Review of F1 24: A solid racing simulation

21/7/2024,

For as long as can remember, have loved playing racing games in arcades. Burnout 3 Takedown (please, remaster or recreate) is all-time favourite game, and had fun playing Forza Horizon 5.

To gain a sense of the racing sim genre

also enjoyed playing a few games in the Grand Turismo and Forza Motorsport series. Although have enjoyed watching Formula 1 occasionally, haven’t played any racing games of that kind.

You may do all of that if you want the most realistic experience possible, including adjusting the automobile and learning about how the weather and tyre pressure affect the car’s performance.

You may also experience an F1 car at speeds over 300 km/h by controlling just the accelerator and brakes.

This racing simulation is relatively easy to learn and accessible to players of all skill levels. For those who want to enjoy a true F1 experience, it’s a better option than Alice in Wonderland.

That being said, it’s awesome that the game allows you to experience your ideal Formula One championship across 25 tracks by taking on the role of an active or retired Formula One legend.

You’ll be hooked lap after lap thanks to the excellent handling, thrilling racing action, and lifelike visuals. The intense frustration you feel after smashing your automobile into a wall completes the entire experience.

In addition, there are other “activities” available to you after you’ve been burning rubber for hours on end, like managing your crew and driver, meeting with competitors, and engaging in more off-track pursuits.

To be honest, I wasn’t that interested in most of these since I was simply eager to go back behind the wheel. This game doesn’t include a story mode; instead, it focuses more on how your character and team develop professionally throughout an F1 or F2 season.

While these can help you spice up your performance in a race, there’s no penalty for ignoring them if all you want to do is enjoy burning rubber and crossing the finish line first. There are also some secondary objectives to complete during the race, like fuel management, finishing a lap in a set time, avoiding collisions, etc.

Sound and visuals

In terms of visual appeal, the game boasts excellent detailing in both the cars and well-known drivers. The tracks are what make you feel as though you’re at the actual place, even though the vehicles are stunning and authentic.

A tribute to visual realism is the fact that there were occasions when I was racing and people walking by mistakenly believed I was watching an F1 race. In addition, the game operates at a locked 60 frames per second.

Playing on the PS5, I experienced no framerate drops or stutters, which is a credit to the power of the game engine even with a full screen of cars vying for the top spot.

Now let’s talk about the audio.

F1 24 has appropriate background music for a racing game.

The sounds of your engines roaring, your breaks screeching, and your opponents blowing past you have to be the real stars of the show. Through my Pulse 3D headphones, everything sounds so good and immersive that I can almost feel like another racer is going to overtake me.

My friends and family who were watching me play noticed some basic repetition and comments that didn’t make sense considering what had just happened, even though I was too focused on my winning lap to pay much attention to the commentary throughout the game or the race.

As such, while I can easily overlook this, die-hard Formula One fans could find it irritating.

In summary

Taking everything into account, F1 24 is a great game to start playing Formula 1 video games. If you are new to the brand, there is enough here to sustain your interest in it for a very long period.

It is difficult for someone who hasn’t played the franchise’s earlier games to determine whether the upgrade from F1 23 (review) to 24 is worthwhile, but I suppose that will depend on how big of a fan you are of the series and whether the additions and modifications appeal to you.

One problem I have with the game is that it might not be appealing to arcade racing enthusiasts.

Fans of Forza Horizon and Need for Speed, however, may not be pleased with the “realistic racing experience” offered by the game. Those who prefer Grand Turismo and Forza Motorsport, however, may have a game they can play to take in the entire Formula One environment.

Editor’s rating: 7.5/10

Pros

• Great racing simulator
• Stunning visuals
• Wide selection of cars and tracks
• Good career mode

Cons

• Won’t appeal to fans of Arcade Racers
• No in-game ray-tracing
• Some repetitive commentary

More

Developer: Codemasters
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Platforms: PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC.
Price: Rs 4999 on consoles, Rs 3499 on PC

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