F1 2013 review

(Xbox 360 / PS3 / PC)

Codemasters promise a lot of vroom with their latest release, giving you the chance to be part of the Formula One circus and best of all… the chance to beat Vettel.

Much has been written about Sebastian Vettel’s all-round domination this Formula One season. With a handful of races to go, he has all but won the drivers world championship. As with Schumacher years before, however, this almost supernatural ability to finish first has started to get on fans nerves ever so slightly. The poor chap has even started to get booed when he stands on the winner’s podium after yet another victory.

Thank goodness for F1 2013 then. Not only does it give you the chance to complete in every single round of this year’s championship, but you can also do what hardly no other driver has done this season… and beat Vettel. I bet Lewis Hamilton is rubbing his hands in glee at the prospect.

Before you get a chance to do this though, you’ll need to complete the ever so slightly annoying series of driver tests that help define your course in the career mode. They start off easily enough. The normal straight  line speed tests, but as you go on, they become more and more annoying as you have to contend with balancing your KERS set up with overtaking, whilst using your DRS and not hitting anything., all whilst staying on the road. Yes, it is more than a little tricky.

If you are looking for an arcade style racer, then this isn’t it. It sure takes some getting used to, although as an evolution in the series, if you have played any of the previous F1 titles you will know what to expect.

The career mode is where you can experience a full season from a driver’s perspective, and any of you wishing to start off with a top team are in for a surprise. You have to begin with one of the minnows first and prove yourself capable before Ron Dennis is going to trust you with a set of keys.

Along with this year’s entire season, Codemasters have gone all retro on us with some turbocharged classic F1 cars to race in. These are monsters from the 1980s and this gives you the chance to play or race against the likes of Nigel Mansell or Damon Hill. With the release of Rush thus year, this is a very timely idea, and those with just can’t get enough nostalgia can also purchase an addition pack that offers even more cars from yesteryear.

F1 2013 looks amazing, it really does. The gameplay takes some getting used to, but once you get to grips with it you really are racing. Codemasters have gone to great lengths to bring us the circus in incredible detail, and throw in some commentary by none other than Murray Walker you are really are in F1 heaven.

Mark Pilkington