F1 2010 Review

By Joao Diniz Sanches Published 17 September, 2010

Gripped.

Version tested: Xbox 360

Heard the one about the Spaniard, the German, the Australian and the two Brits? If you follow motorsports, it's unlikely you haven't, because it's difficult to remember a Formula One season as competitive and as exciting as this year's. The performance gaps are tiny, the talent on-track enormous. Even legendary, when you consider the presence of Herr Schumacher – the man may have underperformed dismally to date, but his past achievements in the sport stand (and his consistently inventive efforts to try and barge former team-mates off the track are at least entertaining).

As the season heads away from the European circuits, with less than a race win separating the five leading drivers and an identical number of events left on the calendar, F1 2010's arrival is as exquisitely timed as a McLaren pit stop.

Hot on the exhaust of last year's fun-filled Wii release, the 360, PC and PS3 version is Scalextric to its predecessor's Fisher-Price. But that's like putting a Ferrari F1 against a souped-up Fiat – a direct comparison is unfair, not least because the two are aiming at very different markets. Here, there's no room for arcade arrive-and-drive immediacy. F1 2010 aims to be as serious as the sport it depicts.

It also sets off with the intention of being the most comprehensive depiction of F1 in videogame form. So you get the usual suspects: all of 2010's 19 circuits, 12 teams and 24 drivers, every session of a race weekend, along with all of the major rules and regulations, a three-, five- or seven-season Career mode, Time Trials and single (or multiple – you select the roster) Grand Prix. But F1 2010 attempts to power ahead of past efforts by including some off-track elements such as impromptu press interviews or post-podium media sessions.

More on F1 2010

You experience these in Career mode, the powertrain at the heart of F1 2010. Disappointingly, they are the game's weakest component. Spoilt as we are by the character animation of Heavy Rain and the voice acting of Uncharted, F1 2010's 'human element' appears stilted, the press interview sections not helped by uninspired, limited questions and generic response choices. In addition, you get a sense that your choices don't have a significant effect on proceedings.

Part of the issue, particularly for UK players, will be the inevitable if partial expectation that you're entering an environment in the style of the BBC's F1 coverage – certainly, the excellent presentation suggests as much – while what you're actually getting would be more at home on Channel 5. Granted, team manager interviews, the views of your competitors, stewards' hearings and even "Fernando is faster than you" moments are all too far down the track given the development team's production schedule, budget and the likely licensing restrictions imposed by the FIA.

Still, Codemasters deserves credit for trying to bring a new element to F1 gaming and, if the result is disappointing, it's primarily because the contrast is so sharp with the rest of F1 2010 - which is so brilliantly accomplished.

You get an inkling things are going to be just fine the moment you're sat in the cockpit of your car, still in your chosen team's garage. From here you get access to the key elements of the race weekend: set-up (both simple and detailed options are available), timing screens, weather forecasts, tyre choice, your team-mate's performance breakdown and your engineer.

The latter serves as a gateway to the track but, in an ingenious inclusion, he also offers you the opportunity to help research and development during the practice sessions. Meet the lap time target and you move the R&D process along. Assert yourself as the number one driver in the team and not only do you get the upgrades first, you also control the direction of the development to suit your driving style.

Having you compete against your team-mate for fastest laps, pole positions, and qualifying and race supremacy is as understandable as it is authentic, but it's nevertheless yet another indication of how attentive Codemasters Birmingham has been to the source material. More obvious is the meticulous – and impressive - recreation of the circuits and cars, but it's in play that the strive for authenticity becomes most apparent. Flat out through Spa's Eau Rouge, turning into Suzuka's 130R at over three times the national speed limit or kissing each of the four apexes of Turn 8 at Istanbul Park draws the sharp intake of breath it would in real life, while any point of the lap at Monaco tenses parts of your anatomy other racing games can't reach.

To this you can add aspects such as tyre, brake disc and engine temperature management, the track bedding in over the race weekend, a loss of grip when off the racing line, handling changes due to temperature variation, the need to cool full wets or intermediates when the track starts drying out by running through standing water, and pretty much every other aspect of F1 racing you can think of.

For the seriously committed, there's the option to go further by tweaking the settings to allow for full rules and flags, tyre degradation, fuel consumption, manual pit limiter, manual pit box control, car damage, maxing the AI and turning off the driving assists.

