This is almost certainly the best F1 game from the development team thus far, and a real step up from last year. Codemasters has finally hit its stride in the racing genre, with some quality racing sim titles such as this and [i]Dirt Rally[/i].
After a very disappointing entry last year, Codemasters has gone back to the drawing board with F1 2016. In a similar fashion to what was done with Dirt Rally, they’ve taken on board the feedback of the community and set about crafting an experience that focuses on both simulation and immersion. Many of the features that were stripped out in F1 2015 have been resurrected, plus a few extras.
Firstly, it’s a welcome relief to see that the career mode has made a return after it was inexplicably culled last year. Giving the player a gaming experience that spans 10 seasons, it allows for some light RPG elements with rivalries, changing teams each year (or even mid-season), and an overarching goal of becoming world champion. Starting in one of the bottom teams and working your way up year-on-year is a reflection of the mechanics of the actual sport, and I’m really glad to see this back.
Another returning feature is the safety car, but Codemasters wasn’t content to stop there. The virtual safety car system introduced to the real sport by the FIA last year has also been applied, and for the first time the formation lap and manual race starts have been added. These all work together to really immerse the player in a race weekend, and the fans of the sport will no doubt love this attention to detail.
