Can F1 2016 improve upon its predecessor?
F1 2015 was the first Formula One game for the modern consoles and while it was a good racing simulator, it wasn’t as strong as past F1 entries. F1 2016 looks out to change all that, but can it do so?
Codemasters seem to have gone the extra mile in attempting to do so, especially where the career mode is concerned. It’s a stronger experience, both in terms of modes and controls. Steering has never seemed so comfortable, while the difficulty doesn’t falter either. I also love how even the AI for Nico Rosberg seems to want to take out Lewis Hamilton constantly. I did see it a few times while playing as Hamilton, so maybe it’s a slight joke at the two racers? Either that or I’m just imagining it…
The great thing about F1 2016 is that it’s completely tailored to what type of racer you want. You can set it to be a super realistic racing simulator or make it play like an arcade racer. The visuals have also taken a much needed boost from last years entry, although it doesn’t look quite as nice when you put the camera to the outside of the vehicle, the vehicle models are nicely detailed…but for some reason, the rest of the game doesn’t look as crisp when viewing the game this way.
The audio is also vastly improved, it actually sounds like you’re driving a F1 car. Force feedback is also incredibly intense, especially when you crash your vehicle…I almost felt like the controller was going to fly out of my hands…so you’ve been warned to hold on tightly to your controllers! Besides all that, the presentation and controls feel like a big step up from F1 2015 and gives a great indication of what we can expect from next year’s entry, which will hopefully expand things even further.
The Verdict
F1 2016 is a huge improvement over last year’s game. The controls are tighter, the visuals are vastly improved, the customization is great and the modes are more fleshed out than ever. It does still need some work in the graphics department when viewing the outside of the vehicle and there is always room for improvement, but this is definitely a step in the right direction.