F1 2017 Review: Hyper-Realistic Race Sim Plays Like An RPG

Formula 1 is regarded as the pinnacle of motorsports, aggressively advancing technology and engineering to make the fastest drivers in the world push even faster. Yet despite the association, not many people would consider Codemasters’ F1 series as the pinnacle of racing games. That said, F1 2017 goes a very long way to change that.

GRAPHICS

Codemasters' F1 games are always a pleasure to look at, and the car, track and weather rendering are simply top notch. The colors are vibrant and 2017 team liveries all have great designs (the pink Force Indias are my favorite by far).

F1 2010 was also one of the first games to pioneer raindrops dotting the screen, even obscuring everything in front of you if you're behind the rooster tail of another car. These details do so much to elevate your heart rate and make F1 2017 a thrilling challenge. Real-time weather changes also mean you could see puddles of water getting larger or racing lines drying up.

However, F1 2017’s character models could use major improvements. Animations, from blinking eyes to walking motion, all feel robotic and dated, while facial details are poorly blended. It's a minor hitch, but it keeps the game from feeling fully immersive.

DRIVING EXPERIENCE

Formula 1’s previous “narrow wing” aero regulations went largely unchanged from 2009 to 2016, but the 2017 season brought a lot of changes to the sport – the cars now have bigger aerodynamic elements to generate greater downforce and wider tires for more mechanical grip. In turn, the 2017 cars are also much quicker than those from 2016. In fact, considering Codemasters only started its F1 series in 2010, F1 2017 represents the fastest cars and the most significant change to the franchise yet.

Playing on the PlayStation 4 with a Logitech G29, the new 2017 Force India VJM10 not only feels realistic, but also extremely buttoned down and confidence-inspiring to drive. The extra width of the rear tires allows better grip in fast sweeping turns and much less slip when accelerating out of slow corners. Depending on whether or not you’re a beginner or a hardcore pro, F1 2017 also offers a slew of preset driving aids you can toggle on and off, or adjust on a slider for varying levels of assistance.

Also returning to F1 2017 are a selection of classic icons from Formula 1’s storied history, from Sebastian Vettel’s “Luscious Liz” 2010 Red Bull RB6 to Ayrton Senna’s legendary 1988 McLaren MP4/4. Each car represents the best from every era of Formula 1 and offers an exceptionally unique experience. Adapting your coordination and visual references can be a frustrating, but also thrilling, challenge. Simpler aero and big power cause the MP4/4 to like to move around, making it a raw handful compared to the more modern racing cars. And when you step into the powerful V10 Ferrari F2004, the scenery passes much more rapidly – not only will its speed require lightning reflexes to properly hit your apexes, but it also unfortunately brings back the screen tearing issues that plagued the series in the past. These F1 cars are truly faster than what your GPU can render. Still, it doesn’t happen as often as it used to and isn’t nearly as annoying.

GAMEPLAY

What also makes the driving and racing experience great in F1 2017 is the intelligence of the A.I. You’re not racing against a parade of robots in single file, nor will you be punted off the track by threads of computer code that stick to the racing line. Instead, the A.I. drive like seasoned vets, leaving you room, but only just enough, to battle for position. And when you make a mistake, like missing a braking point or selecting the wrong gear, you can bet Lewis Hamilton or Daniel Ricciardo will look for opportunities to pounce.

Speaking of mistakes, F1 2017 will make you pay for your driving errors in more ways than one. In career mode, it’s important to consider a season as a whole instead of simply completing a race at a time. When a wreck ends your weekend, well, that’s racing. But when you’re in the lead and an engine failure ends your race, that’s motorsport.

The 2017 season of Formula 1 limits teams to just four power units per season. What’s more, F1 2017 forbids gearbox changes fewer than six races apart. Failure to oblige will result in grid penalties that will make your next Grand Prix weekend that much more difficult. For every engine unit over the limit or every premature gearbox change, the team will receive a grid penalty in the next race.

What this means is you're driving with two conflicting goals in mind – to drive aggressively to win a race and to drive conservatively to preserve the life of your car. F1 2017's HUD allows you to toggle a thorough menu that indicates tire wear, aero damage, component temperature, and also shows in percentages just how close engine and gearbox components are to critical failure. Catalunya was particularly heartbreaking, when my turbo charger failed just two laps before race finish.

Your team gives you the opportunity to improve both your driving skill and the reliability of your car. During practice sessions, your team will introduce several objectives to complete, from track acclimatization, tire management, fuel saving, qualifying pace and race strategy. Not only will tire and fuel management teach you how to drive with care, but completing these team objectives will earn resource points to invest in research and development to improve both speed and reliability as the season progresses. It's no longer OK to skip sessions for a quicker weekend – every moment of track time counts.

VERDICT

Incredible graphics and intuitive driving and handling characteristics are enough to allow F1 2017 to measure up against any racing game on the market, but F1 offers so much more. It's almost unfair to call F1 2017 a racing sim because it's practically a racing RPG.

Any damage I sustain at Australia or any R&D I fail to accomplish at Sochi will bite me in the ass come Monaco. Talent to become the fastest around any racetrack isn't enough to win championships – you must be smooth and considerate to your hardware too.

Think you're championship material? Play F1 2017 and find out where you stand after Abu Dhabi. The road to success will be bumpy, so you better bring your A-game.