F1 2018 – Review

Name: F1 2018
Developer: Codemasters
Publisher: Codemasters
Released: 24.08.2018
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
Reviewed on: PlayStation 4 Pro
Acquired: A copy of this game was provided from publisher for review purpose

In my mind F1 (the real thing) has never been more fun to watch, the cars are faster around the tracks than ever, and now they all support thongs (the halos) – it’s almost as good as when they featured sextoys on the front! Anyways, I digress. The question really is, does the game live up to its real-life counterpart? Time to find out!

Story

As its predecessors, F1 2018 features a career mode. This time though, every playthrough is different, as several rule changes might happen between any season. This allows for Alfa Romeo Sauber (which I picked as my starter team) to actually be able to catch up to Mercedes AMG Petronas, which likely wouldn’t be the case if rule changes didn’t happen. In addition to this last year’s RnD-system has been revamped and now features more fast-paced progression. Getting RnD-points are considerably easier and can now be saved up between seasons. Another new thing this year is Claire – the journalist that keeps appearing whenever she feels like (just like any other journalist in other words). Talking with her can affect your standing with both your own team, as well as the others. You can also affect the various departments in your team, for example by praising the engine – which will result in the engine department working more efficiently.
8/10

Graphics

The game looks stunning on the PS4 Pro. Especially with HDR activated. Last year I played F1 2017 on PC, so I don’t really know how this year’s edition stacks up, since I now play it on PS4. F1 2018 does look beautiful though, and is indeed “up there” with the other beauties. There’s genuinely just one thing I can complain about, which is the mirrors – and their reflections. It’s incredibly slow, and has lots and lots of artifacting when you try to see what’s behind you. Essentially, I found the mirrors completely useless, as they were predominantly an annoyance, instead of a help.
9/10

Gameplay

Excellent news; the gameplay in F1 2018 is the best one in the series so far! The physics are more realistic, allowing you to push the car harder before you spin, yet punishing you even harder than before, once the car “goes.”The AI too is a lot smarter than ever before – trying a Danny Ric-dive down the side will almost inevitably end up with you being crashed into. A bit depending on who the driver you try and overtake is. For example will Verstappen defend with all he’s got, while Bottas is more evasive in his defending, rather securing the position you overtook him from than risk the entire race.
9/10

Controls

Luckily the controls work very well, considering I played with a Dualshock 4 and not a wheel. It’s still some issues with the sticks not being responsive enough when turning, but it’s not a crucial issue at all! And when it comes to the rest of the controlling, it all works like a charm.
8/10

Replay Value

As with any other racing game the replay value in F1 2018 is high – maybe even higher than other racing games. Formula 1 is all about the details, one hundredth of a second can represent the difference between a 20th on the grid or a 15th. Driving the circuits again and again is key here, and as a result the replay value skyrocket’s.
9/10

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• Story 8
  8/10
• Graphics 9
  9/10
• Gameplay 9
  9/10
• Controls 8
  8/10
• Replay Value 9
  9/10

Verdict

F1 2018 represent a very steady improvement from F1 2017. The game looks tremendous, the AI is amazing, and the game is so much fun! Absolutely, the halo is annoying at first, but soon you forget it’s existence once you’re in your racing mode. The controls too are excellent, at least considering I played with a Dualshock 4, and not a wheel. To sum it all up, this has been the best F1 game so far and has certainly lived up to my high expectations!

Overall

8.6/10

8.6/10

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User Review

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Pros

• Looks amazing
• Excellent gameplay
• Hours upon hours of fun
• Career mode actually differs between seasons

Cons

• Playing with a controller is still a little jaggedy
• Some artifacting