F1 2022 Review - How Much Has Changed?

The newest entry into the F1 series has now been released for all platforms, and with the Grand Prix at Silverstone this weekend, there is a lot for F1 fans to look forward to. But today we are going to focus on Codemaster’s newest release.

How is the Gameplay Loop?

The typical issue you get with yearly releases like F1 or FIFA is repetitiveness. Mainly when it comes to the gameplay loop. And with F1 2022, this problem remains. The gameplay loop is the same as the previous entries, and this isn’t much of a surprise. Though it may be impossible to change the gameplay concept, it is a shame to see that the game reuses a lot of the same mechanics, animations, and maps that we have seen over the last few years. The changes introduced to F1 2022 are very limited, but those that are made are quite good. And we will get into this now.

Performance Improvements

My biggest praise has got to go performance-wise. F1 2022, especially when compared to its predecessors, feels a lot more responsive and more dynamic. The cars in this game feel like they stick to the ground rather than flying all over the place. The handling and suspension of the vehicles are both great changes that help improve the gameplay from the moment you start playing. Veterans of the game series will instantly notice this change for sure. And it is something to be happy with as the gameplay feels smooth and far better to handle.

Easy to Get Into

New players will have to get used to this change, but the accessibility features that have been added make it very easy to get into the game without missing a beat. This includes a variety of options like a difficulty slider for the AI, damage levels and more. All of which are very easy to follow. And if you don’t want to use the difficulty slider, adaptive AI is a very good addition here also. The new adaptive AI feature works quite well, automatically adjusting the AI speed between races to match your skill level. It’s a nice touch and certainly keeps you on your toes at all points.

MyTeam and MyDriver

MyTeam and MyDriver also made a return, and they are fine. They have all the racing you know and love, along with a lot of key decision-making and new budget options that are a nice small addition. But like with the rest of this game, it doesn’t have much change to it. If you enjoyed these modes in the previous games, you will more than likely enjoy them here. Braking Point doesn’t make a return to F1 2022, but I am fine with that because it felt a bit weak in F1 2021 and doesn’t have much of a place in the series.

The Downsides

And back to my complaints. A very quick one, but quite important. There is only one new map in the game. The rest are all returning and slightly improved to look a bit better. Which is quite disappointing all around.

F1 Life

F1 Life is a completely useless mode from what I have seen so far. Everyone just has the same stuff from the game. If you are unaware of what F1 life is, it is essentially a mode where you can visit other people’s hubs and see what they have. This could be anything from cars to clothing. But this is completely useless because most players are going to have the same cars anyway. F1 Life feels more like a mode designed to display what microtransactions you’ve paid for rather than adding any sort of entertainment. And that is just bad to see.

Customising

This brings me to another complaint and that is the customisation options when it comes to vehicles. It’s essentially the same as the last game. There is very limited customisation when it comes to the car liveries and other parts. Customisation is very limited for characters as well but that plays so little part in the game that I don’t even know why I have even bothered mentioning it. If you have played one of the previous games, you know exactly what you are getting.

Bugs and Glitches

Last complaint, bugs. Crashes are quite common. I have heard some complaints that it is hard to avoid them, but I didn’t have that bad of an experience with bugs. Crashes were occasional but definitely present.

Verdict

That’s about all I have to say about F1 2022. This game has some very noteworthy improvements, especially performance-wise. But ultimately, there is not a great differential between this game and F1 2021 and other entries. You have the same gameplay loop, hardly any new maps and many of the old modes you have seen before. Overall, I am going to give F1 2022 a 6/10. It’s not a bad game don’t get me wrong. If you are a big F1 fan, then you are sure to find a lot of entertainment in the game. Just don’t expect too major of a difference.