Lounge
F1 24 review: Formula 1’s latest video game needs more drive to survive
Summary
‘F1 24’ is still the best video game when it comes to racing titles but needs to go up an extra gear to reinvent itself completelyThree years before the launch of the new F1 24 game, EA Sports introduced ‘Braking Point’, a story mode featuring fictional and real drivers, in F1 21. You played through animated cutscenes of sweeping victories, bitter rivalries and all the glamour-stricken shebang from the world of Formula 1 with a customised character.
Much like Fifa’s ‘The Journey’ story mode from 2017-19, F1’s equivalent attempt at crafting an engaging deep dive into the pinnacle of motorsport had its shortcomings too. It wasn’t the most interactive or well-animated, and the set outcomes would feel too restrictive. But it had the same strength—it made a reiterative game series feel fun.
Last year, the ‘Braking Point’ mode was discontinued, which means that this year, F1 24 must stand on its own feet. All you get is pure racing. This also means that EA risked taking the series all the way back to what F1 2020 was. Thankfully, that’s not the case here.
Enter, the drivers
The biggest change in F1 24 comes in career mode. You can now drive as any of the actual 20 racers on the F1 grid this year and go on a multi-season racing journey. For the first time, you can be Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and take on Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, the reigning F1 world champion.
If you want a more strife-laden experience, you can choose to be one of the non-superstar drivers in a lower-ranked team, or a former legend in a clearly-slower car—such as Fernando Alonso inside the Aston Martin.
Also read: Gaming round-up: Fantasy, apocalypse and spirit animals
This makes a big difference in many ways. For one, you are addressed directly by your first name in commentary, and you also get a select number of radio responses between yourself and your team engineer in certain scenarios, while playing the game. Creating your own fictional avatar doesn’t quite have the same effect—even if you can start at Formula 2 and hustle your way up the ladder. It’s also more fun within the game to finally hand Lewis Hamilton his eighth championship, or Leclerc his first.
Gameplay experience
The resulting experience is a mixed bag—there are streaks of fun, but it isn’t exactly the most interactive or open-world. For instance, racing as Alonso, inarguably a legend of the sport, feels too much like racing like just about anyone else. You don’t get too many easter eggs, which could have been included, such as any signature radio calls from Alonso’s career. You also don’t get a whole lot of interactivity—you can’t walk around and interact with crew members inside the pit, media interactions are lacking despite roving victories, and there is a general lack of immersion that you so dearly want, but don’t get with F1 24.
Make no mistake—F1 24 is a top-notch video game. In fact, as far as racing titles go, it is perhaps the absolute best in the world right now, or at least on a par with Forza’s latest title. EA claims that it has improved the game dynamics to make the car’s handling more stable. You will only feel this if you are a pro at the F1 franchise and have mastered it enough to switch off most of the assists.
With the assists on, the finer elements make little difference. For instance, even when you are pushed to better manage your tyre health, you know that you will make it to the chequered flag without much hassle. Not unless you turn up the difficulty level and have rivals breathing down your neck.
F1 24 also retains the old favourites, which includes ‘My Team’—where you can build your own F1 team, join the grid as newbies with a base car, and work your way up to the top of the constructor’s table. If you’re regular at gaming and are invested in the world of Formula 1, My Team continues to be engaging, especially if you wish to get involved in the finest aspects of running a team. There’s also the F1 ‘Challenge Career’ mode that puts you in mini career scenarios that you must complete.
Proving its greatness
To be sure, F1 24 continues to be a superb video game. It is great for Formula 1 geeks who like to look into the minute details, but also equally fun if you’re a casual gamer who just wants to see Ferrari finally lift the constructor’s trophy again.
Where it does fail is in reinventing itself thoroughly. You can’t help but wonder if it’s not time already for a full-blown, immersive open-world F1 game. Surely, with generative artificial intelligence growing, preset commentary and names are passé?
That thought never leaves you through the entire game. If you already have F1 23 (or any of the titles through F1 21), does the upgrade ( ₹4,499, Xbox Series X) make any sense? The answer depends on how badly you wish to see Hamilton defeat Verstappen in the last lap to take the championship winning trophy he deserves.
A copy of F1 24 was sent by EA Sports to the author for review.
