Don't miss out on this one, F1 fans
Full disclosure: I wasn't an F1 fan. F1 25 is slowly changing it. Its approach to simulation-based racing with extreme attention to detail, neat online features, and a slew of content to chew on makes this a worthwhile purchase for those looking to get into the world of Formula 1 and a must-buy if you're a die-hard fan.
I'm not entirely foreign to racing games. But my tastes always made me gravitate towards arcade-like racers: the Need for Speeds, Burnouts, Project Gotham Racing (if you remember this series, you're old) Forza Horizon's of the world called to me more than, say, Gran Turismo.
When I entered F1 25, I had very reserved expectations. "What's so interesting about a controlled racing environment?" It turns out a lot. The fun begins even before you put pedal to the metal.
Formula 1 is much more than fast, aerodynamic vehicles cruising around a closed circuit. That much I knew, of course, but getting to experience the ins and outs, even in virtual form, has made me appreciate every team's work behind the scenes.
Through various classic modes, you can experience competing in some of the most iconic Grand Prix in F1 and building your career from the ground up while learning the intricacies and challenges it takes to become a top Formula 1 pilot.
F1 25 hits the simulation-based gameplay I crave from games like Football Manager. Sure, you're not building a whole football club this time, but via Career Mode you can get that exact feeling of creating a project from the ground up with a My Team Career, which will allow you to make your own F1 team to compete against the likes of McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull.
A Career Mode as a driver is exciting in its own right and is likely the intended way newcomers should enjoy the single-player experience (you can begin your journey in F2, for example). Still, I'd be lying if I said that seeing my facilities improve, investing in car improvements, and becoming big enough to sign some of the most recognizable names in F1 history (some big enough than even a casual viewer like myself recognizes) wasn't the thing that kept me coming back to the game.
The core gameplay loop is just as fascinating. Considering various things, you'll have to figure out a correct setup for each race during a GP weekend. From the track type (is it one with plenty of curves?) to the weather conditions.
You'll have a few practice sessions to learn about each circuit and your setup. Then, you'll hit the ever-stressful qualifying session. This is essentially a time trial determining your starting position during the Grand Prix. It's just as intense, if not more than some of the actual circuits, as you'll have to decide if you want to go for broke to secure the pole position at the risk of crashing and losing it all.
The races are exciting, albeit not an aspect I was particularly fascinated by. Like in real life, you're very much dependent on specific sections of a circuit to try and perform a takeover, being careful not to incur any penalties that could ultimately cost you big time.
This is the bit I lament the most about games like F1 25. While the preamble is filled with excitement and some immersive macro and micromanaging, pulling up to play the GPs feels like a chore. It doesn't have the chaos of an arcade racer, in which everything goes. I get that this isn't that type of game, but at least in other simulators I also thoroughly enjoy (EA FC or FM), the core gameplay still hooks me from start to finish. Here, I can't wait to end a race to go back to managing my team. They're still fun in short bursts, but they don't keep me engaged enough for me to have the "one more race" feel.
That said, a great thing about the game is that the actual feeling of controlling your car is satisfying. You can tinker with your F1 25 game settings to your heart's content. It's perfectly valid to keep things on the casual side, but once you take the training wheels off and see how hard it is to actually keep hold of a Formula 1 powerhouse and steer it perfectly, being able to tame it entirely is one of the best feelings F1 25 has to offer.
You don't even have to go from 0 to 100 in terms of difficulty. The customization and settings options are vast, perhaps too daunting for newcomers, so the game offers different presets. As you get familiar with some of the functions, I highly recommend you start toying around with settings. Disable steering and braking assist for a bit to see how you handle things, keep adding to the challenging experience each time. Increase the AI difficulty just a tad more. I promise you it'll make every race much more engaging and rewarding. F1 25 features a rewind function in single-player, which is present in many racing games nowadays, so don't be afraid to experiment a bit and get out of your comfort zone.
Beyond the plenty of single-player offerings, which include two versions of Career Mode, the third entry in the Braking Point story, and even some content to promote the upcoming F1 film, you'll find plenty of multiplayer goodness.
Grabbing an F1 friend enthusiast and setting up a two-player career mode adds to the experience. There may be some technical hiccups here and there (my created character was completely reset from one session to another), but being able to compete against your buddy, whether by representing the same team or signing contracts with different ones, makes things much more enjoyable.
There's also the little fact that the comfort of the rewind functionality is not present, and boy did I learn that the hard way: while trying to avoid Max Verstappen from pulling a takeover on me, I tried to close an angle but was too late. I got nudged slightly and rammed straight into a wall, ending with a DNF (did not finish) and kissing my Australian GP podium goodbye. It made for a good laugh once I sent my friend the clip of what had happened.
Overall, F1 25 is a delightful experience. If you're just getting caught up in the Formula 1 hype, take it from someone in your situation: I highly recommend you give this a shot.
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