F1 Fanatic

It pains me to say as I wanted to love this game but its absolute garbage!

The handling is just totally arcadey, feels like you are almost hovering on the track compared to f1 2010 (which i thoroughly enjoyed)

The worst thing however are the graphics, I have the ps3 version and its appalling…the worst looking game Ive seen on the ps3 so far. The game is running at 15-20 fps which is ps2 territory especially when you consider that F1 2010 ran at 30-40 fps and GT5 at 60 fps. Very poor.

At least Codemasters have acknowledged that there are serious issues with the ps3 version which they are attempting to fix with a patch, Im not holding my breath though.

Worst F1 game since F1 98 on the ps1!

I’ve been playing GP mode (I’ve created my own full season, since the carreer mode is just filled with garbage that has nothing to do with driving the cars) on Legend with no assists @ 100% race distance. I used to play 50%, but seriously, 100% race distance really adds to the game (especially when it comes to tyrestrategy). I’d rather play 1 raceweekend @100% than 2 @50% now.

However some of the features in car strength are better as you can clearly see like I did a Renault pulling away from a Williams, and although the questions are a bit samey samey the helmets are way better, 2010 is really limited to your nationality whereas you can have any one you desire. I did prefer the main menu in the paddock though and I the safety car penalty for running off track is VERY annoying.
Overall 8.5/10, an overall improvement on 2010, however some annoying inperfections that got me playing on Test Drive Unlimited 2 again.

I’ve given this game just over a month before I wanted to pass judgement on it. Do I feel it’s a step up from 2010? I do.

I can see graphics have been compromised to make way for, I guess, aspects to the game it’s predecessor never had. Mainly being more cars online, safety cars, accommodating DRS/KERS. Which I don’t mind. Graphics isn’t a big thing for me.

What is enormously better is the handling model and this was clearly a focus after F1 2010. I can feel minute changes in the setup of the car if I change something and it’s a lot of fun tailoring the car to your style. With F1 2010, it either; have your car glued to the asphalt, understeering, or bite-your-head-off oversteer. I can now chuck the car into a corner and feel the back end kick out and it’s rescuable.

The pitting is something that last years game failed at miserably. Not only the tyre bug, but the fact that, in between having your tyres changed and being let go, the lollipop man would find time to go and make a cup of tea before he’d give the signal. Thankfully that’s better now. Not perfect, but better.

Negatives….the AI! They fail to move out of the way when they’re supposed to… if you’re on a flyer (and they’re clearly coasting) and if they do then it’s too late, and you get pretty much driven into. I can see the designers, depending on the game difficulty, deploy cars from the pits as you start a flying lap so you have to dodge them or be very clever with your own timing before the last few corners.

I still find the tyre simulation to be a bit too linear, concerning degradation and, even more so than F1 2010 (where I prided how I looked after tyres :D), doesn’t seem to reward such driving quite as much.

And finally, they need to sort out the time trial leaderboards and fast.

It’s a better game than F1 2010…but do I enjoy it any more? I’m not so sure.

@djdaveyp85

I’d be very surprised if Codemasters ever released a full simulation of F1. They are not going to alienate casual fans, so they have to make the game playable for casual fans.

I’ve spent better £30 to be honest

I bought Pole Position Manager 2010 (like an unlicenced F1 manager 2010 game) for £5 in GAME and its so much better than the first game (RTL Race Team Manager). That was steal of the season for me.

@SwEEp There is no game in the world which allows you to compete with, or compare statistics with players on different consoles. That kind of thing is out of Codemasters’ control, for your wish to be granted, Sony and Mircosoft would have arrange some deal which allows PS3 and 360 players to play against each other, or compare times and stats.

@SwEEp Well that is something that Codemasters would have to do on their website, though I can’t see them ever doing that. I actually don’t believe any developer has done what you would like to see, ever.