Why F1 2013 Is The Most Realistic Racing Game You'll Ever Play

Codemasters have released some pretty awesome Formula 1 games over the years, with their fifth effort - F1 2013 - released recently for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC. The game mixes upgraded gaming modes with some ground-breaking new content and is their most complete offering yet. Here's why it's the best F1 game of all time:

Classic content

This has been on Codemasters' to-do list for quite some time and has been widely requested by gaming fans. With the game now in its fifth incarnation, they have finally done it. The addition of classic content and gaming modes brings a whole new level to the game and gives the developers a great foundation to build on in future releases. The standard edition comes with five cars from the 1980s and two classic circuits. Not only do the cars look great, but they sound awesome too.

Handling wise, they're all great fun to drive with fantastic grip and power. Compared to the 2013 machinery they're also pretty damn tail-happy, which does take a little getting used to. If you've managed to grab one of the 10,000 'Classic Edition' copies, you get a further six cars from the 1990s to play with, plus two more circuits. One unfortunate drawback is the absence of any classic McLaren machinery, due to the licensing not being sorted in time.

The classic side does leave you wanting more, but it's a mighty fine start. Here's hoping Codemasters expand upon it for F1 2014.

Murray Walker

Whilst the 2013 game comes with commentary from Sky Sports F1's David Croft, the classic content is commentated on by a real F1 legend: Murray Walker. The veteran former commentator introduces the classic section of the game and explains its scenarios and game features.

It's a great addition to the game and a big coup for Codemasters to get such a well-loved and respected F1 figure involved in the game.

The graphics are astonishing

I thought the graphics on F1 2012 were good, but the latest F1 game takes it to a whole new level. With a good base from F1 2012 to improve on, the tweaks in Codemasters' latest release combine to create some stunning visuals and presentation. The attention to detail is great too, particularly with the close-up shots and wet weather graphics.

The increased brightness and improved reflections also help to advance the game visuals. You can actually use the car mirrors for a change, and the McLaren's chrome bodywork (which was probably quite tricky to do) is much improved.

The handling is better than it has ever been

Aside from the classic content, the biggest difference an experienced F1 gamer will find is with the handling in the new game. Codemasters have improved the handling and reflected the current trends of F1. With less downforce available this season, the cars in the game have more understeer, less grip and decreased traction.

The rear of the car is much more liable to step out which does make the cars trickier to drive. These are small but important changes that help to make it the best Formula 1 simulation game we're yet to see.

It's the little things...

There are a few small additions to the game which really boost the game's quality. For one, a short video sequence is played prior to starting a session that shows the driver getting into the car and settling into his seat. Also, if you clash wheels with a rival during the race, your hand will wave about in protest. Another small but, in my view, welcome addition is replacing the computerised F1 car loading screen with real high def F1 images. Lastly, the game loads at a much faster rate. More of these small touches please Codemasters!

Save mid-session

With Codemasters putting more focus into the classic content, it's only a mild makeover for the modern side of the game. However one new mode is the ability to save a session mid-way through and revisit it later on. This means that if you want to complete a 100% race distance but don't have the time, you can do it bit by bit.

Online and multiplayer are as good as ever

The multiplayer and online aspects of F1 2013 remain largely unchanged, keeping with the strong baseline from the previous incarnation. This is no bad thing with fewer glitches to contend with, up to 16-player grids and co-op championship which enables you to complete a whole F1 season with a friend, competing as team-mates.

You can also play online races with the classic content and on the classic circuits, as well as mixing it up by racing old machinery on modern tracks and modern machinery on the old tracks.

Conclusion

Overall, F1 2013 is Codemasters' most complete and confident F1 game to date. The best F1 game we've ever seen? You bet.