At E3 2019, I was able to try out two competing racing titles by Codemasters: F1 2019 and GRID. Even though both of these games have the same underlying genre, racing, they couldn’t be more different from each other. I took on F1 2019 and then GRID and found that where one aims to present the most realistic racing experience possible, the other places racing fun first and foremost.
F1 2019
Publisher(s): Codemasters
Platform(s): Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC
Release Date: June 28, 2019
Website
F1 2019 is a game that chooses to hew as closely to authentic Formula One racing as possible. The cars in the game are designed to operate with realistic physics on both the track and in various weather conditions, and they are gorgeously reproduced as the player grows out of the ‘minor league’ Formula 2 races into full Formula One glory. In addition to the different leagues, there is now both classic vehicles that are included in the racing mix, and other vehicles can form rivalries against you based upon decisions that you make during gameplay that will influence how they interact (a/k/a sabotage) with you on the track.
During my F1 2019 hands-on demo, I was put into the Austrian Grand Prix first behind the wheel of Max Verstappen’s Red Bull vehicle and then in a storied 2009 Brawn BGP 001. Each of these vehicles felt incredibly different, and you could tell that they had been not only weighed out to act differently with the track’s realistic physics, but that they would accelerate and all handle differently. The Austrian Grand Prix track itself was gorgeous, and as I found myself spinning out off the track or dealing with other driver’s AI, I kept eyeballing the surrounding F1 2019 track scene and my own vehicle as it would collide and become damaged.
F1 2019 is a damn fine racing simulation title, and it is clearly one that is meant for fans who want that authentic Formula One racing experience, and one that you can pick up today.
You can buy F1 2019 now for PlayStation 4 (Anniversary/Legends Editions), Xbox One (Anniversary/Legends Editions), and PC Steam (Anniversary/Legends Editions).
Platform(s): PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia
Release Date: September 13, 2019
GRID is a racing game that goes in the obverse direction of F1 2019: instead of hewing closely to an authentic and realistic experience, GRID chooses to let gaming factor take central stage. As a result, the physics were not completely realistic and there are a lot of vehicle crashes and craziness present that you will not find in real life. There is also a rewind function available that lets you roll the race back several seconds to let you play your way through where you messed up again.
My GRID demo took place in Bay Area Storm, which is set in San Francisco. As I was strapped into a Chevrolet Camero SSX Concept, I was more than a little impressed with the track environment around me, though there were a lot of rough edges- which is to be expected for a title that was still in development. I peeled away from the starting line and was able to successfully drive around the track for the most part, though I would have to deal with enemy AI that would hit me and other cars. This has a lot of combat that I honestly was not expecting. I was routinely bumped by my opponents into the walls, and I quickly found myself in last place.
