It’s fair to say Codemasters are one of the best in the business when it comes to high-horsepower fun. The developers have been at the wheel of classic series like TOCA, Colin McRae Rally and Dirt, as well as Formula 1. But can their sixteenth game in the franchise, F1 23, raise the bar on past titles?
And more importantly. Can they wring out enough new ideas to make hardcore fans part with their cash once again?
Glip and Glide
Building on what was set up in last year’s game, this year has seen real work done to the control side of things. Handling feels a lot tighter. Breaking and cornering feeling precise and predictable. And gone is that slippery tail end that was a feature of F1 22’s game.
The overall physics has been improved as well, giving you much more traction as well as drive it feels; actually amplifying your general feeling of speed when throwing the cars around the twisty bits.
You can also tweak and tune your car endlessly to get that extra bit of downforce or a few more horsepower from it and there are, though that will lose hours doing this.
But, at its core, Codemasters have nailed the driving side of things. Especially on the controller. And for the majority of video racing fans, this alone a strong enough reason to pick it up.
A World of Formula 1
Though there is much more to the game beyond this to lose yourself in; from running a dream session with your favourite team, or you could jump into the new spin on F1 Life called F1 World – where both single player and multiplayer are linked together in ways.
This is your hub area where you customise a number of things to make it your own.; From your driver, to your car and even the furniture can be tweeked to your liking. This hub also doubles as a launch pad to play a number of F1 23‘s challenges and events. You do spend a lot of time passing through this space so the opportunity to mix it up is nice.
F1 World is a night and day improvement over F1 Life. Life did feel like a half-baked idea, but here World is fully fleshed out.
Multiplayer now features cross play, which is a great inclusion and works extremely well. However, the communication between platforms needs a bit of work.
The Drama of F1 2023
Breaking Point also returns this year with Breaking Point 2. A sequel within a sequel and is clearly aimed at the Netflix ‘Drive to Survive’ fans out there, or the “new” F1 fans who are expecting drama at every turn and not just an endless parade like we saw in Baku this year.
The story centres on the Konnersport Butler Global Racing Team, a new team that has recently joined the grid. Aiden Jackson and Devon Butler, both returning from the first Braking Point, find themselves becoming teammates in this new team.
And from there, the EastEnders on wheels unfolds over an action packed session or two of the sport. With you not only playing a part as a driver, but also as a team principle. Besides the handbags-at-dawn side, you’ll be measured how professional you are. As well as how you handle the media while trying to grow the team’s presence.
This rep system all comes into play well into the series, as you have to juggle saying your piece and towing the line. It’s effective in doling out different racing scenarios and telling its tale. And Breaking Point 2 is very easy to get invested in while letting you see that different side of the sport.
The Look and Feel of F1
F1 23 is a visual upgrade over last year’s game. This year sees some outstanding lighting and weather effects on show. Character models have better animations, giving them a little more life. That said, you’ll still spot that dead-eyed engineer or two as you take the top spot of the podium.
The cars are stunning. Both to see and feel. Each of the racing machines look exactly like their real world counterpart, down to the smallest detail and livery. There’s a unique feel to each one that lets you imagine the real deal in your hands.
And the same can be said for the selection of tracks. It looks like you are there on-track or in the paddock and when your hobbling over the gravel or avoiding the undulating tarmac of Monaco, it only bloody feels like it as well.
Golden Ticket
Now in its third year of being published under the EA Sports banner, it’s safe to say the honeymoon period is over. What we see here will likely be the template for the series moving on. The podium pass returns and is their spin on a battle pass system.
There’s also a number of cosmetic unlocks you can grab with real-world cash through microtransactions. There isn’t much beyond a few emotes and different colourways that never get in the way.
A New Formula Succeeds
F1 23 adds and tweeks so much that it feels very fresh. From its highly detailed vision of the sport, to its melodrama-fuelled campaign, the game delivers something for everyone interested in Formula 1.
Packed with content and challenges, it’s at the pinnacle of the F1 series to date. F1 23 will please hardcore fans with its new handling systems, but also causal fans with its ‘Drive to Survive‘ tones too.