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F1 22 review: new generation of cars brings fresh challenges for gamers
Esports
The F1 22 game introduces the new era of F1 cars, with new features including challenges in supercars and VR compatibility
Formula 1’s latest generation of cars is finally due to be unleashed for gamers, with the official F1 22 title due for release on July 1.
The review copies have been sent out and we’ve spent extensive hours poking around the much-anticipated release.
As well as modelling entirely new F1 machines, the game also incorporates the new Miami circuit, adds more manual control to pitstops and offers supercars to race.
There’s also a new customisable F1 Life hub that holds your trophies and supercars, which can be viewed by other players.
F1 22 gives a clearer indication of how the franchise is developing now that developer Codemasters has been acquired by Electronic Arts, which also had input into last year’s game. The influence is more obvious, not least with the name. Where it was previously F1 2021, the game now has a FIFA-like F1 22 title.
The work needed to add the new cars means that ‘Breaking Point’ has itself taken a break for this year. The story mode, where fans got to play as rookie Aiden Jackson as he embarked on his F1 career after stepping up from F2, was a headline addition last year but has been made a biannual feature.
So with all of this and more, have the creators managed to create the most authentic F1 experience to date?
Click here to jump to each section
• F1 Life
• Career/My Team
• Gameplay
• Visuals and graphics
F1 Life
F1 22 features the introduction of supercars which players can take to the track
Being the social hub, this is the new player lobby that fans will be greeted with.
Players can create an avatar, choose their casual and race wear and, if they don’t want to get straight into the action, edit the apartment furniture that will be seen in the background with the character relaxing on the sofa.
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Players can also buy supercars for their apartment garage with the choices being the following:
- Aston Martin DB11 V12
- Aston Martin Vantage F1 Edition
- Aston Martin Vantage Safety Car
- Ferrari F8 Tributo
- Ferrari Roma
- McLaren Artura
- McLaren 720S
- Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series
- Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series Safety Car
- Mercedes-AMG GT R Pro
The supercars are not just for show and can be driven on-track via the new Pirelli Hot Laps feature, where fans can receive tokens in order to buy more supercars for the apartment.
The other items, like clothing, furniture and more, can be earned by completing in-game challenges, levelling up in the Podium Pass, as well as from the in-game store.
F1 Life can also serve as a Multiplayer lobby, where players will be able to view their friends’ avatars and hubs. It won’t be enthusiastically received by everyone but is more interesting than the same old basic main menu and gives more personality to players’ avatars.
Career/My Team
EA and Codemasters have opted against developing the career modes too much. After playing both ‘Driver Career’ and ‘My Team’, it all has a very similar feeling to its predecessor.
Starting with the former, players can choose to either start in F2 for the 2021 season, or go straight to F1 for 2022. The same process applies where players choose a team to race for. If they opt to start in F2, the player also decides which academy to sign with.
Next comes the usual saga of picking a team-mate and the career menu, when in F1, all has the same feel in terms of research and development, messages, standings and facilities and so on.
Players are greeted with various Will Buxton cameos and when on-track, fans can do the usual practice programmes like fuel and tyre management, in order to earn acclaim.
While there aren’t really any differences to ‘Driver Career’, ‘My Team’ comes with a few new additions to keep it fresh.
Firstly, a player can choose an entry point for their team depending on how much of a challenge they would like.
The three options are:
- Newcomer – tight resources and is expected to build before challenging for points.
- Midfield challenger – moderate resources and is expected to regularly challenge for points.
- Championship contender – wealthy resources and is expected to challenge with the likes of Ferrari and Red Bull straight away.
The same applies where you choose your driver avatar, as well as signing different sponsors, selecting a team name and creating the car livery.
As before, players must choose one of the existing power units in F1, with the choices and stats being the following:
Ferrari
- Performance – 95
- Durability – 97
Mercedes
- Performance – 90
- Durability – 90
Red Bull
- Performance – 90
- Durability – 81
Renault
- Performance – 83
- Durability – 82
Remember, all of this must be done while sticking to a budget so the stronger the power unit, the more expensive it is.
Meanwhile, the final task is signing a team-mate who, once again, is rated in terms of experience, race craft, awareness, pace and focus.
The team-mate will be with the player for the first half of the season and then midway through, they can either be re-signed for the remainder of the year, or be displaced for a more experienced figure.
If one has the regular edition of the game, then the choices of team-mate are all rookies including the likes of Dan Ticktum, Marcus Armstrong or Christian Lundgaard.
However, buying the F1 22 Champions Edition gives the player a few more options at a greater price.
This includes earlier access to the game while in terms of ‘My Team’, they are rewarded with the option of icons. It allows players to sign a legend of the sport as their team-mate like Michael Schumacher, Ayrton Senna or Alain Prost.
However, EA have added more options to that for this year’s edition with players now able to sign Jacques Villeneuve, Mark Webber or Nico Hülkenberg.
As before, fans can also play a driver career with a friend alongside but online access is required.
All in all, the various career modes on this year’s edition are very similar to 2021, but that should not stop fans from still having a good time because they are a very solid part of the game.
Gameplay
The F1 game will now be Virtual Reality compatible for PC players
This season’s new generation of F1 cars, which perform significantly differently, have forced EA to focus on gameplay for F1 22.
It doesn’t take long to discover that you can truly feel the difference between racing last year’s cars on the 2021 game and the current machines in the new game.
Perhaps the most notable change is how sensitive the car is when exiting a corner. Hit the throttle too hard, too soon and the car will pitch into oversteer and be sent spinning.
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You’ll also need to adapt your race starts, as the rear tyres are much more willing to spin up if you’re not maintaining optimal revs before lights out.
But like Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren, you shouldn’t let the need to adjust your style put you off because, in general, the gameplay is better than last year and also features a couple of new, quite cool features.
Firstly, pit-stops are manual which makes the game more immersive, at the cost of a three-second time penalty for exceeding the speed limit.
When entering the pit lane, first slow down to the limit and then a countdown will appear to indicate how close you are to your pitbox. As close to zero as possible, press ‘A’ [Xbox], or ‘X’ [Playstation] to turn in.
While stopped, the player must engage the clutch and keep up the revs, before speeding up again at the end of the pit lane and remembering not to cross the white line at the pit exit.
The game also features the addition of the Miami International Autodrome which should prove a hit. With fun high-speed twists and turns, it could become a favourite amongst F1 fans, even though the circuit is slightly let down by the very slow end to sector two.
Finally, the F1 Sprint has finally been added to the game, adding another dimension – especially when playing career mode.
Visuals and graphics
The 2021 edition marked a big step up in the visuals department because it was the first game available for PS5/Xbox Series S/X, and EA has continued with that improvement because the new cars look amazing on F1 22.
Very life-like, the game makers have managed to capture the various elements of these new cars whether it’s the revised rear-wing, the different noses teams have opted for, or the 18-inch wheels.
In addition, track surfaces look more weathered, standing water is easier to pick out, and the kerbs are incredibly realistic where if too much is taken, your lap could be ruined.
But, no, fans will not be able to see cars porpoising on the game.
Other than that, it is all quite similar to the excellent F1 2021, which counts as a success: EA and Codemasters have not ruined the game.
Although this year’s edition is likely to take more getting used to than others, thanks to elements such as the tougher race starts, players should quickly find themselves enjoying the game
It doesn’t feel like that full sim-racing experience, nor is it meant to, but if you’re a fan of F1 2021 then you’re unlikely to regret buying this improved version.
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