F1 23 is the new official game dedicated to what is considered the “peak of motorsport”, the Formula 1. In this review we will dive into all that Codemasters has decided to implement within the new iteration: there are a lot of new features, but there is also braking point 2, which will please players who loved the first part in F1 21. It is the sequel to the story mode that we experienced previously, two titles ago. Well, it’s time to start your engines and wait for the lights to go out!
Ambition, willpower and… family
One of the most interesting novelties of this new F1 23 is actually not a real novelty. As already mentioned at the beginning, Codemasters has decided to reintroduce the story mode, and it does so by picking up right where we left off. When you start Braking Point 2, in fact, there will be a brief summary of the events and the protagonists of the story, who are always Aiden Jackson, Devon Butler and the new entry Callie Mayer. These 3 names are just the pilots, and of course some old faces and people return as well that we will get to know over time.
The plot of Braking Point 2 revolves entirely around the three of them, each with their own difficulties, desire to do things, and above all the desire to cross the finish line first. We won’t go into the plot too much since it’s something very simple, but know that some rather weighty topics are touched upon and yes they reflect a lot in F1 modern. An example is the new stable of Devon Butler and Aiden Jackson, economically managed by the father of the first pilot mentioned. Just like with Stroll and theAston Martin for years now.
In addition, the topic of the rivalry within the boxbut this time with clear references to true events, such as the incident in Baku occurred in 2018 between Verstappen And Ricciardo, both Red Bulls at the time. There are also reconstructions of accidents that occurred last year, such as Leclerc’s spin at Imola or the long pit stop for Sainz in the Netherlands due to a missing wheel. Everything is told as if it were a very long episode of the well-known Netflix series “Drive to Survive”. Too bad for some audio problems during the cutscenes, in which it is impossible to hear some sentences if you don’t have active subtitles. This happens especially when the shot is outside the room where the protagonists are. Which is of course a shame, since there is the Italian dubbing and not everyone would activate them.
One of the central themes is also the arrival of a woman in the paddock, which is treated as if it were something normal, with the exception of the first moments, where the press itself creates a sort of mystical aura around it. It is remembered that it’s not something so unusual for the history of F1, and that it is a problem strictly linked to the modern era. If you’re curious, the last woman in Formula 1 was an Italian: Giovanna Amati, in 1992. But let’s put the story aside, and let’s speed into the most insidious curve for racing games, the gameplay.
Lightness and responsiveness
Formula 1 cars are famous for three elements: speed, lightness and responsiveness. And if the first is always a prerogative of all the games dedicated to this “series A of motorsport”, in F1 23 they also come there lightness and responsiveness. Compared to its predecessor, all the power of the car is perceived pad in hand, above all thanks to the perfect mix of audio, graphics and vibration. Also, the animations are much smoother and softer, making it easier to understand when you need to swerve more violently to enter a bend and when instead you need to be more delicate. The sound of the engine has taken a step forward, and it is possible to understand when to upshift or downshift, even without being a master driver.
Another element inserted and managed perfectly by Codemasters is the steering and countersteering mechanics: sometimes it will happen that you lose the rear of the car, whether it is due to a contact or an error, but if you manage to countersteer in a timely manner, the car will stay upright. Obviously if you keep the steering assistance active, this will not be necessary, yet it is something really well implemented within F1 23above all because you can immediately perceive when you lose the rear (yes, even without having the camera behind).
To make things clearer, for our test we have used the cockpit view and the one called “TV camera”, which is placed just above the helmet. Another interesting novelty, which has repercussions both online and offline, is the concept of “clean driving”. Most often in F1 22 there were the so-called “Dirty Drivers” that ruined the gaming experience for other players.
Now, however, with the sought-after mix between Gran Turismo and Assetto Corsa Competizione, F1 23 offers a stricter system regarding the Superlicense. You will have letters linked to your own Superlicense: used to go up and down based on your online performance, now it pushes you to necessarily behave well on the trackAlso offlineif you want rank up. A method both to teach you how to be on the track, and to reward your performance and make you level up, as well as being able to be paired in matchmaking – in the case of online – with people of your same rank.
There is a battle pass, but you will never have to put your wallet in order to continue playing. Furthermore, almost everything what you will do on the track will move you forward in the pass. So Codemasters has created a balance to only charge those who really want it, without making it a necessity. There is also a in-game shop where you can buy animations and clothes for your character, but you can also pay with the in-game currency.
