F1 23

F1 23 is the year the Codemasters-developed series returned to storytelling while also polishing the issues that plagued its predecessors. Alongside the classic career mode, where the player signs with a real team, and the My Team mode dealing with budget, part development and driver recruitment, the story campaign following fictional racers behind the scenes of the queen of motorsport made its return. It is precisely this campaign that gives the otherwise cold simulator a human dimension: dialogues, team intrigue and decisions affecting the mood in the garage play out between races. Anyone who just wants to drive has quick weekends, time trials and extensive race length settings at their disposal.

The handling model received adjustments to car behavior under braking and at low speeds, so the car feels more predictable at the edge of grip and forgives small mistakes more readily. A wide range of assists and a helper layer for gamepad players allow the difficulty to be set anywhere from casual Sunday arcade driving to a hardcore simulation without support systems. On PlayStation 5 the game runs smoothly with short loading times, the adaptive triggers make locking brakes noticeably felt, and the haptics distinguish smooth asphalt from vibrations over kerbs. Sound is one of the game's strongest aspects: hybrid power units, the engineer's radio calls and pit lane noise create a convincing broadcast-like atmosphere.

Reception was noticeably warmer than for the previous entry, mainly thanks to the return of the story campaign and more sensitive handling. Criticism traditionally targeted the fact that it is a yearly iteration building on a proven foundation rather than a bigger revolution, along with microtransactions in add-ons. For the genre the series matters because it keeps licensed motorsport in a shape that holds up both for fans of TV broadcasts and for players with a wheel and three monitors. Today F1 23 works as a solid entry ticket into the world of Formula 1 for anyone who wants to race fast, and as a decent foundation for league racing with friends.