Not that the game is a leisurely Sunday drive with all the aids on. (In fact, anyone but the absolute beginner will want to switch off braking assist at the earliest opportunity because while it helps keeping you from falling off the track, it also makes progression harder by preventing late braking.) Even with full traction control – three settings exist so you can wean yourself off it – you'll need to watch yourself. There's nothing in F1 2010 that's auto-cruise, no flooring the throttle out of corners while wondering about how you might spend your win bonus and which supermodel you should ask out next. You need to keep your focus on the track, because kerbs and slow corners will catch you out.

Turn everything off and things become a handful but, crucially, not impossible – even when playing on a joypad. But until you've put in hundreds of miles you'll want to roll out of the garage with the comfort of a handful of 'Flashbacks' in your possession (GRID's rewind-try-again mechanic wisely makes an appearance here).

And put the miles in you will. Although few of us will ever know what driving a single-seater that can do 0-100-0mph in around six seconds is really like, it's an effortless assumption that it should feel the way F1 2010 suggests. The behaviour of the game's cars comes across so naturally that you'd swear you can feel the aerodynamic forces at work. More importantly, however, it encourages you to push your own limits and when you're fully committed, the drive is both intense and hugely rewarding.

Key to the experience is the game's dynamic weather system. Just as it does in real-life F1 races, a sudden rain shower transforms the race and there are few things in life as rewarding as getting the jump on the competition with the judicious timing of a pit stop in anticipation of weather changes. In F1 2010 the forecasts will act as a guide but you can dictate the pit strategy should those clouds start to look ominous.

The AI intensifies things further. Admittedly, at their lowest level your competitors are little more than mobile chicanes, but up the difficulty and they become worthy – and mostly well-behaved – rivals, capitalising on the slightest overtake opportunity or valiantly defending their line. If there is a criticism it comes down to their occasional excessively skittish, nervous nature, which robs the game of a little authenticity. That said, there is a genuine tension when coming across the likes of Alonso, Hamilton and Vettel for the first time, even if their personalities aren't quite as apparent through their actions as you might hope.

Other niggles are equally minor. Some of the penalties for corner-cutting are handed out too eagerly (although they're at least more consistent than the FIA stewards), the choice of on-screen display makes it tricky to spot crucial detail such as gaps to rivals (and purists will most likely bemoan the absence of the official graphics), the lack of telemetry will upset some, the flags system is occasionally slow to react, and it wouldn't hurt your race engineer to deliver a little more substance in his communications.

Real F1 die-hards will no doubt also pick on the fact that the mechanic that pushes your front wheels when you're rolling back into the garage doesn't bother to wear gloves, despite the coffee-hot temperature of the tyres. No doubt they're part of the hardcore that played Geoff Crammond's Formula One Grand Prix using their Amiga 500 keys, just as they argued – quite rightly – that the Mega Drive version of F1 Circus was one of the most engaging F1 titles of its generation. Or perhaps they imported Human Grand Prix for their Super Famicom before, a few years later, being pleasantly surprised by F-1 World Grand Prix's considerable competence, particularly given the general dismal nature of racings titles on the N64.

If you identify with any of these scenarios, you'll have been around long enough to know better than to trust a modern F1 game to do justice to the sport it depicts. But F1 2010 does just that. True, the out-of-car segments are still the length of one of Monza's straights from being convincing, but their inclusion remains welcome and will no doubt be improved in subsequent editions. The fundamental point is that in every other regard F1 2010 can consider itself champion material. The best F1 season in years deserves the best F1 game in years – thankfully, that's exactly what it's got.

8 / 10

F1 2010 is released on 24th September for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.

Read the Eurogamer.net scoring policy
Picture of Joao.

About Joao Diniz Sanches

Joao has written extensively about video games since 1997. Heis a former editor of Edge and the author of The Video Gaming Manual and The Driving Games Manual.

Read more articles from Joao by visiting the Joao Diniz Sanches archive page.

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Comments (107) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • mcmonkeyplc #1 2 years ago

    No score? Cool.

  • KingOfSpain #2 2 years ago

    Where we're going, we don't need a score!!

  • InfiniteFury #3 2 years ago

    If no score is intentional, can I just say I love that.

  • Oli Verified Reviews Editor, Eurogamer.net #4 2 years ago

    Oops! I'll be with you in a second...

