F1 2018 F1 2018: Impressive First Drive and Early Impressions

F1 2018 The Game (Codemasters)

Paul Jeffrey

Premium
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We take the upcoming F1 2018 videogame from Codemasters for a first drive and give our (very) early impressions of the new title.


Stop! Before I go any further and whilst I have your attention... please, do me a favour and subscribe to the RaceDepartment YouTube channel. It would make me nice and happy, so give us a subscription if you haven't already please :)

Ok, back on topic...

Codemasters have been in possession of the official FIA Formula One licence since the 2010 racing season, and in that time the British developers have doggedly worked away at the yearly franchise to bring the spirit and feel of Grand Prix racing to home computers. Sometimes the games have been sublime, and sometimes it has felt like too much has been missing in order to classify the releases as a genuine contender for the hearts and minds of the gaming public.

Last year Codemasters made what I consider to be a considerable step forward with the F1 series, and early indications are that the developers have raised the bar once again for this upcoming new release.

If I'm perfectly honest I've never really been into the Formula One game series, although I've always ended up reaching into my wallet in the hope that the latest game stands up to the admittedly high expectations I held prior to taking it out for a drive. Well I think I can be reasonably safe in saying that for the new game, F1 2018, Codemasters have got the closest yet to matching those high expectations.

Still several days away from a public release on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC, RaceDepartment managed to get our hands on a early access copy of F1 2018 to review and share our opinions, and if I'm being perfectly frank with you, what I've seen so far has impressed me a great deal.

The new game feels like it has been improved in almost every aspect over previous titles. Obvious things like the inclusion of ERS and yet more classic content strike you from the moment you turn on the PC, but it's the little things that really make the difference. Presentation is slick as usual, however the way the developers have incorporated the new corporate image of F1 into the game is praiseworthy indeed, with nice and flowing introduction scenes right the way through to the way the drivers have been modelled to look like their real life counterparts.

But it's out on the track where the game really picks up and shines in my opinion. I'll admit I've not spent much time with it yet (that will change over the next few days), but from what I've seen and felt so far, the game provides a very nice and robust feel, with much improved handling and a very solid FFB right from the get go, without the need to spend hours tweaking my Fanatec CSW V2 to get the finest level of detail - as I say, pretty impressive.

First impressions of F1 2018 for me are overwhelmingly positive. I'm a sim racer through and through, so normally I'd be reluctant to spend much time in anything that I consider to not be the closest the developers can get to real world physics, however somehow it feels like F1 2018 manages to bridge the gap between the needs of people like me, and the desires of those looking for a more accessible experience impressively well.

I'm going to be spending more time with the title in the next few days, and of course will be making more videos as I go along, and at this moment in time I'm pretty excited to see what I uncover, not something I was expecting to say after the first day of running the game.

If I was a betting man, I might just have to say Codemasters have hit gold with F1 2018 after nine years of trying, and the results are pretty darn good.

Formula One 2018 is scheduled to release for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC August 24th 2018.

F1 2018 First Impressions 4.jpg

For more news and discussion around the upcoming new Formula One title, don't forget to check out the F1 2018 Sub Forum and get yourself involved in the discussion today!

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Do you like the look of F1 2018 so far? Are you interesting in trying it when it releases later this month? Let us know in the comments section below!
 
Last edited:

Ole Marius Myrvold

JWB 96-13
Staff
Premium
They better release a game every 3 years so they have time to make real improvements and between the 3 years make DLCs for the upcoming seasons

It's a yearly franchise. Just like all yearly games, Football Manager, Pro Cycling Manager, NHL, NBA, FIFA, PES etc. etc.
It's a part of the deal to get the license, which is why I use to buy Football Manager every other year (ever rarer now), Pro Cycling Manager every 3rd or 4th year and so on.
 
Looks good to me, but still can't understand why there's that dumb auto drive in the pitlane.. So immersion breaking... And still the same animations from drivers and staff... Wish they could add some new..
 
The drivers look absolutely awful, about as close to the real ones as the players in a 10 year old FIFA. They'd have been better off just putting pictures in there, at least for the menus and grid...
 
Do I smell a rat here. :sneaky:

Naah, just kidding. :rolleyes:
More sparks and more Halo, that's what I see for now...
But really what "better presentation" ? :alien:

And all the same "it's always your fault for every damn contact out there" and do I really have to raise my hand after every damn contact, can't I just concentrate on staying on track, like real drivers would do ?
Like someone said always same animation every year, driver presentation, locked pit behavior, gesticulations,...
Also, next time maybe lower your AI difficulty, from 12 to dead last in lap and 1 turn (and after already one restart cause of "bad start":rolleyes:), well... not a best way to really present a game.
Maybe next time without those huge (17:39) kitchen gloves huh. :D
I'm sure you'd do better with
2KfYd7J.jpg

Them off. :geek:
 
Its looks ok but it allways seems like trying to fix something that was born wrong for life. At the moment I am still very upset with the stupid car pitting animation...the cars stop and go movment is just so ridiculous...totaly ruins the race immersion!!!
 
If you are playing on PC then could you possibly comment on performance please Paul. The system requirements this year are quite a step up compared to previous versions and a lot of players are concerned on how well it will run.
 

Andy_J

I hate Race cheats ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
If you are playing on PC then could you possibly comment on performance please Paul. The system requirements this year are quite a step up compared to previous versions and a lot of players are concerned on how well it will run.
He does comment and says it runs everything on high very smoothly and only using 980 ti card. I'd guess he has an i5 or i7 last or previous generation cpu. Our Paul spends more on shirts than he does on upgrading his PC. ;):thumbsup::whistling:
 

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