F1 24 – Review, too slippery a start for Codemasters

F1 24 is the new game dedicated to what is considered the pinnacle of motorsport: Formula 1. This year the developers of Codemasters they decided to implement a series of innovations regarding the physics of the single-seater which differentiates it from the previous chapter. But we’re here to focus on the present, so let’s start the engines and get to the heart of the F1 24 review.

Green flag

As for the game modes, Codemasters has introduced some small innovations. Among these we see Career Challengeswhich will put you in the shoes of one of the 20 fastest drivers in the world who will have to compete offline to prove they are better than other players.

Furthermore, the Single career – like that of F1 23 – and the Career for two, in case you want to compete together with a friend or relative. But the news for Career doesn’t end with the new mode. In fact there are new implementations also with regards to the “standard” Career, if we want to call it that. Now you will have to deal with Appreciationa real reputation system that will increase or decrease based on the actions performed on and off the track.

Obviously the higher yours will be Appreciationthe easier it will be for you to advance and earn the respect of the team. Which will also allow you to have bigger opportunities with other manufacturers, if you prove to be better than your teammate, who in a certain sense will truly be your “first rival”.

A very interesting thing that is worth highlighting concerns the members of the team. In fact now you will have to also have to deal with the various members of the team which will give you tasks to do during the race weekend, you can choose which ones to do, but the important thing is to do them, so as to increase your Appreciation and also earn more Resource Points to be able to upgrade your car. Sometimes though, you might have to give up the position to your teammate. Well yes, sometimes there will also be team orders that will be given to you. Of course, nothing stops you from doing like Vettel in Red Bull, but not following them will imply a lowering of Appreciation and therefore will have negative consequences, as will not being able to complete the objectives given by the team members.

A new driving system

Codemasters has collaborated with the reigning world champion Max Verstappenfor the realization of guidance system for F1 24. In fact, the new one has been implemented in the new chapter EA SPORTS Dynamic Handling which tries to recreate the sensation that the single-seater produces and make it faithful even with the use of the controller, and we must say that this succeeded well.

Another change concerns the suspension system which aims for realism thanks to the shift of the center of gravity and weight during braking. Furthermore it weight shift of the car it is a factor that we now need to keep in mind when tackling particular curves. Last but not least, you can also manage everything yourself by adapting it to your driving style. Although regarding the brakes, and especially the steering turnsthere is something wrong. We, as well as many F1 24 fans, have realized that often to go into corners you have to almost drift, and if we take into consideration that this means burning the tyres, it’s not good during the race. It’s also true that F1 24 is not a completely realistic game because it aims for mass, but seeing a car with ground effect diagonally just because you tried to steer is something that turns everyone’s nose up, especially those who aim for competitive or eSport.

There sensation that you have pad in hand is to a rear that is always rigid except at the moment of braking, when all the weight goes forward and therefore at the moment of steering the rear moves so much that you lose it. And so it’s very difficult govern the car in these conditions. This is very serious, since it ruins the experience that is “driving a Formula 1”. The developers at Codemasters have also already started creating a solution to the problem, which should arrive in a few weeks.

Another problem that we were able to notice during our test concerns the multiplayer. As happened in F1 23, this new chapter also suffers a bit with regards to the online feature. It often happened to be on the starting grid but without the traffic lights going out for even 20 minutes, until the lobby emptied. Unfortunately this problem is repeated, and occurred many times during our tests.

As regards theimmersion of F1 24, the developers have decided to include for the first time ever the radio teams with the voices of real pilots: they are only activated upon victory or when you collide with a wall, yet they are already enough to make the experience immersive also from an audio point of view. Which has already been pushed quite a bit by sound of the car which has changed since the last chapter and varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. And what about the graphic aspect?

Finally better models

First of all it must be said that in F1 24 gods have been implemented graphic changes on the circuits, this is to be 1:1 like the real ones. In fact we can see gods rework on the Silverstone tracks And Spa-Francorchamps. Specifically, the English Grand Prix circuit has different curbs which when hit with the car feel a little more. While as regards the Belgian route we can see the most important changes in the most frightening and loved area: yes, we are referring to Eau Rouge and Raidillon which now have updated loopholes, like in the real circuit. As for other modified tracks, we see that Lusail International Circuit and Jeddah have cosmetic changes to the surrounding constructions and curbs.

The part that perhaps everyone was waiting for, however, concerns the pilot models, which have finally been updated and are definitely improved. Now everyone has their own hair and they no longer wear hats, and overall they are much more defined, both in terms of faces and in terms of suits.

Except for the multiplayer problem during our test We didn’t find any bugs or glitchesOn the contrary F1 24 it is decidedly responsive in the menus, and the track and car changes that can be made during time attacks are very quick and never fail.

All in all we can say that F1 24 is a game that displeases simulation enthusiasts and maybe he will rejoice those who prefer a much more arcade version of the game. Despite this, the developers have already announced a patch that will change the physics, and most likely they will bring it back to how it was in F1 23 (which you can read about our review here). The multiplayer problem and the issue of the car’s handling risk killing the title that many were waiting for, given how well the previous chapter went. We can’t do anything but wait for the update and see what happens, but for now the situation isn’t the most rosy. Especially if we consider that Codemasters I had promised a step forward as far as simulation and making everything much more realistic.