Published , by Chris Jarrard
Published , by Chris Jarrard
As a genre that has been around since the dawn of video games, racing taps into the everlasting spirit of simple competition. Being the first to cross the finish line has been the motivation for thousands of games over the last forty years and shows no signs that it would fall from favor. Racing games are often seen around console launches as they have been popular for showing off advances in rendering technology and their appeal to the masses attracts many publishers looking for low-risk opportunities to score a hit.
In 2020, Codemaster scored such a hit with its annual entry into the F1 series. F1 2020 looks to be the final go-around for the franchise on the previous generation of consoles and brings along the cumulative advancements gained over half a decade of development. Marrying solid physics and outstanding on-track action, F1 2020 managed to stand tall among the competition by delivering one of the best attractions in all of sports video games — F1 Team mode. This year’s game finally allows players to have full control over a racing team and carry it through the day to day operations over the course of ten years.
From hiring drivers to assembling fabrication shops and attracting corporate sponsors, the Team mode in F1 2020 does a fantastic job of replicating the experience of running a racing operation in the most difficult and high-pressure discipline in all of organized racing. At the outset, your team won't have enough cash or experience to compete for championships, but through years of steady driving and hard work, can rise through the ranks to chase both driver and constructor titles.
Custom teams slot right into the action amongst all the real-life drivers and operations. The racing season allows for participation in all major parts of the F1 experience, from winter testing to the weekly practice sessions and qualifying runs. Bidding for free-agent drivers or risking the team’s future with shaky sponsorships lets you feel like you are a part of the real thing. Only the Eurotrash orgies following podium finishes are missing (maybe we get an M-rated version of the game next year?). F1 2020 is so good that its only serious flaw, the lack of official VR support, hurts deeply. Still, if you have a few bucks and want to experience racing that will leave your hands sweating and team management that will satisfy even the biggest F1 nerds, Codemasters has just the ticket.
Check out the other winners from The Shacknews Awards 2020 in our Year of the Games: 2020 article.