Game Review: F1 22—Worth the Hype?
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By now, we've come to expect a yearly release for the F1 video games. But with the relatively new partnership between EA Sports and Codemasters, the 2022 edition promised to be something different, advertised as a generational update to match the real-life next-gen F1 cars. The game is not quite what we hoped, but beyond EA's unnecessary flair, F1 22 retains the qualities of a familiar friend—and it's guaranteed to be a summer smash.
During our extensive play-through on the Xbox edition, we found some noticeable pros and cons to F1 22. We'd like to get the bad stuff out of the way first so we can end on a good note. Keep in mind these calls are all subjective, as we didn't encounter any technical issues with the game.
Gimmicks and Gripes
EA Tomfoolery
Speaking of EA, evidence of Codemasters' new owner is all over the place in this game. Last year, EA purchased Codemasters for a whopping $1.2 billion and promised a hands-off approach to let Codies do what they do best. Unfortunately, it seems EA simply bought Codemasters a new outfit. A nose-crinkling outfit.
Return of the Podium Pass
The game greets you with a pop-up message encouraging you to buy a Podium Pass. As you level up in the game, you'll unlock various cosmetics like helmets, car liveries, and furniture (more on that later). But to unlock the actual cool stuff for each level-up, EA wants you to buy this Podium Pass—with real money.
Leveling-up systems like this now seem to be the norm in games, but we still can't help but gripe about it. It's one of a few annoying flourishes we noticed—a byproduct of EA sinking its corporate claws into a racing game beloved by F1 junkies around the world. They introduced the Podium Pass in last year's game, so we're not surprised it returns this year. We're just disappointed. On to the next.
We Get F1 Life, Lack of Story Mode
This year, there's a lack of a story mode. Personally, we're bummed, but it doesn't turn us away from the game completely. However, that extra real estate has been taken over by another EA brainchild—F1 Life. Reminiscent of Test Drive Unlimited's home and driver customization, F1 Life allows you to personalize an Instagram-able living area with lamps, couches, wall art, and more, along with various clothing items for your avatar. Of course, if you want the truly cool stuff you'd better get your credit card out.
It's a draw for casual racers or new gamers looking to try their first F1 game, but for hardcore fans of the series, it's a gimmick. Fun for 10 minutes, not much past that.
Shoddy Supercars
Another new feature is the addition of eight supercars—ranging from the Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series to the Ferrari F8 Tributo—which you can display in various areas of your pad. This is pretty neat, until you realize how little you can do with them. There's a playlist of challenges called the Pirelli Hot Laps, which consist of goals like drifting and time attack. But, that's really it. You can't race them against AI or online challengers. You can basically just look at them, groan at the awful tire squeal, and grow puzzled at their binary handling.
Okay, man, enough gripes. On to the good stuff!
The Bright Spots
Career Mode is Better than Ever
Tunnel your vision and go straight into the career mode. This is where you can choose to undertake either Driver or My Team options. No matter which you choose, here's where F1 22 sheds its EA shackles and brings us back to the F1 games we love.
The Driver route allows you to either jump right into a Formula 1 season or start as a Formula 2 driver. My Team is the approach more suited toward management and the finer things that happen behind the scenes of F1. Both are highly customizable and in-depth while providing an immersive experience.
Racing is All-Out White-Knuckle Action
On the track, the cars feel similar to the previous titles, and the racing itself is a riot. Some opponents really go for overtakes and will capitalize on your minuscule mistakes. Hitting your braking point, figuring out how to turn in smoothly, and controlling oversteer all take some time to learn, but doing so becomes rewarding once you figure 'em out. From there, you'll be able to fine-tune your driving and improve as the season goes on. Oh yeah, and porpoising is nowhere to be felt—rejoice!
Multiplayer looks to have weekly events alongside classic Social Play, where you can choose which lobbies to join based on your skill level—or you can create your own. Cross-play was anticipated to be available upon launch but has unfortunately been pushed back. You'll have to wait a bit to race your buddies on other systems.
To Bring It All Together
In summary, to fully enjoy F1 22, you'll have to peel back the obnoxious layers of EA mumbo jumbo. But once you get to the heart of the game, it's as good as ever. Gloss over the interior decorating and lack of properly handling supercars and enjoy Codemasters's brilliance as you sit behind the halo of F1's next-gen rocket ship.
