F1 2019 Review: Even Better Than the Real ThingF1 2019

[SlipZtrEm]

Can you do full championchip in F2, or just single races and timetrials?

You can do a full championship in the Championships mode, with the complete rule set and field. 👍

 

[Interstellar9]

In my opinion F2 cars aren't so difficult to drive or more difficult than the F1 cars. Yes, you can spin them much easier than F1 cars, even on medium traction control settings. But imo the throttle pedal feels more responsive. I know how much power I need to enter a turn while in F1 I have circuits I always struggle to hit the apex in some turns. I also have more problems to hit the optimal brake point in F1 cars than in F2 cars - on certain circuits.
Maybe because I'm switching too often between the ERS modes?

 

[MagpieRacer]

In my opinion F2 cars aren't so difficult to drive or more difficult than the F1 cars. Yes, you can spin them much easier than F1 cars, even on medium traction control settings. But imo the throttle pedal feels more responsive. I know how much power I need to enter a turn while in F1 I have circuits I always struggle to hit the apex in some turns. I also have more problems to hit the optimal brake point in F1 cars than in F2 cars - on certain circuits.
Maybe because I'm switching too often between the ERS modes?

Maybe. I did find the brake points more consistent with the F2 but I don't know if the slightly reduced straight line speeds and no regen might help.

 

[Slapped]

I've spent a little time with 2019 today - I would have liked to have had more time but my left foot is a bit screwed and I can't do it Rubens Barrichello style. So here's my opinion based on the PS4 version using a Pro model, and running a short race weekend on Paul Ricard - as I did the full French GP on Sunday in 2018 I felt this would be a good comparison. I haven't tried the F2 yet so I can't comment on that.

Graphics have improved in my opinion. Everything appears sharper and also smoother. When you're sitting on the exhaust of the car in front it really does make you feel there's a real car in front of you. The TV monitoring seems to have really improved, almost to the point that it would fool somebody not acquainted with modern computer graphics - in comparison 2018 and 2017 looked a bit on the fake side. This also goes for the replays which now appear to run at a solid 60fps and without any of the stuttering that affected 2018. So this is a good step forward.

With the physics and FFB I find that the cars feel more direct and responsive and that there's more information coming through the wheel (G29 in my case) compared to 2018. The cars do feel more skittish and this makes it a tad more difficult to be smooth, and smooth you must be as it's easy to wreck the tyres here. That said I don't think the physics have been rewritten as it still feels very much like a Codies F1 game, I just think that a few parameters have been changed to sharpen it up. One issue that I did notice is that at least the Mclaren totally bogs down when going into 8th gear and this may be the reason behind the following comment.

I think there are some balance issues to be addressed as in a race I was constantly outdragged by a Williams on the straights while I was in a Mclaren. I was way faster through the corners and I could exit while still gaining, but even with rich fuel, full ERS deployment, and DRS the Williams would just pull away - it was like activating my DRS actually activated the Williams DRS. I'm not the fastest driver in the world and the AI difficulty was set to 75 which seems to work well for me in 2018, but this seems a bit off to me.

The AI is as good as ever but they appear to be a little more aggressive, which makes surviving that first corner after a bad start a just that bit more awkward and scary. Honestly if you're already familiar with the F1 AI it's pretty much the same, just a bit more gung ho.

And something that has bugged me since forever with the F1 games are the pit stops - yeah I can half understand why they are automatic as this is probably a requirement of the license, but why do they still do that "Automan" flip flip into the pit box? It's so immersion breaking and unrealistic. I fail to understand why the Codies can't just get the cars to drive in realistically.

Obviously there's a lot of the game that I haven't touched, and honestly possibly never will as I tend to enjoy the F1 games on a race by race basis, and never bother with the RPG elements, but on the whole I think this is shaping up to be what 2018 should have been, not that 2018 was bad in anyway, but there were some issues.

Looking forward to the inevitable patches

 

[CHEN255]

I've spent a little time with 2019 today - I would have liked to have had more time but my left foot is a bit screwed and I can't do it Rubens Barrichello style. So here's my opinion based on the PS4 version using a Pro model, and running a short race weekend on Paul Ricard - as I did the full French GP on Sunday in 2018 I felt this would be a good comparison. I haven't tried the F2 yet so I can't comment on that.

Graphics have improved in my opinion. Everything appears sharper and also smoother. When you're sitting on the exhaust of the car in front it really does make you feel there's a real car in front of you. The TV monitoring seems to have really improved, almost to the point that it would fool somebody not acquainted with modern computer graphics - in comparison 2018 and 2017 looked a bit on the fake side. This also goes for the replays which now appear to run at a solid 60fps and without any of the stuttering that affected 2018. So this is a good step forward.

