Reviewing an annualized game series is a lot tougher than one might think if the reviewer isn’t familiar with the series in question. This was my dilemma with F1 2013. I haven’t played any of the previous games in the series for more than a few minutes combined, and I have only seen glimpses of a real F1 race. While I can respect the sport and its global popularity, I don’t know jack about it. It’s good then that F1 2013 takes this possibility into consideration, and offers players a relatively Easy mode and a Young Drivers Test mode that must be completed before you can start your Career.
Performing well in the twenty-or-so part Young Drivers Test may net you an offering from one of three real F1 teams, including Ferrari or Mercedes. The Young Drivers Test takes you through the basics, starting with a straight-line test, hairpin turn management, and offers video guidance along the way. Other on screen assists can be disabled in the HUD include the ‘racing line’ that indicates the best path for your vehicle and warns you by changing color if you’re approaching a turn too fast. These aids are welcomed for a racer like me who plays exclusively arcade racing titles.
Even with these assists, and using my old Logitech G27 racing setup (once again, no support for the six-gear shifter or clutch), I still found F1 2013 to be a stout and grinding challenge. Each section of the Young Driver Test must be completed in order, and I soon found myself seeking out other modes. One of the more interesting modes for F1 fans from the 80s and 90s is the Classic Mode, which gives players access to vintage teams from that period. Much of this content is locked in the PS Store, and honestly I would have thought for a series at least three years old they might have already offered a mode something like this before, but regardless, it’s here and I’m sure it’s pretty cool for those familiar with the sport.
There is also a twenty-part Scenario Mode available that is split into four sections. Each section has five challenges that put you in increasingly difficult scenarios right in the middle of a race. I found this mode to be the most compelling overall. Other options include online, split-screen, and even LAN multiplayer which is a rarity in games these days, as well as Custom Racers, Career, and Grand Prix. In Grand Prix, all of the real-world 2013 teams are here, as well as races set across a dozen or so real world locations.
As far as presentation, F1 2013 gets the job done, but I wasn’t blown away. That isn’t surprising given that this could be the series last hurrah on the current gen consoles and Codemasters Racing is probably focusing on a next-gen release. Still, expect a smooth framerate and appreciable detail on the vehicles and tracks, which are all closely modeled after real world I presume. Other than the constant hum of the engines, there aren’t a ton of effects per se, but what’s offered here fits great.
And as my time with F1 2013 nears its end, I can honestly say it’s one of the best racing sims I have played, but, it reminds me why I prefer arcade racing. But for anyone truly interested in F1, or a solid racing sim, F1 2013 isn’t likely to disappoint. While reviewing this game, the release date varied across different outlets across a few months, but it seems like Dec 1st is now the official date, so F1 fans still have plenty of time to start their engines.
To the summary…