F1 25 Review – Re-inventing the Wheel

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This year’s version of the official F1 game by EA Sports is anticipated to provide an even more immersive and authentic Formula 1 experience than any previous editions. The improvements in F1 25 are significant, with a major focus on enhancing the My Team feature, offering greater control to develop your racing dynasty beyond what was previously possible. Additionally, there will be numerous audio-visual upgrades, including laser-scanned tracks, and tweaks to car handling and AI to address long-standing issues reported by veteran F1 players. New multiplayer modes, reverse tracks, customization options, and the return of the popular story mode Braking Point are also featured in F1 25, making it a promising contender for being the best game in the series yet.

Year after year, concerns arise about the car physics in F1 races. The release of F1 24 significantly amplified these issues, with players criticizing that the game had lost its difficulty due to a lack of understeer and oversteer that was too easy to correct. Whether these criticisms are fair or not, F1 24 is remembered for its perceived shortcomings in delivering an authentic racing experience.

The handling of the cars in F1 25 appears more genuine, yet it’s not flawless. In essence, it remains generally forgiving overall.

The game F1 25, which has been developed in collaboration with professional Formula One racers, aims to improve four crucial aspects: tire performance, engine power, aerodynamic efficiency, and control/wheel feedback. What you might be curious about is whether or not the game is enjoyable to play. I can confirm that, overall, it is a pleasant driving experience. However, it’s essential to note that I am playing with a controller, as many gamers do due to cost, practicality, and accessibility considerations. While steering wheels are reportedly designed to improve immersion by providing realistic force feedback in F1 25, allowing the player to feel the car struggling to straighten its wheels through turns, I cannot personally verify this experience.

What I want to emphasize is that when I over-accelerate, miss my peak speeds, or apply the brakes excessively on my PS5’s DualSense controller, I can truly feel it. It’s as if this level of tactile feedback is the pinnacle of what a gaming controller can offer. Pushing the car to its limits, skillfully applying the brakes and gently increasing speed, I can really sense every detail. This sensation helps me understand how to prevent skidding under braking or spinning tires coming out of corners more effectively, making it crucial for mastering the game.

The car handling in the F1 25 model seems more genuine, but it’s not flawless. Despite its flaws, it remains largely forgiving. It’s important to mention that I turned off most driving aids, keeping only the medium traction control. This setting provided the desired sense of being near the limit, as I could potentially lose control if I applied too much acceleration prematurely due to the back end often stepping out. However, these instances were usually just a momentary scare, easily managed. The car didn’t behave as one might expect when it reached the Armco, which is surprising given the medium traction control. Oversteer is generally insignificant and more of an annoyance than a major issue. If a tire goes beyond the track limits onto gravel or scrapes on grass, the penalty is minimal, resulting in only a small loss of time.

As a gamer, here’s how I might rephrase that:

“Am I all for making racing more accessible? Absolutely! Shows like Netflix’s Drive to Survive are bringing in new fans by the dozen, and with this summer’s F1 movie, the influx seems set to continue. However, I can understand why seasoned racers might grumble about the simplified physics. It’s a tricky task, striking the right balance between maintaining authentic car feel for experts and making the game accessible for beginners. But Codemasters have managed it with F1 25. Sure, it’s not flawless, but you can definitely feel the differences in tire compounds, degradation, and fuel loads through the controller.

One aspect of F1 25 that hasn’t been mentioned much before its release is the ease of adjusting car settings, or “setups.” These pre-configured setups cater to different driving styles, such as focus on straight-line speed or cornering. Even without extensive knowledge about setup intricacies, players can get close to maximizing a car’s performance by simply selecting one of the game’s preset options. If a car still feels a bit understeer-prone at lower speeds, a minor adjustment to the front wing angle can make a significant difference. This is beneficial because while F1 games have always been simulations, not everyone new to the sport will be well-versed in setup complexities. A feature that makes the game more accessible should be appreciated. Experienced players who understand the nuances of car setup can still fine-tune their vehicles further with custom setups, so there’s no need for dissatisfaction.

Let’s discuss another persistent challenge in Formula 1 (F1) games: the artificial intelligence (AI) for computer-controlled drivers. This year, Electronic Arts (EA) claims to have fine-tuned AI to mimic the adrenaline and competition of racing against human players. However, I regret to report that their efforts fall short. Issues raised in previous years are likely to resurface. For example, AI drivers exhibit excessive caution when braking, making it effortless to crash into their cars well before we reach the apex. The much-hyped defensive skills of these AI drivers amount to little more than swerving to the center of the track. Unfortunately, the problem is compounded by an overpowered DRS system, possibly a response to the infamous DRS trains that plagued F1 24. Although DRS trains seem less prevalent in F1 25, using DRS results in passing opponents with minimal difficulty, regardless of whether they have their DRS activated or not.

Man, I’m blown away by how much my decisions impact the morale of my gaming squad, particularly those that affect a teammate’s standing within our group. It’s amazing to see how their perceived role can shift based on my choices.

Creating artificial intelligence requires substantial effort, which is undeniable. However, one issue with F1 games lies in the predictability of AI drivers. While there has been improvement compared to last year, such as smarter use of Energy Recovery System (ERS), the racing experience in 25 demands a certain level of randomness for authenticity, as Codemasters suggests. The AI should make mistakes like lockups under pressure, yielding to other drivers, or showing signs of caution while trailing in dirty air. There’s still room for improvement in this area, but I suspect the challenge lies in programming these unpredictable behaviors due to their complexity. I’m optimistic that we’ll eventually reach this goal; the AI in F1 25 is moving in the right direction, although it doesn’t seem as revolutionary as EA’s promotional materials suggest.