  • tachometer #5 2 years ago

    Sorted

  • sonicyoda #6 2 years ago

    Oh man, really REALLY excited for this now. I've been desperate for a decent F1 game in ages and skipped on the last one for Wii for some strange reason. Might have to get both because if I recall, Sumo Digital were in charge of the Wii version. I can get an arcade and simulation F1 experience then!

  • Oli Verified Reviews Editor, Eurogamer.net #7 2 years ago

    There. Sorry about that.

    And sorry to diappoint you, InfiniteFury...

  • chub #8 2 years ago

    I can see it fine.

  • Uncle_Fishboy #9 2 years ago

    No mention of the graphics? They look good in the screenshots etc but hearing the reviewers take on them would have been helpful

  • sfp_noodle #10 2 years ago

    This will make an excellent alternative to Gran Turismo 5 this Christmas

  • Trigga_Tybalt #11 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 13:33:56 08-05-2012

  • NotSoSlim #12 2 years ago

    Perfect compliment to GT5!! Cannot wait :o)

  • Bmovie #13 2 years ago

    \o/

  • T4RG4 #14 2 years ago

    Phew! ;)

  • Craig0702 #15 2 years ago

    NYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEERRRRRRRRMMMMMM!!!

    This is going to be great. Quite glad of the flashbacks being included because I can see me getting a bit too eager in my first season, might change my name to Kamui Schumacher to reflect that.

    The press conferences/Radio 5 aspect seems like it'll get as repetitive and stale as in FM2010 but that's like .1% of the game to me. Can't wait to go around Spa in the wet and see the differing conditions on either side of the track.

  • Roarrr #16 2 years ago

    I'd love to see a face off. I've purchased it on steam and ps3. I hear the ps3 uses QAA and is unfortunately blurry :(

  • kupocake #17 2 years ago

    "Spoilt as we are by the character animation of Heavy Rain and the voice acting of Uncharted, F1 2010's 'human element' appears stilted, the press interview sections not helped by uninspired, limited questions and generic response choices."
    Wait... so this isn't completely 100% faithful to the source material?

  • T4RG4 #18 2 years ago

    @Roarrr - the PS3 version is not at all blurry so don't worry :)

  • Cadence #19 2 years ago

    Why no mention of the sound in the game?

  • oxman2k #20 2 years ago

    no mention of the graphics? some other reviews have said that there are framerate problems and screen tearing and the game doesn,t look as good as grid or dirt 2.

  • BigDaddy82 #21 2 years ago

    Glad to see the license in the right hands, no other racing game dev could do this as much justice at the moment, looking forward to it!

  • Spunkweazle #22 2 years ago

    Fernando is faster....than yoooo

    ..........please confirm you understand


    ...........sorry

  • MiniAmin #23 2 years ago

    They should get the guys n'girls behind Gran Turismo 5 to create an F1 game, now that Gran Turismo 5 is complete.

    We'd be waiting till at least 2015...

    Anyway,I was expecting a 9 given all the praise, but it was an excellent review nonetheless.

  • Trigga_Tybalt #24 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 15:43:01 23-02-2012

  • andijames #25 2 years ago

    Good score and an extremely well written review i like it :) I'm trying to resist buying this with move this week and FIFA the week after but it's extremely tempting! The last time i remember being this revved up (ahem) about an F1 game was on the original Playstation back in the day (with the annoying pit every lap bug).

  • barchetta #26 2 years ago

    Hmm. really in a quandary over PS3 or 360 for this one... I'm more at home with XboxLive but I've yet to plump for a wheel on either system and it seems as though PS3 is far better served and has that other racing game coming too....

  • mingster #27 2 years ago

    Very well written review by someone that really appreciates the subject. Good read.

  • Drpwnage #28 2 years ago

    "Love F1, but this looks so dull. Sure hope next year a new company gets to opportunity to work on official F1 game"

    Eh? what do you want from an accurate simulation of F1? your comment is tantamount to saying F1 is dull. Perhaps if they introduced spikes on the wheels and mines on the track you might be happy?

    This looks great, Codies appear to have a built a solid engine for the game, two reviews I have read both comparing the game favourably to Geoff Crammonds F1 GP game, at least we won't have to wait until 2015 for a sequel...

