F1 23 Review in Progress

thesixthaxis.com:

While the real 2023 Formula 1 championship already feels like a foregone conclusion, the special thing about video games is that they allow us to live in a fantasy world where parity extends beyond fighting for the third step on the podium. F1 23 features some big behind the scenes changes for more realistic handling and racing, and brings back a story mode for those wanting a lighter Drive to Survive-style tale.

The focal point for our game time so far has been the returning Braking Point story mode. Aiden Jackson returns, now a driver for newcomer team Konnersport Butler Global Racing Team, partnered with arch-nemesis Devon Butler in a cruel twist of fate. There’s the same style of racing snippets, dropping you into a scenario and challenging you to, for example, recover after colliding with your teammate, charge through the field on softer tyres. It’s Hollywood F1 action, but it’s fun nonetheless.

I really like the narrative framing throughout all of this, as it does an excellent job of capturing elements of the real world of Formula 1. You’ve got Andrio Konner as the owner and team principle, clearly taking inspiration from the longstanding Sauber F1 team – currently Alfa Romeo Racing and soon to be Audi – but the team is financially backed by Davidoff Butler, father to eternal F1 game butthead Devon Butler, bringing to mind the Stroll family dynamic within Aston Martin. The story races through a fractious 2022 season, but also weaves in the rising star of F2 prodigy Callie Mayer, the first woman driver in F2 and an absolutely dominant force in this season. Throughout there’s more depth to the dialogue options you have, based on performance and previous choices, and I’m enjoying how this takes a step forward over the