REVIEW : F1® Manager 2022 (PC)
Writing a review of Formula 1 Manager 2022 is a true honour because the wait has been nothing short of eternal for fans of the highest automobile and management category. In 2000, EA Sports released the namesake and forgettable video game with an official licence (excluding mobile titles). It served the work of Liberty Media, the star-studded production company that has taken over the circus from Bernie Ecclestone for several years, to bring Formula One back to the levels of public enthusiasm that only Michael Schumacher and Ferrari had achieved at the turn of the millennium.
Of course, the drivers are the true stars, but team executives such as Toto Wolff, Christian Horner, and Guenther Steiner have all reached the public consciousness as a result of the Drive To Survive series. If sitting in Mattia Binotto’s seat to torpedo Inaki Rueda on the first day of work is one of your forbidden desires, know that a) you are not alone and b) Formula 1 Manager 2022 is the game for you.
Frontier Developments is a developer who has demonstrated his ability to work with management software, with works ranging from Planet Zoo to Jurassic World Evolution 2. She was inspired for Formula 1 Manager by the genre’s greats, from the patriarch Grand Prix Manager to the most recent Motorsport Manager.
The game is divided into two macro-phases: the race weekend (about which more later), and the more strictly administrative component. From the main desk, you can access eleven submenus dealing with the fundamental aspects of an F1 team: from driver management to engineering and mechanics, not to mention the vital field of research and development, where you can guess the improvements for your car.
The system with which the current budget cap limitations have been implemented is very interesting, but perhaps too simplistic and guided: even when driving the most generous team, it is necessary to choose wisely in which areas to intervene, given that the regulation is very restrictive in terms of expenses and time allowed inside the wind tunnel. The improvements will solely be “textual,” meaning they will not result in any cosmetic changes to the single-seater. Even enhancements to the sturdy construction, such as the heliport, are not shown graphically, even though this option was available in games over twenty years ago.
The racing weekend appears to be where the developers’ efforts have been concentrated the most. All of the Grand Prix preparations (three free practice sessions and qualifying) can be seen live or given to the CPU, which will mimic them in a matter of seconds. Finally, it is possible to speed up the time, but not to change the duration of the event and, even more seriously, not to save during a race: before starting a GP, make sure you have enough time available.
The three hours of free practise (save for races when sprint qualifying is performed) are used to arrange the best set-up and learn the behaviour of the compounds, and are thus far less boring than you might assume. first and foremost In addition to studying the strategy, it is possible to influence the driver’s mindset during the race by focusing on three areas: tyre aggression, fuel efficiency (the famous lift and coast), and ERS management (the equally renowned “I need more” power! “of Hamiltonian memory).
Long live the FIA
The official FIA licence is critical to F1 Manager 2022, but it also represents one of its key constraints. The inability to create a team from scratch may be an unforgivable lack for many players, but even the liveries updated to the most recent Grand Prix have a cost: in fact, the option to change the appearance of the car is not contemplated, nor is dealing with sponsors except for general objectives that do not concern a specific company. There is no mention of fuel or tyre supply, whereas other teams can swap engines but can only choose from the four manufacturers in the business.
Chrome plating
The title thrives on ups and downs from a technical standpoint. The race representation is without a doubt the showpiece of the entire production. On more than one occasion, you will have the sensation that you are watching a race on Sunday. The Formula 1 cars are accurate representations of their real-life counterparts, and the drivers’ faces are similarly realistically drawn. Unfortunately, several smudges detract from the overall effect, such as the “side” parts, which appear false and lifeless. This is due to the stationary Ferris wheels, as well as the complete lack of mechanics in the pit lane.
There are also mistakes in the cockpits, the interiors of which are similar for all pilots. A flaw that is especially noticeable in the Williams squad, which is the only single-seater with the display anchored to the bodywork and, in F1 Manager 2022, takes the same technique as the other teams. Some textures are visibly poor quality (see the Halo sponsors) and the steering wheels have an unpleasant blur: in short, the view from the air scope, while scenographic, is flawless.
The camera on the front wing was just used for the show; the one on the back wing was more fascinating since it allowed us to understand how near the following pilot was and so give instructions on how to utilise the ERS. In short, the view from the air scope, while scenographic, is flawless. The camera on the front wing was just used for the show; the one on the back wing was more fascinating since it allowed us to understand how near the following pilot was and so give instructions on how to utilise the ERS. In short, the view from the air scope, while scenographic, is flawless. The camera on the front wing was just used for the show; the one on the back wing was more fascinating since it allowed us to understand how near the following pilot was and so give instructions on how to utilise the ERS.
Disappointing audio: an unexpected commentary in Italian (we expected Vanzini and Genè) is limited to the circuit presentation and a few meandering exclamations on the track exits. As a result, a seemingly innocuous cut of the track limits is reported as a collision on the barriers, replete with a direction that frames the desperate mechanics. Even the track engineer’s and driver’s conversations are pared down to the essentials: push as hard as you can, save tyres, improve lift and coast, all of which are greeted with a laconic “Copy.”
The game mode is only one (no multiplayer for the time being), but the most important issue is that you cannot select a single event, thus the only way to proceed is to embark on a career with all of the tracks that are proposed, in the same order as reality. There is also a shortage of ad hoc scenarios, which would have improved the variety of the service.
