F1 is back with another season of action-packed racing. Codemasters & EA have done it again by making an already beautiful game look and run even better than before. ‘F1 22’ feels like it’s been completely overhauled in all aspects; from how the track looks and feels to how the cars handle and sound. You might also notice a notable change in the title as well from the previous year “F1 2021” and now has gone down to a simpler, ‘F1 22’.

F1 22 has come back and with some notable changes to the game with a real-life F1 season seeing changes to the regulations & aerodynamic rules. The new designs mean there is not a flat floor anymore, instead, there are aerotunnels on the underside of the car which means the car will be pulled down with more air running through the tunnels. This means the car handles differently from previous years but not that much different that it changes the experience. There is more grip on the corners which improves the handling and how fast you can take the corners which have added to minimize the drag when you are flying up the straights at 300km/h.

The new “F1 Life” mode has been added to the game which adds that nice level of customisation to the game so everyone has their own experience. You have the option of changing your avatar to wear, look and sound how you want them to. There is a series of furniture to choose from so you have that ideal area where you can call your space. The best part of the furniture is the collection of supercars you can have on show.

Players have the option to come and visit and look at what they have done differently or what supercars you have to showcase. Unfortunately, there is a small amount of furniture you have at the start so the “F1 Life” might take a little bit of getting into because you should be able to unlock more furniture by the returning “Podium Pass”.

Players can buy the Podium Pass for 9000 Pit Coins which is $12 (AUD) so like most games, it gives you a pass for something to work towards to get those nice skins or clothes for your character in F1 Life. It also gives you the opportunity to unlock liveries for the team’s cars.

The supercars that play in hand with the F1 Life are also able to be driven on the track with the “Pirelli Hot Laps” where you have two options. You can choose to run a time trial or see how tricky you can be with a drift session. The unlocking process is surprising with the supercars; you can only purchase them with Tokens that you earn from getting the time in the driver’s seat up which then can be used to flex in the F1 Life Hub.

The career mode is back with two options. You can race as a pre-developed team, or you can create your own; naturally, MKAU Racing was born. The season itself is not much different from the previous games apart from the notable changes to the cars. We do get to see the new ‘Miami Circuit’ added to the game which is lots of fun. Some circuits have been modified to keep up to how they are in real life with some minor tweaks.

The career feels much like the others but how can you modify something that has been made well for years and is following the F1 Season so well. I am already sick of seeing Hamilton & Verstappen in front of me.

The multiplayer in the game is everything you can expect for those “Long” sessions where you need to practice, qualify then do the race. It’s so much fun. It’s absolute carnage and I lost count of how many front lips I lost in the races from being flung into a wall by someone behind me and then trying to seek revenge to then lose a tyre. You sit there and wonder why you have just spent time practicing & qualifying to throw the race.

F1 22 is for all the die-hard fans of F1. You will be surprised if you played previous titles with how well the cars handle now and how much quicker you can get around the track. The supercars being added into the game does spice things up a little by being able to drive something else apart from the F1 or F2 cars.

Written by: Hayden Nelson