The delivery of F1 2022 was especially exciting for me since my reviews of the installments of 2020 Y 2021 gave clear indications that Codemasters was on a very hot roll with this IP and that this year’s delivery, in conjunction with the changes to the vehicles in the Formula 1promised to be something challenging, different, fresh…
In more ways than one this is fulfilled to perfection and F1 2022 gets as exciting as the current season of motorsport. Although with clear opportunities for improvement.
The glamorous life of the driver
The first thing that jumps out at you is that breaking pointthe story mode that fulfilled and attracted many interested last year, unfortunately it is out of this installment. In its place is now F1 Life, a virtual hub showcasing some of your achievements, super cars from your collection and decorative elements that at first impression seem somewhat out of place in a game like this.
It is always nice to have customization options both in your avatar and clothing and even the background screen of the menusbut it is not something that I would have put as a first experience as soon as you load the game for the first time.
A perfectly oiled machine
The one that does come back is MyTeama kind of career mode in which not only are you in charge of driving in the Grand Prix of the season, but you can also take care of other aspects of a team such as research and development to make improvements to your vehicle, finances and sponsorships.
It is a mode that could be somewhat repetitive and that even made me lazy to start (especially if you prefer to start in F2 and climb) but fortunately this time an option has been added to start as a solid team with strong finances and already in the top of the rankings, which provides a new experience by not trying to go from bottom to top but to stay on the podium as much as possible.
The rest of the experience, including online modes, is similar to previous years. Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing, but it will certainly be very familiar.
Behind the wheel in F1 2022
What really had me bordering on morbidly curious was how the championship changes were going to be reflected in this simulation game. It’s hard to imagine right? Professional drivers have been exploring the limits of new cars with bigger and therefore heavier wheels and a distinctly different center of gravity.
This being a simulator, differences in the physics of the game were expected and boy do they exist. Beginners or not so experienced will be able to find a comfortable experience in a couple of hours. It’s the veterans, those of us who spend on expensive wheels and setups, who have it the hardest this time.
Ironic, but muscle memory plays against F1 2022. And it’s not that the handling is bad or inferior. Of course the cars feel slower at first (as expected) but in general I have had to be more cautious when taking the most complex corners and in games where I increase the difficulty of the artificial intelligence. Managing other aspects like my tires has also been something that requires a little more concentration compared to past years.
speaking of the AI, this one behaves much better in the lower levels, for beginners, and maintains a much better balance between pursuit and collision avoidance allowing the less experienced to have a clean race without much problem. I thought it was something worth mentioning here.
The key to F1 2022 is stability
I am happy to report that during my trial period of F1 2022, is one of the most stable games of the genre that I have come across so far. Zero crashes, graphical or technical bugs, a smooth gaming experience whether you favor frames or image quality. An impeccable technical work on the part of Codemasters Y EA (of course with a day 1 patch already applied).
The tracks in the game are faithfully represented, including the recently added Miami International Speedway. And graphical quality is maintained throughout, even on those weird podium animations.
The audio section also faithfully represents the sounds of the track; the roar of the engines, the turning of the tires and the ambient sound of each of the circuits. In this aspect: impeccable.
in constant improvement
F1 2022 it’s not a perfect game. At the beginning of this review I mentioned the customization options but its limited options remain. Once again my avatar and I do not share anything other than the name even F1Life it’s pretty limited in its options, thus justifying purely aesthetic elements locked behind a real-life currency cost.
The inclusion of a Season Pass is already almost mandatory in the middle of 2022. The good news is that in this first pass of the season there does not seem to be something unmissable or obligatory for fans of the franchise. And even if you decide to unlock it, the pace at which you advance in level is very appropriate and relaxed. I haven’t felt pressured at any time to continue it or rest the game for a day or two knowing that I have time to recover.
Should you buy F1 2022?
If you are every weekend waiting for the Big prize in turn or even if you are curious about the sport both in the real world and in the virtual one, give it to yourself. It is the most polished and fresh experience of the franchise in recent years. And a graphic and technical treat regardless of your level of experience or how much you love a video game.
There will be modes that you skip and it’s perfect. Because at the end of the day there is something for everyone here and you will undoubtedly have the good time you are looking for with a fair level of challenge online or offline.
I don’t think that F1Life I’m going to be back next year, but with the gameplay foundations here the future certainly paints a checkered flag for F1 in the near future.
We played F1 2022 on Xbox Series X with a code provided by an EA representative in our region.
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