With the physics and FFB I find that the cars feel more direct and responsive and that there's more information coming through the wheel (G29 in my case) compared to 2018. The cars do feel more skittish and this makes it a tad more difficult to be smooth, and smooth you must be as it's easy to wreck the tyres here. That said I don't think the physics have been rewritten as it still feels very much like a Codies F1 game, I just think that a few parameters have been changed to sharpen it up. One issue that I did notice is that at least the Mclaren totally bogs down when going into 8th gear and this may be the reason behind the following comment.

I think there are some balance issues to be addressed as in a race I was constantly outdragged by a Williams on the straights while I was in a Mclaren. I was way faster through the corners and I could exit while still gaining, but even with rich fuel, full ERS deployment, and DRS the Williams would just pull away - it was like activating my DRS actually activated the Williams DRS. I'm not the fastest driver in the world and the AI difficulty was set to 75 which seems to work well for me in 2018, but this seems a bit off to me.

The AI is as good as ever but they appear to be a little more aggressive, which makes surviving that first corner after a bad start a just that bit more awkward and scary. Honestly if you're already familiar with the F1 AI it's pretty much the same, just a bit more gung ho.

And something that has bugged me since forever with the F1 games are the pit stops - yeah I can half understand why they are automatic as this is probably a requirement of the license, but why do they still do that "Automan" flip flip into the pit box? It's so immersion breaking and unrealistic. I fail to understand why the Codies can't just get the cars to drive in realistically.

Obviously there's a lot of the game that I haven't touched, and honestly possibly never will as I tend to enjoy the F1 games on a race by race basis, and never bother with the RPG elements, but on the whole I think this is shaping up to be what 2018 should have been, not that 2018 was bad in anyway, but there were some issues.

Looking forward to the inevitable patches

As a fellow PS4 Pro owner your comments are very good news. I’m still working my way through my first season of F12017 (I didn’t buy 18), once I’m done with that I’ll get 19, as long as codes don’t bust the game with their future patches.

 

[Nwanu]

Is the PS4 Pro version close or similar to this?

 

[FoxMulder]

How are the career contracts? 2018 really was quite ridiculous with new contracts every 5 races and you could jump to whoever you wanted each time.

 

[Interstellar9]

Is the PS4 Pro version close or similar to this?

Similiar. Maybe a bit rougher (no native 4K resolution) but lighting wise it looks the same.

 

[torque99]

Great review. I picked it up after reading this (PC) and pleased with the improvements. Handling and audio seem better to me on first impression.

P.s @SlipZtrEm re photo mode shutter speed/ render and dark screen I tried everything but couldn't get it to work like 2018 so sent a tweet and they replied they are aware and they are working on a fix soon

 

[barryf1fan]

Great review. I picked it up after reading this (PC) and pleased with the improvements. Handling and audio seem better to me on first impression.

P.s @SlipZtrEm re photo mode shutter speed/ render and dark screen I tried everything but couldn't get it to work like 2018 so sent a tweet and they replied they are aware and they are working on a fix soon

Definitely looking forward to your pics in this game!

 

[Jtheripper]

Played a little of my f1 2019 copy, this time just using a ds5 controller, on ps5.
It sure is a nice game, plays well, love the sounds, the older cars of 70s etc.

Might get 2020 at some point since many say its improved in that.
Only thing is replays in 19 dont run so smooth even on ps5.

 

[m355y]

Replays look horrid and jerky all the way up to 21, might have been better in 20 I can't remember. Overall I think 20 takes the title of The Best One, even including the more recent ones - but I did love 19, it was a big step up and introduced F2 as well. Being able to play through the 2018 and 2019 F2 seasons gives 2019 a really special place in my heart because I did that, in full, twice - and loved it. I don't think 2020 is as good for F2, the competitive order is all wrong.

19-20 I'd say are maybe the series' peak myself.

 

[Jtheripper]

Replays look horrid and jerky all the way up to 21, might have been better in 20 I can't remember. Overall I think 20 takes the title of The Best One, even including the more recent ones - but I did love 19, it was a big step up and introduced F2 as well. Being able to play through the 2018 and 2019 F2 seasons gives 2019 a really special place in my heart because I did that, in full, twice - and loved it. I don't think 2020 is as good for F2, the competitive order is all wrong.

19-20 I'd say are maybe the series' peak myself.

I see, im glad then that i did get 19 at least, it seems 20 isn't on sale anymore on pstore, seems maybe an EA policy to remove games from sale after 3 years or so.
I guess they want sales for newer games, maybe they'd have to keep paying a license fee for that year of f1 too, to keep selling it, i dont know.
Edit: i dont follow so much licensed games as such, but the older wrc, motogp games etc are still sold on pstore.