F1 2011

Sky+ was the best thing that ever happened to my dad. He’s a big F1 fan, and would routinely get up in the wee hours of the morning to watch qualifying sessions and races taking place in far off locations. The ability to record the races and watch them as soon as he got up (avoiding the newspapers to prevent spoilers) was huge for him. With the release of F1 2011, I wondered if this new generation F1 game would make the sport more enjoyable for me, a fairly middling fan at best.

The first thing to note is that this is not an arcade racer. F1 2011 is as unforgiving as the real thing, braking a few dozen feet early or late can cost you big time. If you’re into Need For Speed, Burnout or Split Second, then this game will be a sizeable change of pace. Where the joys of those games and their ilk is drifting around corners, sliding carelessly into fellow racers and slamming them off the road, F1 2011 only punishes your for that. As a simulation, it feels great. Concentration is key as you try and keep your speed high through hairpins and chicanes. The game gives you the now standard assists unless you turn them off. Racing lines and ABS keep the game fun for players that like a challenge but don’t want to be punished brutally. You can make the game as easy or as hard as you want it to be, which is excellent.

The game is visually stunning. I never thought I’d ever enjoy driving in the rain, but the way the rain sprays onto the camera and leaves droplets that seem to react to the force acting upon the car is nothing short of breathtaking. Tracks are gorgeously realised, cars look pretty photo-realistic. Codemasters have done a hell of a job in creating a visual treat, making driving around tracks a digital sightseeing trip. As if to further the immersion, the high pitch squealing of a Formula 1 engine is perfectly captured. A little too perfectly if your sound is up too high, so much so it might be worth Codemasters’ while to buy stock in Anadin. Voice acting, where present, is passable, but really seems unimportant overall.

If you’ve ever played a racing simulation game like this before, you’ll know what to expect in terms of game modes, and that is the bare minimum. There’s no drift racing or points multipliers, no crash modes or dream tracks. Just pure, undiluted racing, which is great. Online modes are simple and effective. It’s a good package all round.

F1 2011 wont be suitable for all. For newcomers to the genre, it has a steep learning curve, and doesn’t hold your hand or help you much up that steep, steep hill. However, the feeling of joy when you nail a tricky corner and shave a few tenths of a second off your lap time is a strong one, and worthy of any gamers time.