F1 2010 | Review

Synopsis: Codemasters has just released their recent racer, F1 2010, putting us in the cockpit of F1 race cars and working our way through its extensive career mode, so I figured after spending all weekend listening to the sounds of car engines and getting hit with penalties that it was time to put the controller down and complete my review for our devoted viewers before more racing. Along with licensed tracks, cars, and drivers, this release also features an advanced damage model and dynamic weather system. With no further delay, it is time to put on your helmets, make sure your car is tuned, and get ready to work your way through the ranks of the 2010 Formula One World Championship.

Praise: As a fan of the genre and Codemasters’ DiRT and GRiD titles I had nothing but high hopes for their recent addition to the racing genre. My time spent with F1 2010 was with the career mode, which starts with picking a racing team and having your agent walking you through how to make a name for yourself. This title is a LOT more technical than the GRiD and DiRT titles, which is probably the only thing I felt those titles were missing. In terms of being technical, I mean that it is almost imperative that you go through practice mode to see how your car does against the other racers and trying to earn power ups to give you that little edge over the other racers by completing laps within a specific amount of time, then moving on to qualify for a good starting position in the race. The gameplay is incredibly fast and fluid, mix that with detailed damage physics and let’s just say huge wrecks become amazing. The sounds when cranked up sound like a swarm of killer bees mixed with your mechanic in your ear telling you the status of your car and how to work your way up the ranks.

Gripes: Just like in DiRT, you will spend a good amount of time adapting to racing F1 cars from the other racing titles you are used to as these are much faster and handle tighter than the Gran Turismo or Forza races I am used to. There is also a lot of work to be done before getting into a race with the practice and qualifying, though you can skip both, but you will miss out on better starting positions and getting used to your car’s handling in different weather conditions. I am ashamed to admit this but the first few races, brake assist was necessary to get used to the car, other racers, and to see where braking is most beneficial, which almost felt like cheating but proved to be beneficial without taking too much from the gameplay. Lastly, be careful as you get penalized when cutting corners and causing accidents. Don’t get me wrong as I feel more racing titles should do this, but it is way too easy to get penalized, however, I was lucky enough to get by with warnings on occasion.

Overall, this is a title the hardcore race fans should have in their library because it is a solid racer with a good amount of depth and because there are very few Formula One titles out there, none the less good ones. Though it does take longer to get into a race than I would like, once you get to the race, with a loud stereo, and first person view is the closest you can get to the real thing without actually being there.

Mashbuttons.com gives F1 2010 an 8 out of 10.

F1 2010 is available now for the Xbox 360, PC, and PlayStation 3.