Formula 1 2010 Xbox 360

Released on 24/09/2010

• F1 2011 cooperative championship mode detailed

  Codemasters has provided details of the all-new cooperative championship mode that will make its debut in the new racing game F1 2011.

  The online multiplayer mode will allow two friends to compete for the same driving team over the course of a racing season, meaning they will work together to compete for the constructors' championship, while acting as rivals for the individual title.

  It will allow players to experience the unique balance of cooperation and competition that exists among real-life Formula One teammates, while offering a more dynamic and personal experience than racing with an AI partner.

  Chief game designer Stephen Hood said: "It's about trying to fight to be the leader of a team. It makes for a completely different experience, playing with a friend."

  F1 2011 will make its debut on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this month and will be aiming to emulate the chart-topping success of last year's F1 2010.

  Handheld versions of the game are also in development for Nintendo 3DS and the new PlayStation Vita.

  Published: 09/09/2011

• Formula 1 2010 Review

  Back in pole position

  It's been a long time since Codemasters made a racing game

  Boasting the official drivers, teams and circuits from the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship, F1 2010 lets you experience all of the thrills of the sport, both on and off the track. The game does a great job of translating the danger and velocity of speeding along at 200mph. When things are going well it feels like you're piloting a missile; when they're not it's like being on a rickety rollercoaster. Either way you're rarely in doubt that you're at the helm of the fiercest cars in the world.

  Attention to detail

  Boasting the official drivers, teams and circuits from the 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship, F1 2010 lets you experience all of the thrills of the sport, both on and off the track. The game does a great job of translating the danger and velocity of speeding along at 200mph. When things are going well it feels like you're piloting a missile; when they're not it's like being on a rickety rollercoaster. Either way you're rarely in doubt that you're at the helm of the fiercest cars in the world.

  F1 2010 lets you experience all of the thrills of the sport, both on and off the track.

  The handling is great, whether using the D-pad or the steering wheel peripheral. As long as you drive with precision and delicacy rather than with reckless abandon then it's a relatively accessible yet realistic simulator. That's not to say it's forgiving. A strict penalty system cracks down on unsportsmanlike behaviour, while computer controlled drivers attempt to protect their position and in doing so engage in dogfights. Brake too late or turn too sharply and you'll end up in the gravel or spinning out, wings splintering and wheels detaching following collisions.

  Your team has realistic expectations of you too. Nailing a perfect corner can feel like a victory at first, while mid-table qualification or securing a solitary point can be hugely rewarding. Improvement on a race-by-race basis is so well measured and fed back to you that winning almost feels like a secondary concern. To make things a little easier the game lets you to rewind the action and resume from a point in the near past, allowing you to correct driving mistakes, although this option can be turned off on harder difficulty levels. Race day can also be trimmed to just ten-or-so laps in Career mode, or down to one in Exhibition play.

  Slick visuals

  The game also looks as good as it feels to play. The 19 accurate circuits, ranging from Silverstone and Hockenheim to Abu Dhabi's Yas Marina and Korea's Yeongam, never veer far from photorealism, while the weather effects are fabulous. The rain that splashes across your visor and the way the tracks dry out is particularly impressive, while gravel sticks to your tyres, all of which affects their performance.

  Expresses the glamour and exhilaration of the world's most exciting motorsport

  F1 2010 has some personality away from the track too, allowing you to do several things to shape your career. From your branded paddock area you can analyse your performances, attend press conferences and interviews, wrangle over contracts and develop new parts for your car. It's a nice, if not fully realised, distraction between events that helps to make you feel like a driver and not just a car.

  Podium finish

  Offering something for all racing fans and plenty of fan service for Formula One nuts, F1 2010's attention to detail, great handling and good looks express the glamour and exhilaration of the world's most exciting motorsport and make it a joy to play. The best Formula One game in years, it comfortably stands alongside past favourites like Formula One Grand Prix and Formula 1 '97.

  GAME's Verdict

  

  • Feels great to play.
  • Looks gorgeous.
  • Best F1 game in years.

  

  • Requires dedication to master.
  • No split-screen two-player mode.
  • Off-track elements still need some work.

  Review by: Tom 'Pole Position' Ivan
  Version Tested: PS3
  Review Published: 29.09.10

  Published: 29/09/2010

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