  • Zephro #29 2 years ago

    Wait why only 8/10? The review sounded more 9/10 to me :-s I mean anything that can compare well to a Geoff Crammond game gets 9 or 10 surely?

    Though I want to know how much the PC version runs smoother than Xbox. Oh who am i kidding of course I'll get double the framerate. >.>
    Edited by Zephro at 17/09/10 @ 16:29

  • Retro_ #30 2 years ago

    Well written review Oli but it would be nice to hear about the graphics / frame rate / sound etc or do we have to wait for DF to announce that the 360 version has a slight advantage on the PS3, one which the average robot might detect but your average human wouldn't !

  • SAMagic #31 2 years ago

    It seems like the press interviews were not a major focus of development - yet I'd much prefer to have that instead of the gameplay suffering. Who knows? Maybe in the next installment we'll have a deep level of Mass Effect-style dialog choices.

  • Zephro #32 2 years ago

    Erk. I wonder how what I said can be taken negatively hmmmmm.

  • ligurmatic #33 2 years ago

    Get with the programme! 8/10 is last year's points system, you surely mean 18/25.

  • dom6918 #34 2 years ago

    Yeah I've seen screenshots comparing xbox pc and ps3.. Ps3 looks awful compared

  • INTELIGENCIA #35 2 years ago

    Same score as last year game on the Wii, could be fun.

  • Bigglesworth #36 2 years ago

    Is this the game that the Hamilton brothers and Jake Humphreys were playing in that item in last week's race coverage?

  • T4RG4 #37 2 years ago

    "Yeah I've seen screenshots comparing xbox pc and ps3.. Ps3 looks awful compared"

    What? Lots of people actually prefer the PS3 visuals at the moment. In no way is the PS3 version graphically inferior.

    @Bigglesworth - yes
    Edited by T4RG4 at 17/09/10 @ 17:19

  • Zephro #38 2 years ago

    Main problem with the PS3 version would be getting stuck with the shoulder triggers on the PS3 controller. Though I only really enjoy wheels when correctly attached to a desk.

  • Felwyn #39 2 years ago

    but can we steal competitors' blueprints or not?

  • bad09 #40 2 years ago

    This will be my 4th pre order off Steam this year, can't wait for next week I haven't played an F1 game for yonks and as much as Grid and Dirt have their problems they sure are beautiful!

    Got a new card, dusted off the 360 wheel for this afternoon and gonna whack on NFS shift tonight just to get in the racing mood for next week. :)

    WRC soon to, nice. Now where is my Stig outfit?

  • SheffieldSteel #41 2 years ago

    No doubt they're part of the hardcore that played Geoff Crammond's Formula One Grand Prix using their Amiga 500 keys

    Wannabees.
    The real hardcore played the game on the BBC 'B' microcomputer
    ...and if they were lucky, they had access to an analogue joystick.

  • 32768Colours #42 2 years ago

    Looks good this, might have to pick it up, even though I suck at racing games if I'm honest!

    Ah but F1 Circus on the Megadrive; happy times! That was one of my favourite games back in the day. Even though most of the menus were in Japanese, I played it so much it got to a point where I knew what every option did regardless.

    The coolest part of the game though was that with enough wiggling back and forth at the right angle you could "push" your car through the crash barriers and into the scenery beyond. Once you'd got through the barrier there were sections of track and little towns to drive around that were so far away from the track as to serve no purpose; even as scenery. Clearly they were just artefact left over from development, but as a 14 year old in 1991 I found it utterly fascinating.

  • bad09 #43 2 years ago

    F1 Circus? Geoff Hammond?

    Whatever, Nigel Mansell Grand Prix gets the podium you fools!

  • lasersrule #44 2 years ago

    I *so* wish Codemasters build on this with some F1 history titles. Would be awesome to drive some of the 70s and 80s beasts, but I guess old track layouts are a big ask. NORDSCHLEIFFE WITH '76 CARS AS DLC PLS.

  • Collymilad #45 2 years ago

    Looks awesome.

    Also, no polyphony digital pls. One game where you race against trains is enough thanks.

  • TurboBailey #46 2 years ago

    Excellent review. Good read.

