With the growing interest in the Netflix production Formula 1: The Thrill of a Grand Prix, which offers a behind-the-scenes look at the Formula 1 circus, the sport is more popular than ever. The video game series has always been famous, but now all the more because of this boom. This year is also the first year EA has a contribution to the game produced by Codemasters in F1 2021. Which scared the fans ahead of time, but we can ask them to calm down: the game is just as good in many ways as the one we already know.
When I say it’s the same game we love and know, I’m mainly talking about driving physics and the behavior of cars on the track. Not much has changed in that regard and I personally see no reason to change too much about a product that has worked so well for so long. It’s easy to choose between playing a 100% realistic simulator with no help or taking a more arcade approach that makes it easier for beginners to drive these monstrous cars on tracks like Spa or Silverstone.
Some visual improvements have been made to the game, but these are particularly noticeable when activating ray tracing or when it is wet. While we saw large areas of the surface wet in F1 2020, we now see puddles here and there on the track that significantly affect the grip. The lighting has also been updated thanks to the implementation of ray tracing.
The car sounds in F1 2021 are more realistic than their predecessor. It’s not a particularly noticeable change, but the improvement is palpable and is clearly going in the right direction. In general, the sound of the game is much more similar, even identical, to that of the real F1 circus, and the feeling of hearing that signature tune as you cross the finish line is something that gives me goose bumps. It gives the game a sense of absolute authenticity.
The latest development, and possibly the most anticipated by some, is the new Braking Point story mode. In this mode, you can choose between five middle-class teams trying to get onto the podium in Formula 1. Through the eyes of young Aiden Jackson, you will be able to race during roughly three racing seasons, both indoors and outdoors, and with one exciting story. Compete against the current line-up of real Formula 1 drivers and make a name for yourself among so many stars. At least that’s what those in charge say, because Braking Point is pretty disappointing, and apart from one twist in season two, most of the story is very predictable. I won’t go into further detail so as not to destroy surprises, but it’s no wonder, although it’s worth a look and takes around 6 hours.
Another novelty is the ability to play the career mode with two players, either as teammates or as rivals. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to try this mode too often, but from what little I’ve tried it’s basically a career mode with everything you’d expect from it, only now you can add a colleague online to ride together.
The new Career Mode, or My Team Mode, is back in its full glory, with some additional customization options, a revamped R&D system, and updated driver stats based on real-world performance. It has surely improved exponentially. Can you take part in the competition as part of the 11th team and work your way up to become world champion? Then you are definitely better than me. You have ten seasons to get it …
The online multiplayer side of Formula 1 games has grown in popularity over the past few years, and Codemasters has noticed this more than most developers. Weekly events, quick connect format, leagues, social and competitive games as well as customizable uniforms along with content for esports make this component accessible to everyone. You can choose to attend beginner events where collisions are disabled and sessions shorter, or you can go “hard” in hard mode and compete with the best.
In addition, the game has a local split-screen multiplayer.
I mainly played with my Logitech G923 steering wheel with full support on PC, PlayStation and Xbox and the feeling was absolutely fantastic. I imagine what that can be for those who have a high-end steering wheel. However, I also had to test the game with a controller, and luckily, a steering wheel isn’t essential to enjoy the experience. It’s more playable than just a controller, ideal for reaching a larger user base. I’ve even tried the keyboard, but I don’t recommend it unless you’re used to it from other games.
F1 2021 is an update to F1 2020, there is no doubt about that. With lots of new content and minor gameplay and presentation improvements, it’s worth it compared to last year’s version. It’s basically a lot more than a “template update” as we often see in sports games. Even if you are a big fan of Formula 1, you have a deluxe version that gives you 18,000 Pit Coins (in-game currency), three days early access, content for Braking Point and legends like Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna, Nico Rosberg, Jensen Button, Alain Prost, David Coulthard and Felipe Massa are available to your crew in My Team. It is certainly a worthwhile purchase.
