Checkered Flag- F1 2010 Review

While F1 Racing doesn’t evoke the same level of zeal in Americans as it does for our European counterparts, notions are changing. Despite the mislaid hopes of a U.S. F1 Team competing this year, the prospect of a multimillion dollar facility being built in Austin, Texas has many race fans riding a wave of optimism. As a harbinger of hope, driving sim-darlings Codemasters have blessed now-gen owners with one of the first games to truly capture the experience of piloting a 1,367 pound, carbon-fiber composite vehicle at speeds up to 220 miles per hour. While players who don’t know a diffuser from a monocoque might be better off in the uncomplicated underpasses of Paradise City, serious petrol-heads will be charmed by the meticulous aspirations of the Codies.

Following a template laid by GRID and the Dirt series, F1 2010 offers more than just a series of barebones Gran Prix competitions for players to compete in. From the game’s commencement, where basic player information is gathered from the prospective of a press conference, it’s clear that he title seeks to offer more than just impassioned competitions on the tarmac- F1 aims to reconstruct the habitually intense politics of the sport. The player’s base of operation is the paddock, where a three, five, or seven year career is dutifully plotted by an agent, race engineer, teammate and driver.

With a handful of preconfigured vehicle setups for apprentices, and a myriad of tweakable variables for gearheads, players can easily vanish within  F1’s car customization component. From adjusting downforce ratios, tire pressures, gear boxes, and brake settings, aspiring engineers can wring every last bit of performance, or prime their vehicles for an imminent instance of inhospitable weather. Once it’s time to hit the track, players may vary the length of the competition- from an abbreviated twenty percent race to a complete sector-for-sector simulation. Practice laps and qualifying runs are customizable also, allowing eager drivers to jump right into a match.

Regrettably, F1 2010 forgoes a tutorial, substituting multiple difficulties along with a host of driving aids which can be toggled. At the easiest setting, players can keep the throttle depressed incessantly, as the AI devotedly dutifully maintains a suitable speed through every chicane. Ratchet up the difficulty setting, and gamers must be mind-numbingly diligent, lest an errant over-acceleration sends then careening toward the gravel. Herein lies F1 greatest admonishment- at lower difficulties, races grow tedious from the extensive automation, while the elevated challenges requite a imposing commitment from players. Even the obvious solution of gradually turning off each assist, compels gamers to unremitting dedication. Regardless of challenge level, F1 forces players to make the decisions which can drastically affect the outcome of a race- from when to pit to stretching out a set of tires for a few final laps. Cleverly, Dirt and GRID’s time-rewinding ability makes a return, allowing racers to expunge a vehicle demolishing crash.

Despite the sporadic framerate drop when a full fleet of cars is on-screen, F1 2010 offers a number of extravagant visual flourishes. Beyond the title’s fastidious car renders, the game’s range of nineteen course showcases a range of graphical effects. From the floodlights which illuminate Singapore’s night race to the radiant glow given by Abu Dhabi’s setting sun, the title skillfully accentuates each track’s hallmark features. Ominous cloud formation occasionally let loose with the wet stuff, filling player’s helmets with realistic droplets and creating obscuring rooster trail’s in each opponent’s wake. Aurally, Codemasters nailed the distinctive whine of a 18,000 RPG V8 engine being pushed to its thresholds. Some gamers will be disappointed by the lack of in-race commentary.

Between an array of skill levels, multitude of driving aids, and fully customizable off- and online races, F1 2010 offers one of the most adaptable racing experiences in recent memory. Regardless of the layer of depth players strive for, an indisputable appreciation for Formula One racing is a requisite for entry. For gamers who meet that qualification, F1 2010 represents the current pinnacle of FIA console simulation.