F1 22 Review (PS5)

excellent
key review info
  • Game: F1 22
  • Platform: Playstation 5
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: Yes  
  • Reviewed on:
F1 22 screenshot

Niki Lauda, Emerson Fittipaldi, Nelson Piquet, Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, and Lewis Hamilton are only some of the champions that have turned Formula 1 into a global sensation.

As the most popular racing competition on Earth, Formula 1 has millions of fans all over the world, and many of them spend way too many weekends screaming at their TVs, cheering, and hopefully celebrating the winning of another Grand Prix.

As a result, it’s not a surprise that F1 has become one of the most popular racing games out there, with every iteration being one of the most anticipated releases in the gaming world.

F1 22 makes no exception, especially because it promises such a massive overhaul.

Basically, developer Codemasters and publisher EA Sports tried to make F1 22 feel as realistic as possible, and this is why they’ve accurately reproduced all the changes that were introduced for the 2022 Formula One World Championship.

F1 22 screenshot
F1 22 screenshot
F1 22 screenshot
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The first of them is the debut of new technical regulations for cars, so Codemasters has updated the models with new physics specifically to make everything feel more real. At some level, this more or less succeeded, though, at certain times, I feel like the cars are losing their weight on the track.

The cars feel way too light, especially during hard braking, and while the feedback in the DualSense controller is generally pretty good, the lack of vehicle weight feels unusual, to say the least.

One of the biggest changes concerns the demise of the Braking Point. Introduced with so much fanfare last year, Braking Point is waving goodbye in 2022, making room for the all-new F1 Life. In theory, F1 Life is supposed to put gamers in the shoes of a real F1 driver by allowing them to explore life beyond the track.

If you play it right, you can end up unlocking a lot of stuff, such as supercars and clothing, therefore becoming a superstar just like the typical F1 driver. The concept F1 Life is based on isn’t necessarily bad, but in many ways, it actually pushes the game too far from the experience it’s supposed to provide. And this all comes down to driving.

At some level, F1 Life is supposed to keep players entertained when they get bored of the track action, but I honestly doubt it would end up becoming a major selling point anyway. It feels boring, dull, and slow, and those who are interested in jumping behind the wheel in no time are very unlikely to spend too much time buying furniture and choosing their wall design.

F1 22 screenshot
F1 22 screenshot
F1 22 screenshot
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The addition of F1 Sprint, on the other hand, is great news. You can therefore experience the adrenaline of Formula One racing without having to spend one hour and a half behind the wheel, as F1 Sprint allows you to compete in short-distance races at the Emilia-Romagna, Austrian, and Sao Paulo Grand Prix. Gamers can also enable F1 Sprint for custom modes for any race on the calendar.

As part of their attempt to make the game feel as real as possible, the developers have also included lots of track updates. And for the hardcore F1 fan, this is excellent news, as they can now race on the new Miami International Autodrome or try out the updated layouts of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Melbourne Grand Prix Circuit, and Yas Marina Circuit.

Now let’s talk gameplay.

F1 2022 isn’t by any means the typical racing sim, and for casual players, it could actually feel a little bit overwhelming. This is because the amount of information the game throws at them is huge, and unless they are already familiar with what the world of Formula One comes down to, they’ll have to spend a lot of time doing research and reading tutorials.

Truth be told, Formula One isn’t by any means a simple concept, and winning a race comes down to lots of factors, from choosing the right tires to choosing the right pit strategy, knowing precisely when to refuel, and managing the engines in a professional way.

Thankfully, F1 22 comes with lots of assists, so if you’re here just for the racing bit, you should be able to remain competitive on the track quite easily. However, the real F1 experience can only be offered when all the assists are off, at which point the game becomes not only a nightmare to master but also a super-thrilling adventure.

F1 22 also comes with adaptive AI, which means that the opposing AI will race based on the progress you make in the game. The better you get, the better your rivals are also becoming, so dominating F1 22 from one end to another isn’t by any means easy.

F1 22 screenshot
F1 22 screenshot
F1 22 screenshot
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The Good

  • New car physics system
  • Updated regulations
  • Latest circuits and track layouts
  • Adaptive AI

The Bad

  • F1 Life is boring, to say the least
  • Microtransactions

CONCLUSION

F1 22 is without a doubt one of the best titles of the year in the racing sim world. Excellent graphics that take full advantage of the PS5 hardware power, the updated regulations, the new Immersive feature that makes it possible for gamers to control their cars when the Safety Car is on the track, and the pit stop experience overall, all make the game provide an even more realistic Formula One experience.

F1 Life and microtransactions are probably the weak spots. The first is still in its early days and Codemasters and EA could further refine it in the long term, while the latter comes down to a concept that it doesn’t even deserve to be talked about.

But F1 22 is a game you need to try. Not only if you’re an avid F1 fan but also if you’re new to this world and want to discover it to the smallest bit.

Review code provided by the publisher.

story 8
gameplay 9
concept 9
graphics 9
audio 9
multiplayer 9
final rating 9
Editor's review
excellent
 
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Photo Gallery (98 Images)

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