F1 2011 – Review – Xbox 360

In 2010 Codemasters finally released an F1 game for the Xbox 360. For years the F1 series premiered almost exclusively on a PlayStation game console. Once Codemasters announced that the series was coming to the Xbox 360 many fans of the series were extremely excited. Upon F1 2010’s release it exceeded many expectations and gained high marks across the board from reviewers, myself included. As with most sports related games that are released on a yearly basis, some fall short of the previous year’s title and some surpass it. Finding out that answer is one of the most pivotal questions fans of any sports series want to know. So does F1 2011 stack up to F1 2010 or does it not live up to its predecessor?

Gameplay: The gameplay found in F1 2011 is almost identical to 2010. As with rule changes in the real life F1 series changes were made in the game to reflect these rule changes and you can really notice them. The one stand out feature of the F1 titles is that they are more in line with simulation type racing and arcadey racing is out the window. To truly appreciate this game you must give it some time. You must allow yourself to get used to the style of racing. For me I found it difficult at first. I was taking the line wrong, braking way too late, and overall didn’t quite have the feel for the game yet. I gave myself some time and began to love my car. Racing in this game feels unlike any other. You will find yourself striving for perfection. As with most racing game’s you can change what computer aided assets are turned on. These include steering, braking, and traction control assists. For the “True” racer you will turn these all off. Turning off the assists raises the bar of difficulty by leaps and bounds.

In the main menu you have two primary choices of play. You can start a quick race called the Grand Prix where you can select your track, number of laps, and even whether. The other mode is Career. In Career you can choose a team from McLaren, Ferrari, and Lotus to name a few and begin making a name for yourself. You basically complete the same task a real F1 driver would have to do, including Practice sessions where you complete tasks your team assigns you, like testing out a new setting for your downforce. The others are qualifying and finally race. As you play you are given objectives to complete, like placing in a certain grid spot or finishing the race in a certain position or higher. The nice thing about this game is that you can play simple or you can go all out. You can modify any setting on your car including downforce and tires for example. As you play in Career you begin to feel like your apart of something special and strive to keep your team happy.

Graphics/Sound: The graphics and sounds are amazing. The tracks are extremely detailed and seem to shine with all the available weather options. When it rains you can see the splash of each rain drop hitting the track. With the ability setup the weather before the race you can see a full range of changes appear on the track in one race. The sounds are expertly crafted and the sounds are what you would expect to hear on the track though not as loud.

Multiplayer: With multiplayer you can play a simple online race against 15 opponents, or co-op career with a friend.

Overall: This game far exceeds F1 2010 in almost all areas and is quite the enjoyable racing game. If you are a fan of F1 racing this is one game you should not pass up. You will find the game easily modifiable to what you want. You can play as a pro or as an amateur. You can also play a three lap race or 100 lap race it all depends on your mood. The game will allow you to race how you want so that it will be the most fun for you. If you didn’t get a chance to play F1 2010 you really missed out, but now you can make up for it by playing F1 2011.

Score: 8 out of 10

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

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