F1 2011 review (PC)

F1 2011 is the latest iteration of the popular F1 franchise, and aims to provide the player with a true-to-life experience of what it’s like to be a formula 1 racer. There are however one or two slight issues…

Gameplay

There are two ways one can approach F1 2011. The first is for the hardcore racing sim gamers who want the experience to be as realistic as possible, allowing you to turn off all driving aids. Be warned, this mode will result in many laps spent crashing into walls, beaching your car in gravel pits and taking out other racers.

The second mode provides gamers with various driving aids which makes the entire experience easier to get into, though this path will leave one wanting more if they’ve experienced racing without assistance.

The most important issue to note with F1 2011 gameplay is that it isn’t really suited to keyboard racing. While this is possible, the entire experience is lacking when compared to racing with a gamepad or racing wheel and pedals; something to bear in mind if you’re considering getting the game for PC.

AI

F1 2011 promised intuitive AI which would lead to a realistic, immersive experience. Unfortunately, the game failed to deliver on this and surrounds the player with AD (Artificial Dumbassery) instead.

AI racers hardly ever leave the racing line, and are content to ram their cars into yours rather than pull off extravagant overtaking manoeuvres. This dampens the entire experience, with the player aware that they are simply racing badly programmed AI rather than world champions such as Fernando Alonso or Sebastian Vettel.

(Not very) Destructible cars

If you smash head on into a wall at 300km/h, you may break your front nose cone in F1 2011, a huge problem for a racing sim claiming to represent one of the most well known racing franchises in the world.

The game is far from true to life when it comes to car fragility; the cars can shrug off many incidents (such as driving into the back of an opponent) without a scratch.

The game is no full blown arcade racer either as there is some degree of damage taken by the cars in extreme scenarios.

This puts F1 2011 in a middle ground between full blow racing simulator, and arcade style “use-opponents-and-walls-to-your-advantage”, a place overlooked by either end of the spectrum where most of the market sits.

DRS and KERS

Two new features that have made it into F1 2011 are DRS and KERS, effectively presenting the player with two turbo buttons.

DRS (Drag Reduction System) can be activated in a specific zone on the racetrack when you are within 1 second of an opponent, though at a cost of downforce, making the car harder to control.

KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) allows players to charge up a “battery” using kinetic energy harvested from the car’s brakes.

Every lap sees a fully recharged battery connected to a turbo button that grants the player a horsepower increase, great for overtaking opponents or defending from faster cars.

Both of these real world systems are integrated well into the game, though when faced with simple AI who don’t really defend well, they do make things a bit boring.

Visuals and soundtrack

A definite downgrade from the visual effects found in F1 2010, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Rather than a flashy, over the top experience, players are greeted with a more realistic, true-to-life racing experience. It’s as if the guys over at Codemasters tried to refocus the game, making it more like a proper racing simulator.

This increased focus on a more true-to-life experience is also apparent in the soundtrack of the game. The engine noise is realistic enough to make gamers feel as if they are at a racetrack, though they have toned down the sound levels to prevent your ears from bleeding after 2 or 3 laps.

Conclusion

Should you buy the game? Well it depends; if you’re in the market for a racing simulator or fun loving arcade racer, steer clear from F1 2011 – it is neither.

If you want a toned down version of Formula 1 which lets you race as some of the current greats while enjoying world famous race tracks, F1 2011 might just be for you.

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