Review: Formula One 2011 (Xbox 360)
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Representation of the Formula 1 world in gaming has been sketchy at best over the years.
It has ranged from cars that fly round corners on pieces of elastic that never leave the track to the impossibly hard handling where it's nigh on impossible not to fly into tyres.
Graphically the games have progressed as they should have done and in this latest offering from Codemasters the next generation of Formula 1 visuals are showcased beautifully.
Tracks are very impressive and the cars also very pleasing on the eye.
Codemasters have a deal with the Formula 1 brand so the game is packed with al the real drivers, cars, sponsors, tracks etc. In short it is a dream for fans of the sport.
The main question that needed answering with this game though are whether all is well under the gleaming bonnet and official franchise.
The resounding answer is yes, this game is as tight on the track as it should be and the end product is a very pleasing game all-round.
The car handling strikes a happy balance sometimes it extremely difficult to handle on the corners but there is a real ability to attack the corners which can feel very rewarding and adds a sense of real grit to the game.
In fact I genuinely found it to be an exhilarating experience, sometimes F1 games have failed to grip me due to the repetitive nature but with this I didn't find that at all.
Concentration is everything but there is a real sense that you are battling to acheieve something.
The game panders to the whim of everyone, the die-hard simulation fan, the quick fix-racer and the online multiplayer enthusiast.
The online aspect has been dramatically improved to ensure a quality online experience and it won't disappoint.
Career mode is also geared around giving gamers a very in-depth and fun experience. This adds real depth and is packed with features as you attempt to become the next Lewis Hamilton from rookie to superstar.
This game is packed with everything you could wish for to make it an authentic F1 experience and presents it in dynamic fashion with quality at the forefront.
Making F1 so playable in multiplayer mode is a great achievement and quite rightly makes this a special game and a must purchase.
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Authors
Steve Wollaston - Sunday Mercury games reviewer Steve has been writing about video games for donkey's years. In fact he is probably far too old for it now which is why you will see a lot of reviews been done by kids... He has been nominated three times for Regional Games Journalist Of The Year at the Games Media Awards, but never wins. His major love is sports games and rates Sensible World of Soccer circa 90's as the greatest game ever made - closely followed by Championship Manager 2. Skyrim has currently taken over his life.
The Formula 1 representation in gaming is great! The player has the opportunity to feel just like a car race driver and the adrenaline level rises while playing this game. When playing this game you feel like a professional V8 Race driver.