Although I consider myself a beginner compared to the sport of Formula 1, the iteration of last year of the long-standing franchise was quite impressive. And after seeing how much the 2019 F1 was well designed, let us call me a bit curious to see how much the most recent of the franchise, F1 2020, will cumulate. F1 2020 does it offer a new and improved game experience that many like so much? Let’s just say that the unconditional fans of sport and the game deductible will not be disappointed.
Call me crazy, but it’s unlikely that anyone seeking to play the F1 thinks about how history or global adventure will be fun, right? As such, there is not really a lot of story to follow here, but just a ton of extremely satisfying high speed fun. The reason is the overwhelming amount of play and all the different game modes to explore. Most are the fans’ favorites, others are the new additions. The new F2 game mode is back for a second consecutive year, bringing with it a little more variety, with three different ways to play. Players can choose the number of races to participate before embarking on their career in F1 because their performance in F2 have an impact on that, or they can skip this step and plunge directly into their professional career in F1.
If you are looking for a brand new experience, franchise F1 finally removed a page of its counterparts with My Team game mode. Here you can not only take the steering wheel as a driver, but you will also be the team’s manager. Players are responsible for choosing the sponsors, building the perfect vehicle with various facilities and hiring a whole team down. My team adds a lot of depth and complexity to this already fleshy package and allows even more control than ever. What is cool with My Team is that as in the F2 game mode introduced in F1 2019, players will have to participate in interviews with the press. The interviews are not really too exciting, however, the data answers will affect what your team, your sponsors and your fans think of you, both as a manager and pilot. And that in itself still adds another layer of complexity to F1 2020.
Of course, if you are looking for a more relaxed approach to this race simulation, there are many more game modes to explore. A career without additional responsibility to championship races through invitation events, there are many ways to get lost in the world of F1. And these are only solo game modes. If you are looking to try your luck against real people, there are different options, including events and leagues classified, unclassified and weekly. In addition, for the first time for several years, the shared screen is back for the offline and online game. As a person who only bought games that support the shared scenario when friends came, it’s definitely good news for fans around the world. At the time of writing, I can not talk exactly the speed at which multiplayer matches are loading and all this jazz because there is no one against who play, however, if it looks like all modes Solo game, it will be an explosion.
What is rather disappointing, especially after providing the creation in the game trailer, is the lack of real improvement that Codemasters has brought to their already limited customization options. Of course, high-speed races in elegant racing cars are fun in itself, but if you can now create an entire team from scratch, where is the possibility of doing the same for vehicles, character models, etc.? Although My Team offers a little more freedom with regard to this customization, with the possibility of choosing a team symbol and the possibility of changing the colors of the helmet, the combination, the car and the player base This would have been nice to have a greater selection of options not only in the My Team game mode, but also all the others. A greater freedom of creation with the cars designs would make the F1 2020 a little more personal.
The roar of the crowd, the engine speed, the different sounds of the stands are all created and meticulously executed to keep you entirely immersed in the world of professional race. And that’s just the beginning. The blue sky, fluffy clouds, swing rain and lighting throughout the track amplify this immersion. Not a single pixel is in its place, the image frequency follows the rhythm of moving and constantly evolving environments, whatever the speed you are heading to the finish line. F1 2020 is really a show to see, which means something because last year’s title was already on top.
And it’s not just the graphics and sound that illustrate that either. Apart from some minor bugs that must be corrected with the first patch of the game, such as a few minor imperfections of trembling and manipulation, F1 2020 is an incredibly fluid pipe. That said, players need to know when and how to take the tight turns, when loosening the brakes, how to prevent opponents from exceeding the position and when hitting strong. To help this, there is a new casual style of race that makes the experience a little easier for newcomers, with more assistance, opponents IA easier and less off-piste resistance. This certainly makes the game not only more accessible to a wider audience, but also easier to learn controls without a pile of training towers. If you are not a beginner in F1 games, you should not have any problem playing on the standard race style, with options to increase beginner’s driving skills at the elite. More control of driving is difficult, the more difficult IA and the more realistic experience. Whatever the parameter, you choose that there is always something so satisfying to exceed an opponent, especially since the IA in this game is not a joke. They are made to be a real competition.
As you can expect, it can make the rather frustrating global experience if you are looking to play more realistically. If you are not a fanatic of Formula 1, or if you do not know all the rules, the game will punish you for that. You can finish the race in second place, but because you have taken penalties throughout your many towers, you could finish sixth or seventh. Unlike games like Burnout, The Crew, Need for Speed, you can not just eliminate opponents, take shortcuts or even exceed the other runners at certain times of races. F1 2020 is really a game that requires more concentration, time and patience than any other runner.
F1 2020 relies not only on its highlights of previous titles, but it adds a well-needed accessibility to ensure that the game will appeal to a wider audience this time. It’s not just a fluid operator at all levels, but it looks and sounds just as well. Despite a lack of noticeable improvement of customization options, I hope next year Codemasters will finally give a little visit to this area. After all, what is an immersive runner without a little creative freedom along the way, right? F1 2020 is the ultimate title for race enthusiasts because it’s a game for those who have an implacable desire to win, regardless of the time it takes. There is a ton of play playing here, and whatever your skill level, it is difficult not to love how the last addition to franchise F1 is well designed.
Good
- Ode hardcore fans
- Driving gently throughout
- My team adds complexity
90
The bad
- Minor manipulation imperfections
- Relatively steep learning curve
- No real improvement of customization