The Formula 1 world is yours
In F1 23 there is a completely new game mode, and which could be the future of the franchise: F1 World. In this mode you will have to face challenges using a car of your own and with a character created by you. Sure, it takes inspiration from the last iteration, but like everything else Codemasters has decided to push even harder, and has grouped singleplayer and multiplayer under one roofexcept for Career Mode, which we’ll tell you about shortly.
But what is F1 World? It is the section of F1 23 for those who want test his skills (online and offline), find out more about this sport, and especially for those who like to modify their car, but in a simple way. We explain better: in F1 World there is the series modewhere you will have the opportunity to modify the mechanical part of the car and his engineers. But be careful: this is not an F1 Manager, so everything will be very simplified. Each component will have items of varying rank – like loot in other games – and each of these he will have skills (for example: more downforce, less tire degradation, etc…), moreover, based on the driving style you have, you will have to create the team and the car you want. A perfect mode for those who prefer to play single playerwhere moreover the challenges gradually increase in difficulty, and where there is an interesting progression that makes everyone start from the same point.
If you have recently become a fan of Formula 1, know that F1 23 is inspired by Gran Turismo e create the Compendium. It is an area where, based on performance in the F1 World Series modeyou will receive gods tickets, with which you will unlock all the information necessary to better understand the protagonists of Formula 1: teams, tracks and drivers. There is also the summary of the past season!
As we have already anticipated, it returns of course also the Career mode which – as in F1 22 – is divided into two: single player and multiplayer. But there is an interesting little novelty for those who want to play with someone: you can join the others, even without being friends. As always, Career Mode will put a team or a driver in your hands that you will have to lead to victory.
No car is perfect
From a technical point of view F1 23 has some small problems that could be solved easily with a patch. An example is the aforementioned audio glitch in Braking Point 2 cutscenesbut there are also several in-game ones, such as the blue flags on the track which are sometimes purple in color, or the small hiccups in the final animation during the interviews.
These are many little things that together make you turn up your nose, given the very high quality of the proposed gameplay. During the games we did not have any problems, not even during matchmaking or in online races. Everything has always gone smoothly, which bodes well for the online component of F1 23, especially after the disastrous experience of F1 22.
As far as the user interface is concerned, that of F1 23 is homologated to the modern version that we see during the official races on TV, but an interesting detail is theUI that you have with the odometer. The latter puts much more emphasis on the use of the accelerator, brake and ERS, three fundamental elements to be able to better manage a race. At first it may seem confusing and too invasive, but in reality it is much more useful than it seems. Not to mention that it is always possible manage the position and size of all HUD elements while in the race.
The menus are completely different from those we’ve come to know and exude a unique style that wants to impose, and that will probably remain the standard for the titles to come. But the most important thing, in addition to the aesthetic aspect, is the much improved readability.
Others elements really made to perfection are the car modelsobviously, and thecircuit asphalt: sometimes it will happen that they are of different types, and in addition to perceiving it on the controller, it will also be extremely visible (a striking example is the short section after Turn 1 of the Red Bull Ring, in Austria). And the pilots? They’re rendered really well, especially as they’ve all received a new scan session, so they’re much more faithful to their real-life counterparts, but the engineers are also much more defined now, blurring the lines between pit crew and racers.
This year Codemasters also wanted to include some music tracks which they are perfect for the style who wants to have F1 23. Of course, everyone might not like it, since it is mostly electronic music, but they manage to give the right energy for the race. Furthermore, it is also possible to listen to it while doing the Free Practice and Qualifying sessions.
Checkered flag
In short, we can say that F1 23 is not just an improved version of the two previous chapters, but really aims high, with a new game mode – F1 World – which will keep you glued to the screen for hours, as well as the driveability of the single-seaters. Wanting to make a comparison: it seems that F1 23 is the Red Bull of recent years.
Obviously this title is a love letter for those who love Formula 1, but thanks to the very strong arcade components it becomes enjoyable even for those who just want to drive and have fun, alone or in company. It really is the best F1 chapter of the last few years, pity about those little audio problems and graphical glitches. We can do nothing but hope they are resolved as soon as possible. That said, we’ve come to the checkered flag, and F1 23 takes the top step of the podium… but the championship is still long, Codemasters will have to strive to raise the bar more and more and avoid problems, which are always around the corner.
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