Yearly sports titles tend to face an uphill battle. While the likes of EA's FIFA and Madden could easily get by on roster changes alone, most other games really need to prove their mettle to get punters to pony up their hard earned cash again. Yet for its third outing with the Formula One license, that's just what Codemasters have done with F1 2012, delivering numerous small-but-notable improvements over the last two years' offerings.
Everything starts with the young drivers test in a meticulously recreated Yas Marina Stadium and racetrack in Abu Dhabi. Taking you through everything from vehicle handling, acceleration, and breaking to the more advanced elements of the sports such as KERS and DRS, a mixture of hands on time and short instructional videos prove invaluable to those either unfamiliar with the sport or new to its digital recreations. Depending on your inherent skill, the young drivers test will take about 40 minutes to 1 hour to complete but this solid foundation in gameplay mechanics will prove time well spent. Even returning F1 players should appreciate this refresher course in basic training, as there are plenty of nuanced differences to pick up on that reflect the changes the FIA has introduced to the motorsport since F1 2011 hit shelves.
It's just one small aspect of the game's commitment to authenticity. Obviously, a number of recognisable drivers were practically a given -- Raikonnen, Button, Hamilton, et al -- but appearances by real-world team members, such as Red Bull's team principal Christian Horner and race commentary from former F1 driver Anthony Davidson, helps craft a truly immersive experience. From the training mode onward, F1 2012 does a fantastic job of placing you in the mindset of an up-and-coming driver. Emails from agents and teammates advise you of race specifics or analyse your performance afterwards, helping put your head in the game. The tension, the weight of expectation of your colleagues, almost feels palpable, all creating a determination on your part to improve.
Essentially, if you enjoyed F1 2011, there's more than enough here to keep your attention: everything that was great last year returns, with enough tweaks and improvements to warrant a return.
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