The concept of a yearly sequel in sports games is not a new one, but what is unusual, writes Simon Bishop, is that it has fewer features than its predecessor.
For: PS3, Xbox360, PC
From: Codemasters
Two stars (out of five)
Electronic arts is well versed at releasing an updated version of football (FIFA), American football (Madden), ice hockey (NHL) and basketball (NBA) games each year, with slightly prettier graphics, slightly improved gameplay (often with catchy names), a roster update, and then reaping massive profits. Not that there is anything necessarily wrong with that.
But then we have F1 2014. Released for PS3 and Xbox360 consoles as well as PC, it is meant as a stop-gap before the next gen version comes next year. And that is exactly how it feels: as if Codemasters has simply replaced the 2013 with a 2014 and shipped it out.
Formula 1 in itself is in a bit of turmoil lately, with team infighting and a lack of competitive racing. Unfortunately it all culminates in a lack of entertainment. The game is remarkably similar.
That is not to say the game itself is not entertaining in parts. There is your standard career mode (start as a rookie, work your way through the ranks, become world champion, you know the story), there is multiplayer (attempt to avoid people who don't brake for the first corner), but you would expect that in a racing game these days.
However, Scenario is the highlight of the game. Putting you in real race scenarios (such as Kimi Raikkonen's stellar race from 17th to win in Japan a few years ago), you play through and try to either replicate the result, or reverse history. This is fan service to the extreme, and I love it.
But all of these things were in F1 2013. When you load the game, the menu is identical.
The young driver test, which served as your tutorial mode in 2013, is, however, gone. The classic F1 content (1980s and '90s tracks, cars and drivers), has also disappeared.
It has been a while since I played F1 2013 but it seemed the graphics were worse, in some cases bordering on PS2 quality.
Codemasters has nailed the driving model in its F1 games, however. It is that perfect balance between arcade and simulation, satisfying everyone. Obviously, being a serious racing game, it leans towards the simulation aspect, but it is not brutally unforgiving in the way Gran Turismo is.
The only selling points for this game now are that you get to drive this year's cars with this year's drivers, and that the scenarios have changed since last year. Everything else is from 2013.
Clearly, Codemasters is focusing its efforts on F1 2015, and I am sure that will be well worth looking at. However, peddling this for full price is an insult. Just get F1 2013.