The F1 25 game seems to prioritize off-track advancements over on-track enhancements that are more crucial. For instance, the extensive modification of My Team demonstrates this trend. In My Team 2.0, the role of the team owner has been refined to handle various departmental operations daily, boost company-wide morale, manage both drivers, divide research and development into separate procedures for the first time, and strategize the financial consequences of every choice. During race weekends, you can even experience racing as one of your drivers, with a multitude of activities taking place. It’s quite complex.

The impact that decisions make on your team’s morale, particularly those affecting a driver’s standing within the team, is quite significant. For instance, allocating a limited R&D budget for just one new car part can create dissatisfaction among other drivers. While My Team 2.0 may offer some aspects of F1 management similar to F1 Manager’s Mentality System, it lacks the depth found in that series and seems uncertain about its direction. If My Team were to delve deeper into team ownership roles like dealing with Formula One politics, nurturing talent through lower leagues such as F2 and F3, or investing in extended Winter testing sessions to support the newly divided research and development departments, it would greatly enhance the gaming experience.

In My Team 2.0, you’ll find yourself spending a significant amount of time away from the track. But don’t worry! You can still have a season without managing ownership and take advantage of career campaigns instead. These modes are similar to what we’ve seen before, offering opportunities to combine F1’s current drivers with iconic ones, F2 racers, characters from Braking Point’s Konnersport group, and figures from the F1 movie. So, you can still aspire to claim an 8th world title for Michael Schumacher or get Franco Colapinto into an Alpine before the developers do! When you’re on the track, there are five brand-new tracks meticulously scanned for your appreciation.

In the latest version of F1 (version 25), the LIDAR circuits have been completely overhauled, recreating the first five races from last year’s schedule – Bahrain, Melbourne, Imola, Suzuka, and Miami. The realism has been significantly enhanced, with each track looking and feeling noticeably refreshed. During F1 race weekends, LIDAR technology was used to scan the tracks in detail, capturing barriers, advertisements, grandstands, lights, trees, foliage, fan areas, and more, ensuring an authentic representation of the real-life tracks. With billions of data points collected by LIDAR, the texture and details of the tarmac have also been improved, with more accurate representations of bumps, elevation changes, off-camber corners, and curb heights incorporated into the gameplay. When Electronic Arts (EA) mention that F1 25 is showcasing a new level of authenticity, they’re referring to the LIDAR tracks. I’m an avid fan and can’t wait for the rest of the calendar to be rebuilt!

Braking Point is back, launching its third campaign, offering a great entry opportunity for those who are excited to dive into intense racing action right away.

Although I’m hesitant, I must admit that I’m not fully convinced about the reversed tracks. There are only three of them: Silverstone, Austria’s Red Bull Ring, and Zandevoort. Despite the impressive details like floor decals, lights, strategically placed marshals, safety barriers adjustments, recalibrated AI, and so on, it still seems a bit contrived or gimmicky to me. I understand that it offers a fresh experience by essentially introducing new tracks, but as a purist, it feels odd driving classic circuits in the opposite direction. Some might even argue that Codemasters’ efforts would be better spent on creating historical circuits, which is something the F1 community has been consistently asking for.

The upcoming addition to the game, the Decal Editor, will significantly boost the personalization of your cars’ liveries in F1 World and My Team. It works by allowing you to adjust scales, angles, and placements of custom decals, giving your designs a unique and genuine touch. Although I typically don’t get excited about aesthetics, I find myself looking forward to exploring more customization possibilities as I progress through the game’s different modes. However, I wish the decal editor could be applied to the driver’s overalls too; while an adorned car fits the bill, a driver in plain racing gear seems out of place.

In simple terms, Braking Point’s third installment serves as an excellent starting point for those eager to dive into intense racing action. The narrative of Braking Point 3, free from spoilers, blends seamlessly with the behind-the-scenes politics common in the sport, creating a captivating alternative to mainstream racing. However, I must admit that some mid-race objectives seem unrealistic, even for a racing prodigy like Max Verstappen and his formidable 2023 Red Bull.

As a diehard fan, I’m thrilled that F1 25 is making room for F1 The Movie by designing a campaign reminiscent of Braking Point 3. The approach seems to be quite similar. To start things off, an initial scenario is up for grabs for all F1 25 owners. However, only those who’ve invested in the pricier Iconic Edition will get the chance to tackle real-life challenges inspired by the movie once updates begin rolling out from June 30th onwards.

At last, I’ve got some exciting news as a gamer! It looks like F1 25 is going to have room for F1 The Movie, and if the delivery is anything like Braking Point 3, it’s bound to be an immersive experience!

The Decal Editor in F1 25 indicates that the series is heading in the correct direction. Nevertheless, it seems we haven’t yet tapped into all its capabilities. Excluding LIDAR tracks, the process of remaking every circuit and implementing them would require time, resources, and focus on vehicle handling, AI improvements, as well as the addition of reverse circuits. It gives the impression that F1 25 is experimenting with various new or refined concepts without fully investing in them.

In simpler terms, I’m unable to discuss F1 25’s emphasis on considerate, multiplayer racing at the moment because the online lobbies are empty. However, the new Invitationals mode could be a great way to race online without worrying about reckless gamers causing accidents. In Invitationals, racers work together to achieve a common goal and are generously rewarded for their efforts. Additionally, improvements in the Driver of the Day system, along with awards for clean driving, numerous overtakes, and other factors, should foster teamwork and respectful racing.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 5.

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2025-05-27 21:42