    Makes me want to buy this game. I wasted so much of a teens playing F1 '97 on the PS1. It was sick.
    Never been disappointed with Codemasters racing games :)

  • patchbox360 #47 2 years ago

    too close to GT5

  • Kazagi #48 2 years ago

    Good review, sounded like an 9 to me, was suprised to see an 8 at end, but this is a must buy for the casual or hardcore racing fan...Well done codies awesome job

  • Roarrr #49 2 years ago

    @T4RG4 - good to hear the ps3 version should be up to speed. Been following on twitter for months now. Finally on the home stretch towards release.

  • ruslan74 #50 2 years ago

    So no word on how the multiplayer is? Lag? Errr.. is this a review or a preview?

  • Miths #51 2 years ago

    Thursday can't come soon enough :).

  • Tallon4 #52 2 years ago

    I thought the F1 Championship Edition ( PS3 ) by Sony Liverpool was pretty decent.
    How is this game compared to the Championship Edition?

    Any thoughts on this by people who actually played both?

  • metallicorphan #53 2 years ago

    any word on Multiplayer?..how many people etc

  • icelt #54 2 years ago

    This review is pretty good as a summary, but for a technical sport it really is lacking in the details. As has already been noted no breakdown on graphics or framerate, sound (engine and general sfx), controller and wheel functionality issues, damage modeling insights, online performance characteristics, etc.

    Suppose we, well at least I will, have to wait for one of the enthusiast web sites to post their review for more indepth feedback.
    Edited by icelt at 17/09/10 @ 19:28

  • secombe #55 2 years ago

    As above I would love a full detailed review, sadly very few sites go into that sort of detail any more. Racing games attract hot-lappers, yet the features available are always really hard to track down (leaderboard format, time trial modes etc)

    The multiplayer should definately be mentioned/expanded upon, as that's fairly critical territory. Does it have a horribly restrictive Forza style hopper system (unlikely) etc etc..?

  • Deckard1 #56 2 years ago

    no mention of the sound or the graphics once in the review seems a little strange?

  • dom6918 #57 2 years ago



    PC graphics the best by a margin followed by XBOX360. PS3 the worst
    Proof that the ps3 is the worst graphically

    http://m.pcgames.de/(S(jitjccbipdyrjiflv...
    Edited by dom6918 at 17/09/10 @ 20:04

  • Nephirion #58 2 years ago

    Is this as good as Pole Position?

  • davisorle #59 2 years ago

    Post deleted at 20:44:35 16-04-2012

  • Turrican #60 2 years ago

    Good review, and yes I also think it sounded like a 9 before they plonked the score on it. Perhaps conscious that next year's F1 2011 will most likely be even better now they can build on this one, so this would give Eurogamer room to give it a 9?

    Have been playing Formula 1 games since the early IBM days, through Ferrari Formula 1 on C64 to of course the classic Crammond series on Amiga / PC. Glad to see it back and on form :)

  • Cigol #61 2 years ago

    I'm sure it's just an unfortunate coincidence that Joao's three reviews on Eurogamer are all Codemaster's titles (:D) Game looks great though, just can't decide which platform to get it on.
    Edited by Cigol at 17/09/10 @ 21:06

  • riceNpea #62 2 years ago

    @Cigol

    get it on Kinect. apparently that's a platform

  • MrChuckles #63 2 years ago

    I have played an F1 game since my Amiga, that's what happens with them all being on Playstation i guess...

    The best is still Grand Prix, followed by Revs on my Beeb... Hugh Jengin wins again!

    Will have to try this one out!

  • lemmy21 #64 2 years ago

    Can you play an entire season as Lewis Hamilton for example instead of creating your own driver for the career mode?

  • lavalant #65 2 years ago

    When is the demo?

  • patchbox360 #66 2 years ago

    saving the 9 for the 10/10 gt5 - gt5, gt5, gt5

  • Pinky_Floyd #67 2 years ago

    Graphics, sound, wheel play, multiplayer and damage.

    Basic, though important information that is missing from this review.

  • JensonJet #68 2 years ago

    I've booked the day off work to play this.
    Edited by JensonJet at 19/09/10 @ 00:32

  • BBIAJ #69 2 years ago

    @lavalant:

    Codies said months ago that there would be no demo, due to licensing issues.

  • DoctorFraud #70 2 years ago

    Sounds excellent, do want. Along with forza its good to know sim racing is still alive and kicking.

  • Harmonica #71 2 years ago

    Belatedly adding my praise for a well written and comprehensive review, Mr Sanches.

