F1 2015 Reviews
There are people who care about Formula 1 more than you and I care about anything. F1 2015 rewards their passion with an impressive simulation of not only the actual races, but a slice of the elegant culture surrounding the sport. Unfortunately F1 2015 doesn't have room for much of anything else, finding itself lapped by modern peers in expected features and ease of approach.
What could've been a turning point for the F1 series instead feels like the same old grind. While F1 2015 has its moments, it just doesn't adapt enough to welcome new players with open arms, instead reaching out more to those who know what F1 racing is all about. Furthermore, the removal of crucial modes and meaningful multiplayer is sure to upset a few racing fans out there, especially when this game should've easily shifted into a higher gear. Maybe next year, we'll get the F1 game we truly deserve. For now, though, it's worth a rental at best.
It's a crying shame that's a fantastic racing experience lurking beneath this shell of a game. There's an undiluted thrill to racing at 200mph; it's intense, nerve-shredding work, demanding damn near perfection from avid racers. Codemasters normally has an excellent track record when it comes to feature sets, which makes it even frustrating when it feels like we aren't getting the whole package. Having waited patiently for that generational leap, my advice to you would be wait for the no-doubt feature-packed version next year. That is unless you're a die-hard fan keen for those roster updates, at which point you've likely sold yourself on F1 2015 regardless.
It's a title that's fun to drive, but offers little to support it
Codemasters' latest F1 title may be construed as feeling a little rushed - perhaps pushed out from under the rug as the team focus production on DiRT Rally, but there's still a lot of fun to be had in this title, even if it's not a whole world of difference from the previous outings and the brief frame-rate issues.
F1 2015 delivers on its promise of a hard-core simulation F1 experience by including both the F1 2014 and 2015 seasons, along with a great selection of tracks, impressive graphics and the ability to race for whichever F1 team you wish.
Codemasters has lost a lot of goodwill for their F1 series in the past few years. In a perfect world, everything here (minus the updated racing info, of course) would have debuted last year as F1 2014.
I am happy to announce that Codemasters are not leaving the novice players behind in order to chase the most realistic F1 game to date.
Although not revolutionary, it's a fun and challenging game that will have you both frustrated and excited at the same time with its detail and immersion. F1 2015 is a game for all racing fans who appreciate realistic challenges.
A good looking simulation of the F1 sport. A tad shallow in the modes department, but fans of the sport will find enjoyment here.
A solid first effort at Formula One on current consoles, F1 2015 is nevertheless hamstrung by a dearth of modes. The strength of the on-track action does bode well for subsequent F1 games, however, although F1 2015 feels like something of a stop-gap. That said, die-hard F1 fans will still love F1 2015 regardless.
While the racing action has never looked or played better, F1 2015 unfortunately disappoints in its lack of modes.
Overall, it is clear that the new Ego game engine offers up cars that have never handled better. Equally, the circuits have been reproduced in amazing detail. Those aspects of F1 2015 are undoubtedly an improvement on the series' recent titles. As much as the car handling and environments have improved, Codemasters has taken a step back in respect of the range of game modes that are available this year in comparison to the gradual additions that have been introduced year-on-year. Given that this is the first Formula One title on the Xbox One may well prove that going back to basics on the game modes is the right thing to do in order to ensure that they get the actual driving experience right. There is certainly plenty of scope for adding new game modes in future Xbox One iterations, much like the approach taken since the series reboot back in 2010.
F1 2015 doesn't have many of the features and game modes that we've seen over the years, and this feels disappointing given delays during development, but it gives a solid basis for future growth. With lush visuals, tight car handling, good racing and a sprinkling of fresh ideas, this is exactly the fresh start that Codemasters needed.
So yeah, new platform equals franchise reboot that also includes new advances in the core of the game, which is what really matters. F1 2015 comes off as a peek of what is to come in the seasons ahead.
So, F1 2015 is not a big, fun, flashy arcade racer. It could never be. Not while its main purpose is to be a serious and realistic representation of Formula 1. Unfortunately, it also suffers from the same problem that has plagued all sports sims when they first appear on the eighth generation consoles. There is a distinct lack of content.
The game mode strip down this year by Codemasters with F1 2015 is evidently step one of many for a reboot of the popular franchise. Where modes have been taken, major improvements have been made. A whole new game engine giving advanced visuals and handling makes F1 2015 the best yet.
But then there will always be the thrill in shaving off hundredths of a second from the best lap times, and F1 2015 is remarkably effective in subtly digging its claws into you and convincing you that yes, with just a touch more practice and precision you could take that difficult corner a little better.
Short on modes, but big on racing, F1 2015 gives fans their most immersive F1 game to date. It could be stronger visually and the AI needs some work, but the first F1 to hit the next-gen consoles delivers both a thrilling drive and a strong core for future F1 games.
Streets ahead in quality, lagging behind in variety