STEVE WOLLASTON

BY A RACING game has to have two key components, speed, and playability.

If you get those two ducks in a row, the rest should all line up nicely.

I grew up in an era where Formula One games tended to feature a car moving from left to right as the scenery scrolled on by. Cars bounced or sometimes even hovered around corners, and there was little in the way of realism. It’s almost impossible to comprehend how far we have come.

This latest incarnation is picture perfect, embarrassingly realistic, and just wonderful to play. I was blown away by last year’s F1 game, this is a level above again.

All the official teams, drivers and all 21 circuits from the 2019 season are here, but just to shake things up a bit, the Formula 2 racing series has been included for the first time.

That means you are essentially getting two racing games in one. It’s more than just a gimmick, the cars handle very differently and have been created with completely different physics. You then have all the nuances, drivers and settings from the F2 world to sit perfectly within the overall package.

The F2 cars are actually a lot harder to control so that makes it more of a challenge for gamers.

Everything about the game has improved, the career mode is more in-depth, the graphics are the best they have ever been, and the gameplay is exquisite.

They have really ramped up the artificial intelligence of the opponents you race against, you have to work really hard to second guess their moves with far less predictability than ever before. This game is packed full of modes, online play and options galore, it’s as deep an experience as you could wish for.

The Last Word: A stunning game that looks and plays exactly how you want it to.

Price: £45.99

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