F1 2011 Critic Reviews

On the surface, the changes made to F1 2011 over its predecessor seem small, but once you start a career mode or get to grips with car setup, you'll find that the game really is the huge overhaul they claimed it would be.

The racing feels so spot on, and the dynamic weather effects and track conditions really give it that authentic feel.

Casual racers need not apply. Even when you try to dumb down the game with options and settings F1 2011 will prove too taxing for all but the most serious F1 racing fans. Bring a good sound system, a comfortable chair, and a reliable racing wheel to the table and prepare for the ultimate F1 racing experience you can have without leaving the house…or the country.

Fans of Formula One can finally rejoice that their favorite sport is being faithfully represented in the video game realm, and fans of racing games get another great series from a great developer. It's a perfect 1-2 finish.

F1 2011 shows improvement over its predecessor of last year in both polish and fidelity to the Formula 1 traveling circus, but might be too complicated for the F1 novice. Watching a few actual races first would help the novice get up to speed.

While it's never going to be as surprising or novel as Codies' first stab at Formula One, for a seasonal update there's a remarkable number of tweaks and changes, all of which are for the better. What's more, the game has become one of the most substantial and compelling multiplayer racing offerings around and, with the addition of co-op at whatever diffi culty you choose, is more inclusive for all skill levels than the majority of online racers.

Codemasters seems to have learned from its mistakes and have delivered a masterpiece for the circuit lovers.

Although it doesn't shine for innovation, F1 2011 proves to be a well-crafted and solid racing simulation, and one that will surely keep any fan of the genre very busy for a long time.

It's the little things that the core F1 audience will appreciate: the oscillating body work, revamped pit stops, improved tyre degradation, a dynamic cloud system. While casual players might question whether much is different a year down the road after 2010, those in the know - those whose second home is behind a steering wheel - will agree that F1 2011 is the most complete representation of the sport to date.

Every major issue in F1 2010 has been addressed, making an already great game even better. We'd still like to 'live the life' a bit more off the track, but in terms of racing, it's just an absolute blast, whichever skill level you approach it from.

The strides forward over last year's game really do place Codies' F1 series amongst the most dynamic sports series in video games today, ensuring that if you played and enjoyed last year's game then you'd be mad not to get in on the ground floor of this year's improvements.

F1 2011 is a big step forward from the prequel. Codemasters has listened the feedback and worked so much on the multiplayer and all the small details. Good work too on the technical aspects of the game but we'd like to have 60 FPS.

F1 2011 is not a necessary purchase for the more casual racing game fan. Only the purists will opt to upgrade, in order to play it online, access the latest gameplay enhancement, and dive into the F1 racing world with updated cars and racers. A large update, indeed, rather than a completely new title. But the enhanced AI, better online play, and refined simulation still make for a very welcome addition ; let's hope next year's edition will also feature visual improvements.

It's the most exhilarating racing experience I've had since Dirt 3, and if you had to ask me which one I liked better, it would be like having to choose one of my children to sacrifice.

At a higher difficulty F1 2011 really starts to shine and show what a great racing experience it is.

This is the "F1 2010 that should have been". With this year's edition, Codemasters offers a truly remarkable racing experience that should not be missed by fans of Formula 1.

The changes to this years edition aren't big enough to be able to look on F1 2011 as a gigantic leap forward, but then they didn't need to be. Fans of the sport will no doubt find themselves questioning whether or not the new features and updated roster are worth their money, but it is undeniably an improved version of what was already a fantastic title.

Overall, this game is a true simulation of today's grand prix racing. It is both as accurate as you could hope to realistically be able to play. Graphically and acoustically it is superb. If you like Formula One racing and want to play it at home on your console or PC then this game is the pinnacle of simulations on the sport ever produced. The only thing missing is the cramped cockpit and the g-forces you would get in the real thing.

If you enjoy F1, there really is no excuse not to pick up F1 2011 - it's a wonderful balance between simulation and fun, although the learning curve is still relatively steep which may frighten off some gamers.

F1 2011 is exactly the kind of racing game the previous one should have been. No one that enjoys F1 should ever miss out on this one.