Game Review: F1 2017

The current season of Formula 1 has seen yet another raft of dramatic rule changes.

Tyres and cars are a both a bit wider this year and the latter is a smidge heavier. There are also rules on stockpiling power units and even the livery of driver helmets.

All of these changes have been translated into the latest annualised simulation, F1 2017 the official videogame game of the FIA Formula One World Championship

This time last year we looked at the game and were impressed. Now we have good news for fans: For the 2017 iteration , developers Codemasters have expertly stepped-up most aspects.

Not so much in the visuals, but certainly in the gameplay, surrounding career mode and other options for the full Formula One immersion. We really like the career mode – while it can be cheezy at times, it is clear aspiring F1 drivers need to be involved in all aspects of team functions.

As in last year’s release, this includes preparation for an upcoming race weekend by checking out the laptop in the team camp. Then you need to work on adjusting race strategies, looking at the state of the current rivalries (apparently usually with your teammate) and be all over what the R&D department has for you.

The research and development skill tree now rivals a complex Role Playing Game (RPG) and is a marked improvement over F1 2016. Like a good RPG however, rather than allowing the player to freely select any research item to improve the performance of the car on race day, the research points required for each upgrade must first be earned.

Which again means spending time on the track, either with familiarisation programs during the practice sessions, or, in this version of the game, taking part in invitational events which are introduced during the career mode and provide unique challenges along the way to spice up an aspect which can sometimes be a little clinical and dry. These events feature classic cars and situations from the past thirty years of F1 and will provide a dramatic contrast to the driving model of modern F1 racers.

Dynamic weather is a treat to witness. Our hometown of Melbourne for example is a perfect place to explore the dark clouds which creep over Albert Park mid-race, causing a radio query from your team contemplating the timing of a pit stop for intermediate or wet tyres to combat the rain…which may or may not come. The weather strategy is very important, extremely immersive, and difficult to pull off when you’re battling to maintain pace on the road (not an ideal situation for an extended negotiation on tyre change strategies).

On-track, the modern F1 cars buzz around using a digital simulation marginally improved over the already good one in F1 2016. These cars are fun to drive (you can still tweak the “assists” to find the best model for your gaming skill level) with a more stable driving experience thanks to the wider paws of the 2017 F1 rules.

Codemasters has many years of AI development on its resume and the AI of CPU driven cars can also be tweaked to a desired challenge level. This means you will get aggressive, but be wary of the competent adversaries lining up to take you on. Thankfully they will also have bad luck at times, and make the occasional mistake, but they do represent some of the best drivers in the world so your rivals won’t often be spinning off the road.

Whilst you should really not try to test this out, collisions remain unrealistic, in our opinion (just like F1 2016). Nevertheless, as it should be, even some of the minor collisions are enough to take out your car. If you wish to correct your annoying mistakes, F1 2017 does have the option of a rewind facility.

F1 2017 is a great game for experienced or new racers alike. The new ‘Championships’ mode provides the experience of unique race events, with differing rules, which expands on the content and allows a significant amount of customisation and ‘replay-ability’. The expanded career mode is very enjoyable, and the racing equally so. In fact, if you’re successful in one season and win the driver’s championship, you will get to paste the coveted number “1” on your car for the following season.

There are also alternative track layouts to explore and a significant number of classic cars (which can be imported into multiplayer events) to drive and compare across the last three decades of F1 history.

In our opinion F1 2017 is the best game of its kind. There is content galore, with options you can take-on, ignore, or delegate to your team management. This means you can go as deep or shallow as you like and have fun on your own terms. Developing rivalries, fiddling with pit-strategies and planning R&D spend all add a significantly to just going fast on race day – without doubt an enjoyable, accessible iteration of the F1 virtual arena.