As promised earlier today, here’s the second part of today’s WeView double header – F1 Race Stars. To be honest I was mildly surprised when Codemasters originally announced this karting spin-off of their popular Formula One series, particularly as I tend to see Codemasters as much more focussed on realistic driving titles, Dirt: Showdown aside.
Nevertheless F1 Race Stars was announced, and unfortunately wasn’t that well received critically. It earned
One of the biggest problems we had with the game in our review was the handling, and that’s something that seems to hark back to the simulation lineage of the F1 series, as well as the associated license. When looking at the title Alex complained of “frustratingly lazy understeer in the bends with otherwise twitchy, immediate, directional, pointed driving elsewhere”, a juxtaposition not only within the handling, but with the game’s arcade presentation.
Despite the appearance of Formula One drivers and cars, or at least versions of them, the game still looks like a kart racer, and it should behave like one. In fact Alex actually said he “never once wanted to drive it like a ‘normal’ racing game,” and it’s obvious why. To be fair to the game, Alex did find that once you get a hold on the handling “it’s a decidedly more flowing game”, but even so it seems like a strange decision.
Handling aside, the core game is actually reasonably fun. Alex was particularly impressed by the customisation and variety that the game’s multiplayer offers you, as well as the modifiers it allows the host to set. The weapons weren’t as well received, being described as “a little vague and woolly,” but fortunately the game’s flexibility allows you turn them off in multiplayer if you aren’t in love with them either.
While the game’s courses may be visually appealing, Alex found that they were about twice as long as they needed to be. In fact he suggested an ideal solution “would have been to split them into two and effectively double the amount of courses”. Simple, but effective.
It should be clear by now that Alex wasn’t overly impressed with Race Stars as a complete package. If you haven’t quite got the message yet, here’s what he had to say in conclusion:
F1 Race Stars could have been wonderful, with just a couple of tweaks to the handling. However, the stoic adherance to sim-esque cornering has meant that the driving needs to be approached with far more care than it should, something that’s at odds with the presentation, track design and the fact that at any point you could be blasted with a weapon from behind – and they’re not blockable either. It’s still a decent title for the younger ones, but it’s in real danger of missing the one crucial element that all games like this should have: simple, fun handling.
So that’s his view on the game, now it’s time to hear yours. Did you find more to like, or did it disappoint you just as much? Whatever your answer to the question, you can share your thoughts on the game by dropping a comment below. All we ask is that you attach a rating to the game, selecting from the Buy It, Bargain Bin It, Rent It and Avoid It categories, and that you get your comment in by Sunday afternoon if you want to be included in next week’s verdict article.
Tomhlord
It is so cool that all the official F1 teams and drivers are scaled down, even their funny accents! Alas, once that novelty wears off, what you are left with is a game that is utterly tedious.
No part is bad or broken. But no part is great or innovative either. In principle, opening up the sport to a younger audience is brilliant idea. But a kart racer has to be fun. That is the reason for playing, to switch off and enjoy a flight of fancy. F1 Race Stars is about as dull as watching real F1 during the Michael Schumacher years. Except, I can’t play Race Stars at 1.5x speed to skip the dull bits.
teflon
Needs 4500cc for that. :P
Moshbag
Played this with three others for a short period, and absolutely nothing about it made any of us want to return after it was switched off. Avoid.
flatspikes
I’ve tried and tried to like this… But alas the game simply lack entertainment value and even as a ps plus freebie should be avoided.
hol
Bargain bin (if you didn’t get it on PS+) it’s a solid enough game, albeit with some decidedly dodgy handling! First rule of any kart racer is drifting and this, for whatever reason, completely ignored this rule! Did Codies never play Mario Kart?
Presentation is typical of Codies games, slick & a little sluggish to be frank. Online with mates is fun, plenty of choice & options to ensure a laugh but offline, in the single player game, is annoyingly inconsistent with the AI.
Paulo Vinicius Radtke
May I be the exception and give two ratings? I’ll go for what I think and for what my son thinks about the game. For someone who has been playing kart racing games sing the original Super Mario Kart, this game is dry. For a title released roughly at the same time frame as Little Big Planet Karting, it lacks any distinct features to make it stand out. For a bit more of money you can get a better karting game for the PS3, so RENT IT.
As for my son, even if he owns and enjoys LBPK, he fell in love with F1 Race Stars after playing the demo and rushed me out to the closest EB Games to buy it with his savings. The colourful graphics and funny character depictions are enough to hold a young boy attention. Add two female drivers and there’s something for young girls too. For my son, that’s a BARGAIN BIN IT (that’s where we got the game).
joeybamboo
nah, i think its a pretty cool game, love watchin f1 and playin the official games, and loved playing this. not the most origional game ever but what is. still better than mod nation which, to be honest, was a total let down, even the vita version seemed shoddy. the handling is just like other karting games, apart from a power slide, which always anoyed me anyway, i got it free with plus but i would definately buy it, each to there own i guess…
freezebug2
I loved competing in the Time Trial challenges, racing against friends ghost car times and getting the gold medals cos’ I’m like that. Otherwise though it was really just a trophy whoring process for the platinum.
The game has all of the ingredients for being a restaurant classic, but sadly turned out to be a Ready Steady Cook chuck-together!
My verdict would be to subscribe to Playstation Plus and get the game while it’s still available for free and take advantage of all the other goodness available as a member, other than that BARGAIN BIN when it hits less than £10.
Airiaen
Avoid and buy the much better Sonic and Sega All Star Racing Transformed. Imo.
parryman
To keep up with a reoccurring theme, I PS+ed it.
As a pick-up-and-play quick blast game it is mildly entertaining.
As a sit down and invest a few hours in, I got really bored, really quickly.
I think if you haveny got plus, it’s maybe worth a rent it.
You may enjoy it for a few minutes at a time, but long term investment in it is unlikely.
DividSmythe
I got it on Ps+ too. I’m so glad I didn’t have to buy it, as it is the worst game I have played for a while. It doesn’t help that I think F1 it’s the most overrated sport ever. Each top there own.