    I thought that the press interviews bits might end up as icing-on rather than the cake itself, but I'm glad for their inclusion - and hopefully next year, and over the next few years, we'll get a juiced up off-track side of things.

    Mostly just glad they have nailed the racing experience, since without that we wouldn't really give a damn about the rest of it.

    @JensenJet: I suppose it's an irrelevancy that they've delivered such a well received racing game (by all accounts)?

    Telemetry is something that can be added in future years. To kickstart a new franchise with a good racing front-end is basically the only thing that matters. It could have crashed and burned if it had rubbish racing (as many series have). You just need to look at other genres that put out the same broken games every year without any progress to see that it's a real achievement to make a solid game on the first outing.
    Edited by Harmonica at 18/09/10 @ 02:44

  • Spungles #72 2 years ago

    @Harmonica

    Fair point, makes a lot of sense. If I were in charge I'd have done basic telemetry and not bothered with the press interviews

  • Spungles #73 2 years ago

    And I'm not saying 'bad review' but and I know EG has a wide readership but you must know this one will bring out the tech head F1 fans. So more detail on handling and setup would have been nice. And you usually at least mention if you can't find anyone online to play against.

  • Tio #74 2 years ago

    I can see it now....

    We have listened to our fans and our customers, after all they are who we are in this business for, and in two weeks time we will be making a patch available to add the telemetry data into the game for all the serious racers out there....

    400 msp's please

  • NotSoSlim #75 2 years ago

    Saw the screen comparisons and the game looks like all of Codies games on PS3 so no shocks and will not cause a major issue for 99% of gamers as only fanboys will really care. If you have a wheel i.e G25 or G27 then i doubt a softer image will be a problem

  • secombe #76 2 years ago

    Given the massive cost to put this game out (you can be sure all the licences would not have been cheap) and the no-doubt unbelievable number of restrictions and requirements that will have been part of the licence, it sounds like Codies have done a stunning job.

    It's easy to say 'why didn't they use the standard FOM graphics', but they aren't part of the licence so therefore would have been another additional cost. The restrictions from teams, sponsors and FOM must have been insane (anyone who follows F1 in detail would appreciate that), so standard things in other driving games could potentially be complete no-go areas, and minor things like positioning of logos required weeks of checking and signing off.

    An F1 game is by no means a certain financial success unlike FIFA etc, but I'm willing to bet that the fees were still ridiculous. Luckily for Codies the sport has continued upwards in terms of spectacle since they bought the rights, so I hope this makes enough money to enable substantial updates year on year.

  • TheBrow #77 2 years ago

    I was only so-so about this game, but I have to admit it sounds like Codies have done a top-notch job here. And with GT5 on the way as well... It's not like I don't have too many driving games as it is, but I reckon I'm going to have to make space for both of these!

  • JensonJet #78 2 years ago

    I can't wait for this game. Looks amazing.
    Edited by JensonJet at 19/09/10 @ 00:30

  • T4RG4 #79 2 years ago

    JensonJet - I understand exactly where you're coming from (even if your opinion is somewhat strong...) but remember Codemasters Birmingham made up the core development team so if you didn't like the handling in Dirt or Grid you should at least give F1 a try. Telemetry wasn't included because it's not going to add enough, compared to other areas, for a launch title. Your views are the kind this game (potentially series) aims to win over.

    And I honestly believe 30fps is absolutely fine, and I used to be a big Forza/GT fan :-)

  • JensonJet #80 2 years ago

    T4RG4
    I will try this game out as a friend of mine has already said he's getting it. Framerate has always been more important to me than having higher resolution textures. Equally, having AI that behaves like proper race drivers, not bumper car customers is important too. Each to their own, but I find it unbelievable people still accept 30fps as a standard. Then again, three massive titles; Forza, GT and Modern Warfare run at 60, and still look pretty special by all accounts. So there must be people who care.

  • superdelphinus #81 2 years ago

    blimey what do 10/10 reviews read like from this guy? does he just basically cum on the screen?

  • secombe #82 2 years ago

    If Forza and Gran Turismo are capable of 60 frames, there's no excuse for other games.

    Forza has a ridiculous 8 car limit (which is below the minimum entry for most real life race series) and permanent clear skies, GT5 will be 16 cars with weather but also benefits from a virtually unlimited development process.

