Formula 1 2010 is just out and here are my thoughts on my first three hours of playing the game.
The release of a new and officially sanctioned Formula 1 game was something I looked forward to with great anticipation, but also with a little trepidation because it was the first time that I made the leap into favouring a console racing game over a PC version.
The difficulty any racing game developer faces is being able to satisfy both the fans of serious race simulations and those who want to just dip-in and have some fun, and in that regard this game is the best I have come across to satisfy both groups.
The game’s options include single player career and time trial while there is of course the multiplayer mode for online and lan. In my first few hours I had a go at career, time trial and online modes.
First up, I was immediately impressed by the realism of the controls given that I wasn’t using a steering wheel but a Dualshock 3 controller. Having been disappointed with the feel of Grand Turimso, this was indeed a very nice surprise. I have long been a racing simulator fan going back even before classic PC games such as Grand Prix Legends and have for the last few years been a great fan of rFactor. These games very much have their focus on realism and offer little for the arcade style gamer. Formula 1 2010 offers a subtlety in steering that is necessary for realism and the use of analogue acceleration and breaking also makes it possible to use the more advanced modes (with less or no traction control) without having a steering wheel. I have had various wheels for years but haven’t bought one for Playstation because of the difficulties in mounting one for use in my living room.
By the way this is apparently the first multi-platform Formula 1 game, being available on PC, Xbox Wii, PSP and Playstation 3.
The game begins in the paddock, from where you can review your driving contracts, enter a season or access other games modes such as time trial or multiplayer. Initially in career mode the top echelon of teams aren’t available and you choose from the lesser ranked teams with the aim of finishing 10th in your first season. At the beginning of the season you choose your difficulty level and other options such as race lengths; the default is 10 percent of actual race distance.
The release date for the game is interesting in as much that by September the majority of the 2010 season is over but as it turns out the late release is a bonus. How many games in the past in any sporting arena have you bought only to find out that the favoured performing teams are no longer at the top of their game later in the season. This way Codemasters have got it spot on about which teams should be highly ranked.
The graphic are stunning, particularly the effects for rain in wet weather races where you can actually see the droplets on the driver’s helmet if you opt for the cockpit view. Views can be easily changed on the fly during racing.
Once you enter any race mode, you are taken to the pits where you then have options for your engineer to change setups and some other options.
The multiplayer mode of this game is great fun and I particularly like the penalty system because it overcomes one of the biggest hindrances of online casual racing, the inevitable idiot who wants a crash-fest or whose lack of skill makes them a menace. Those who do the wrong thing such as drive in the wrong direction on the track, hit a competitor or just stay on the grid are subject to a range of penalties from time penalties (I coped a couple of ten second penalties for accidently running into someone) through to disqualification. This is the best system to ensure serious racing I have come across in any racing game.
Playing the game online in the very first day of its release already saw a very healthy number of real-life competitors and given that some of those had headsets I could hear their comments on the game as well as forming my own.
At this early stage I really have only two real complaints about the game given, as I have said, that it is a mass-market game and I am not viewing it fully as a true simulation. Firstly, while all of the current tracks from the 2010 Formula 1 season are included, their reproduction is not anywhere near accurate. This is an issue I have always found with mass-market games. They simplify corners and elevations to make the tracks easier to get around. Secondly, the cut-away scenes, particularly between when you leave the garage to go to the starting grid for a race, are unnecessarily long and tedious. That was one of the most common comments from online racers saying, “I just want to race”. I know this is not a programming issue because the same delay isn’t there in Time Trial mode where you have the option to start and any given sector on the track.
So in summary, a fantastic game and the best ever I have come across in satisfying both hardcore racing simulator fans and the average gamer.
As for the transition to serious racing console gaming? Time will tell. If it becomes obvious that a wheel is a distinct advantage or I continue with the aching hands after three hours of playing on a normal controller I might be off to also buy the PC version.
- Formula 1 2010
- Developer: Codemasters
- Released: September 23 (Australia), September 22 (US and Europe)
- PC, Xbox Wii, PSP and Playstation 3
- My ranking: 9/10.
