what’s good about it?Įven if F1 has never been your cup of tea, F1 2018 will prove immensely satisfying on a good day. This includes James Hunt’s McLaren M23D, which competed against Niki Lauda’s Ferrari 312 T2 (also included), a rivalry captured brilliantly in the 2013 movie, Rush. You also get four short circuits that are used for various challenges.Įight new Classic Cars also come part of the package. This includes the return of Germany’s Hockenheim, plus the debut (yes, debut) of the tough to learn Paul Riccard Circuit in France. With 21 circuits in the real F1 season, F1 2018 ensures there is much to master. Plus the ever-present chance of an item failing the development process becomes less likely. Blame a particular part of the team too often, for instance, and morale will drop, but sing their praises and the opposite happens. How you respond affects various elements of the game. Then there is the feisty journalist who demands a response at key moments. But the FIA can still make mid-season regulation changes that render your efforts pointless. Research points are given in greater volume, even if you forego practice sessions, meaning less downtime between upgrades. The career mode has been bolstered, too, with an improved research and development system. But various graphical improvements such as greater detail help narrow the gap between it and, say, Forza Motorsport 7. The presentation and user-interfaces are largely the same. To someone who played F1 2017, F1 2018 is going to look familiar. So what would someone who typically avoids the most lucrative form of motorsport think of the latest Codemasters game in the series? Is it good enough to hook any racing game fan? F1 2018 review: New to the formula? ![]() But having been given a review code by Codemasters and spurred on by a recent day of driving a Formula 3000 car, I decided there was no excuse not to give the latest and potentially greatest official F1 simulator a go. Naturally, then, I find the idea of Formula 1 games just as unappealing. Sure, this season has been noticeably more dramatic than usual, but do I bother to tune in? Not anymore. Former champion Nico Rosberg recently told me that the sport needs “more danger”. Let me be brutally honest, I find the current Formula 1 offering about as riveting as going to the dentist. F1 2018 is the latest official F1 game from developer Codemasters, but is it any good, does the controversial Halo element make it less appealing and is it worth buying if you have F1 2017?
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