F1 2010 – Review – Xbox 360

The F1 series has graced many console’s and for a while only appeared on the PS2 and PS3, but many fans of the series eagerly awaited a release of an F1 game on the Xbox 360. Finally the series has graced us with its appearance on the Xbox 360 in the form of F1 2010. Before the game was released there were a lot of promises made by Codemaster’s, but is the game all it’s cracked up to be?

Gameplay: When the game loads up for the first time you are greeted by the press. They ask many questions about who you are including your name, racing style, which team you want to join and how many seasons you want to race. Once you complete the preliminary setup you meet your agent and through her you can change teams and see what challenges are given to you by your sponsor. They range from ranking a certain place in qualifying and when you race. You can modify your driver somewhat by choosing a helmet based upon your team or the country flag of your choice. Upon entering a race in either Career or Time Trial game modes you appear in a garage inside your car. In front of you is a monitor that shows you the stats of your car and through this you can modify pretty much all the aspects of the car, and in career mode it displays your qualifying place.

When you finally decide to hit the asphalt the game can surprise you. This isn’t your basic arcade type racer. Aspects like temperature, type of tires, and your cars setup all play roles in how the game feels. There are points during a race where it will start raining, at that time you can pit and change to wet weather tires or stay in a narrow strip on the track called a dry spot to maintain traction. The key to the game is all about traction either through down force or the type of tires your using. Located around most tracks are gravel pits that when driven into the gravel will stick to your tires and slowly come off while driving, but if you try to go to the edge while the gravel is on the tires you will lose traction. The game can feel simple or advanced all upon your play style.The graphics in this game are on par with Forza 3. The scenery is lush and lifelike. The instrument cluster and steering wheel while in cockpit view look amazing. The tires look plyable and you can see the camber while driving.

Graphics: The graphics in this game are on par with Forza 3. The scenery is lush and lifelike. The instrument cluster and steering wheel while in cockpit view look amazing. The tires look pliable and you can see the camber while driving. The game looks amazing.

Overall: I believe this game is what fans were waiting for. The only problems I had with the game was the games somewhat complicated menu system. The game is very fun and the simulation aspects of the game are definitely interesting and provide an escape from the arcade style racers that have flooded the market. You can get really entrenched in the gameplay of career mode or play bits at a time depending on how much time you have available. If you are a fan of F1 racing this is a definite purchase. If you are new the F1 style games this is a great entry point into this type of racing.

Pros: Simulation style racing.

Cons: Somewhat complicated menu system.

Score:  8 Out of 10

A copy of this game was provided to the reviewer for reviewing purposes from the publisher

Popularity: 21% [?]