    F1 2010 has 24 cars on track, a full dry-wet weather cycle affecting a 'live' track, and proper fuel/tyre burn/wear rates . I would say that's a fairly major difference, I'm more than willing to sacrifice frame rate (which most people won't notice) if it means a full grid (everyone would notice if they just deleted 6 teams, for example)

    Edited by secombe at 18/09/10 @ 16:12

  • Zephro #83 2 years ago

    I'm not as having the 60fps really makes a difference in Forza compared to other games. However I'll be playing F1 2010 on the PC so not an issue.

  • jambo74 #84 2 years ago

    LOLmasters do it again

  • Harmonica #85 2 years ago

    PGR2 was 30fps and it remains one of the best racers on the planet, so nyer. Sense of speed is more important than framerate if done properly.

    @ JensenJet "I'm sure you'll love it, but I hope others who may expect more than the average arcade-racer or have romantic ideals about this game are careful not to fall for the marketing hype and paid-off reviews Codemasters games seem notorious for."

    Was going to write a reply to you but your last paragraph is ridiculous (I tried ever so hard to be offended by it, but honestly, 'paid-off reviews'? 'romantic ideals'? Blegh.) Your 'romantic ideals' amount to being obtuse and ever-so-painfully superior when it's clearly not warranted. F1 games don't come along that often but I guess you can always secretly play the game without telling anyone eh ol pip.
    Edited by Harmonica at 18/09/10 @ 20:07

  • BigDaddy82 #86 2 years ago

    Yeah i've seen this JensonJet guy trolling the F1 comments over at CVG,seems to be some sort of CM hater, i'd file him in the 'one to ignore' column

  • Ashcroft #87 2 years ago

    I have a system for F1 games. I start off wanting to race properly, then after my 20th frustrating crash on the last lap, I turn all the assists to full. Then after the next 10 crashes, I start driving the wrong way and causing head on collisions until I feel better.

    Then the game sits on shelf for a year. Repeat until next console generation.

  • Jordanhedderman #88 2 years ago

    I can't wait for this game

  • JensonJet #89 2 years ago

    I was expressing an opinion on what I know of the game. No one need be offended. Like I said, I'd try it out, but don't feel optimistic at this point. I'm sorry if expressing a negative opinion is considered trolling, but I assumed a forum was a place to discuss gaming issues. Not necessarily a place where everyone has to agree with the everyone else, or the reviewer. My mistake. In which case... yeah, this game sounds amazing. I'm buying this because the review suggests it excellent! (better?)

  • MuppetThumper #90 2 years ago

    got this on pre-order but im not sure whether to grab a wheel or not too (for the xbox360). any suggestions? i am limited in 'clamping' opportunities but they are really the only ones to get, right?

  • secombe #91 2 years ago

    @muppetthumper

    Very few options are far as wheels go on the 360 (which is odd, given the number of racing games available), the official wireless wheel is the safest bet as it comes with a clamp, has nice sturdy pedals and isn't excessively large. Unfortunately, MS have discontinued it, so eBay etc are the only places to find them now. A few weeks ago they were going for £40-50, but they've been selling for £70-80+ recently as presumably demand has shot up with the impending release of F1 2010!

  • MuppetThumper #92 2 years ago

    ok thx for the heads up secombe

  • tinners #93 2 years ago

    Surely you're forgetting Continental Circus on the Amiga?, or I'm forgetting how old I am :)

  • Puppaz #94 2 years ago

    So wait... is the release date actually the 24th, or the 30th?

  • solidSnake04 #95 2 years ago

    sometimes a timeout is the best thing for a game/genre. F106 wasnt that good and look how many years was a proper SF in the hidding before SFIV came along!!!
    This game is going to be ACE, Cant wait to be Schumi and be the arshehole that sends everyone to his/her doom. \ o/
    Edited by solidSnake04 at 20/09/10 @ 13:18

  • T4RG4 #96 2 years ago

    The UK release is September 24th (some Euro territories get it on the 23rd - the US gets the game on the 21st)

  • 3william56 #97 2 years ago

    Ha! Keep yer Amiga and Nigel Mansell rubbish.

    REVS is the mac daddy of all F1 games, and was doin yo' Mama in 3D with setup and the lot when 8 was a large number of bits to have. Utter brilliance, and a time sink like no other.

