F1 22 is racing onto gamer’s consoles in less than a month, and this year’s title is set to be a doozy. New car regulations and a switch-up of the driver grid means that the F1 2022 season is hotting up to be just as memorable as last year. With that in mind, Codemasters has a helluva job keeping up with demands.
The question is, how on earth do you evolve an annual sports game release without it feeling too samey to last year. Codemaster’s answer is to implement all new gameplay and progression features, some of which work and others spin out across the marbles.
After spending a few hours with the F1 22 preview, here are five things we loved about it and three things we didn’t.
WE LOVE: SUPERCARS MAKE THEIR DEBUT
With F1 surging in popularity, the race day events are more of a spectacle than ever. Over the years, we’ve seen the introduction of the Pirelli Hot Laps, a chance for normal people to experience the thrills of track racing.
For F1 22, Codemasters has decided to recreate these experiences in-game in the form of supercar challenges. After choosing a supercar to start with, you can either throw it round a track to test your limits or take part in several challenges. The introduction of supercars adds another feather to F1 22’s cap, providing alternative driving experiences other than the rocketship kart style of an F1 car.
WE LOVE: CAREER MODE IS BETTER THAN EVER
Every F1 fan has had the dream of becoming an F1 driver and living the globetrotting lifestyle. F1 Career mode isn’t new to the series, but it is back and better than ever here. With the teams switching out their drivers in 2022 and the power dynamics completely changing, it’s refreshing to enter yourself into the grid with a new perspective this year.
All of your favourite features return, including real season start and representative performance. These features ensure that you’re getting an experience that’s as authentic as possible. Starting your career from the very beginning and seeing how it transpires over the course of the season is gratifying, especially when you’re fighting for positions in the mid-field teams.
If you’d rather delve into the team management, the simulation route is still on offer here. However, it will certainly be interesting to see how Codemaster’s interpretation of the genre stacks up once F1 Manager 22 launches later this August.
WE LOVE: Licenced Music Tracks
It sounds silly, but it was a pleasant surprise to hear that F1 22 finally has licensed music tracks in the menus. Tracks from popular artists such as Meduza now play while in the menus and when exploring F1 Life. It’s a small addition, but it brings F1 22 inline with other EA Sports games like FIFA, giving it more mainstream appeal. Plus, we all know that we usually put on our own tunes to listen to while racing anyway…
WE LOVE: F1 Life
F1 Life is another new addition to F1 22 and it comes in the form of new customisation options. It’s a pseudo-metaverse affair, giving your racer avatar a space to hang out and display your digital accolades.
You’re given the opportunity to express yourself by decking out your garage hangout space with various pieces of decor. Of course, there’s also the supercar that you pick which is displayed proudly for other players to see. Many of these customisation options are unlocked by playing the game, so it gives you something else to work towards.
Click below to find out what we didn’t love about F1 22…