EA Sports F1 24 review: A top podium finish for a race game packed with F1 stars

Electronic Arts really have doubled down on the authenticity with this year’s F1 game.

But developer Codemasters haven’t forgotten that, between all the tyre and gear tweaks, the authentic ‘feel’ of the engines and the desire for track recreation perfection, players still expect a video game.

And the resulting title here is a great mix of realistic immersion with still, very much, a gamer’s game to enjoy at the heart of it.

The makers have spent a lot of time this year reimagining in particular F1’s career mode.

Now we can access the world’s 20 best racers, instantly recognisable faces like Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton, and take them on our personal single-player journey through the F1 Grand Prix circuit.

This means creating our own high-octane moments, thrills and stories, all feeling as if we’re actually part of the racing that we can only dream of when watching it on telly at weekends.

Players can race as their hero and build on their existing stats and reputation by meeting certain contracted targets.

You can now race as one of 20 recognisable real-life stars

You can even play with a pal in two-player, either as teammates on the same team like Mercedes or as rivals on different teams to build a true Ford vs Ferrari-like rivalry.

It’s visually impressive, these in-game characters do look just like the real thing and their cars are all shiny and lifelike thanks to the Xbox Series X and PS5 console powerhouses really being put to task.

Work has also gone on to rebuild and improve several tracks in the game, including Silverstone and Spa, to make them look even more like the real things when you’re pounding the tarmac at super speed.

At their best, these tracks become the stars of the game, forcing you to really learn every nook and cranny, turn and twist, to come out on top in a race.

Gameplay is fun.

And that’s as big a compliment as I can give to a race game like this.

Because too many modern racers become all about the minutiae that they can sometimes forget that what most gamers want at the heart of any title, is an enjoyable-to-play video game.

In career mode, it’s all about winning and building your heroes’ reputation

It’s an absolute joy to belt around recognisable race tracks, feeling the rumble and kickback in the PS5 DualSense controller giving out all of its Haptic Feedback loveliness.

The wheel shudders in your hands as you stray accidentally onto gravel during a tight turn, and when you’re on a straight, and those engines are really purring, the thunder of the road beneath your motor is right there, purring in your palms too.

It’s fantastic and all down to what EA describes as it’s new ‘dynamic handling’ control revamp.

In a nutshell that’s a giant physics and handling upgrade under the gaming bonnet which means how you drive massively affects your predictability and performance across a season.

Different tyres, suspensions, they all affect how the car and its weight distribution feels in your hands as you play.

Add in authentic weather effects, like hot sunny days or torrential rains, and every time you take to the track you’ll find yourself with a unique combination of elements to battle.

You can slide into genuine slipstream pockets when stalking a leader and add in settings like ‘Hotlap’ and a more aggressive ‘Overtake’ mode when you feel tactically it’s time to push for the win.

There are 24 tracks all in with four given an overhaul this year.

You can even race in good old split-screen against a pal

To double down on the realism the series introduces hundreds of real-life audio driver samples which are delivered FC24-style in-game to mark key moments in a race.

If you love a challenge, you can now start your career off in F2, like many of the current F1 grid racers. All the Formula 2 2023 teams and liveries are in the game at launch.

There’s obviously a load of multiplatform online race options via MyTeam and the FanZone Championship as well as good old two-player split-screen for couch co-op with a pal, which is very much welcomed in this always-online era.

This is the racing equivalent of EA Sport’s not-Fifa football franchise FC24.

It now delivers all the same realism, audio and visual fidelity while also never losing sight that it’s a good video game that will keep players coming back for more.

Hit the road with F1 24 and you won’t be disappointed.

It tops the podium for Formula One games.

VERDICT 4.5/5

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