It’s that time of the year again. With the Formula 1 season off and running, we recently got some hands-on time with the upcoming F1 23. In many ways, F1 23 is looking to return in strong form, with various adjustments to physics, a direct Braking Point story sequel and a whole new F1 World that encapsulates single and multiplayer races, as basically, everything fans have wanted from the franchise thus far. Fasten your seatbelts and stiffen your neck; you’re in for one crazy ride.
Physics
Developer Codemaster’s F1 franchise has seen a number of minor adjustments with each passing year. With F1 23, they’ve raised the bar once again. We had been made aware of a few changes in advance to mechanics like traction, which are functional and respond with added realism.
This time around, players are less likely to slide about the track with traction control off. Most will still want to use it at first, but with traction assists off, you can now feel the true nature of the track. Braking too late will still result in a few slips and skids, but you’re now able to adjust in the moments to the point where you’re not spinning out and ruining your race.
Braking has also been adjusted, with uneven braking methods and patterns met with locking wheels. This certainly adds to the loss of traction and wonky steering, encouraging you to approach corners with a sense of care and grace.
The stakes aren’t always high if your traction assist is on, but racers can now feel the weight and force of their cars around corners. General setups can now be tweaked with further accuracy, as sliders that were once ranged from 1-11 are now ranged from 0-50. The suspension can now also be adjusted between 1-41, giving players a wider sense of accuracy and freedom to adjust their racing styles and approaches how they see fit.
Braking Point 2
Touted as the ‘Story Mode’ of recent F1 games, we’re now diving back into the world of Braking Point introduced in F1 2021. Braking Point 2 reignites the old rivalry between fictional racers Aiden Jackson and Devon Butler, now driving as teammates on the new and fictional Konnersport Butler Racing Team.
I’m a huge fan of Netflix’s Drive to Survive series, and it’s clear where they’ve gained their inspiration. Races are presented like chapters, bookended with interviews from team members commenting on various aspects of the race and characters, and followed up with a cinematic cutscene of a particular confrontation.
Braking Point 2 also introduces Callie Mayer, who is not only Devon Butler’s sister, but the first woman to ever win the F2 Championship. I can’t wait to see how this unfolds, given we’ve seen traditional story modes work well in sports games before. Fight Night Champion, we’re looking at you.
F1 World
Replacing last year’s F1 Life mode, F1 World will incorporate a wealth of daily, weekly and seasonal content. Players can take part in timed challenges, to increase their tech level and unlock new and exciting upgrades. As your performance increases, so will your ability to compete in more demanding and rewarding races. Players can take part in solo events across various tracks worldwide, to master circuits and improve driving skills before taking them online. If that wasn’t enough, F1 23 is also being treated to a first look at the crazy and vibrant Las Vegas track.
Multiplayer offerings include traditional Gand Prix races and time trial challenges, in which players can build upon their vehicle and even upgrade team members, who each bring their own unique perks to the fold. It’s also worth noting here that these races will align with the real-life F1 schedule. If you’re into the season as much as I am, you can pack your weekend with even more F1 festivities racing online against friends before the actual qualifiers and main race.
Players can also keep track of their progress through the Compendium, a scrapbook of sorts that allows you to keep track of all your successes throughout the season. A ranking system will also feature, in which players can take part in several ranked races for true glory amongst global leaderboards. Players can also gain promotions to higher divisions while earning various XP bonuses. We’re confident that F1 World will provide fans with a season-lasting experience, and we can’t wait to jump in and begin racing up the ranks.
F1 23 will launch on the 16th of June on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and PC. Be sure to stay tuned for our upcoming review of F1 23 closer to release.