  • TRUTH #98 2 years ago

    Does anyone know how the car damage - crashes play in this game ?...Is it proper F1 stuff, or nothing happens ?

  • Harmonica #99 2 years ago

    From videos it looks like bits of them fall off and they either limp back to the pits or fall off the track and its game over. So yes, if you turn it on I think damage definitely happens.

  • Denny #100 2 years ago

    3william56, I was just about to post something similar, Revs was F3 though not F1. Overtaking Hugh Jengine or Max power on the hardest setting was a real task. I only once beat the lap times that was in the manual so you could work out your average speed. It's still one of my finest gaming achievements.
    As for this game, it wasn't even on my radar, F1 games have been terrible for too long, but this actually looks like it will be worth the investment in time. If you get applauded for bringing a terrible car in 10th then that means you can have a good result and actually have a good mid grid battle rather than be stuck out on your own up front.

  • suicidalblues #101 2 years ago

    posted this elsewhere, but for those looking for a side-by-side comparison...

    [link url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHVGMVKO_Ac
    ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHVGMVKO_Ac
    [/link]

    hope this helps with any of you on the fence over which version to buy.

  • layleeloo #102 2 years ago

    This is absolutely awesome. Came this morning so done a single race of Monaco which was stunning, and the first part of career, including practice, qualifying, race and the first press conference. I have to say being a driving game fan, no game gives you a sense of accomplishment like this one. In my qualifying I got pole on first lap as was first out so thought great, then lost it to hamilton. It took me 3 laps to shave off the 5 seconds to get pole back and I was really pleased. You just don't get that from froze, or gran turismo. The rce was great with everyone pitting added good twntion so you don't know where you will finish. I did finish 30 seconds ahead of Hamilton on my first race on normal, so I may have to increase the difficulty or I will get a bit boring if I can win each race by that large a margin. I did spin off a couple of times too so if i hadn't the gap would have been bigger, so ill try a hard race next. The press conference I feel gives a nice dynamic not seen before and didn't find it a hindrance or distraction like some reviews say. It's a nice and welcome change and I hear they are already working on the after race antics for next year etc. So all in all I am highly impressed with it, and the sense of achievement it gives when doing well, which no other race game has ever done for me so that alone I think is worth commendation.

  • Luckz #103 2 years ago

    "Turn everything off and things become a handful but, crucially, not impossible – even when playing on a joypad." is where you betray that you play racing games with a keyboard, not a wheel.

  • Snaggletooth #104 2 years ago

    Well, I cannot find anywhere that has stock of the PC version! This just sucks. I have tried every shop in Northampton and no PC, only XBOX and PS3! PC users get stiffed again, nice 1.

    /does anyone even know if a physical media version of the game is out for PC..? All I can see are downloads for it...even Amazon don't have it so I am starting to suspect that's the case. I really like to have a physical box etc so I can sit it on my shelf with the rest of my collection... I hope I dont have to buy PS3 version

    /In the end I got so desperate. that I decided to overcome my old fashioned views of wanting to have a physical copy of a game, and make the plunge and order my very first digital game from Steam.......DOH! what a mistake..

    So I paid for it, downloaded it and now still can't play it because Valve are too fucking lazy to unlock it...wankers. When I ordered it there was not any mention of it not being available still. I was right, actual disk all the way. mofos....not impressed.
    Edited by Snaggletooth at 24/09/10 @ 15:58

  • RageBoy #105 2 years ago

    This game is amazing

  • AaronTurner #106 2 years ago

    This game is absolutely riddled with bugs, I can't understand how no reviews have picked up on any of it? It's apparent after just a few full race weekends and it ruins the game. Essentially the full race weekend experience is just a smoke and mirrors technique, none of the times correspond to AI cars real lap times, AI cars set race lap times that are 4 seconds quicker than their qualifying lap!! The longer I spend with it the more disappointed I get. There is a massive bug which means your car isn't released from it's pit box when there is another car in the pitlane. I mean how can you not see that stuff? It's obvious.

    I could have spent this money on Civ 5.

  • captain-future #107 2 years ago

    I hear a lot about really nasty bugs in F1 2010. in this rather longer review I didn't see a lot of them mentioned?

    care to comment?
    http://www.thegamingreview.com/2010/09/f...