F1® Manager 2023

Review

As a Formula 1 fanatic and an avid player of simulation and management games, this title is right up my pit lane! After having reviewed F1® Manager 2022, which was a very good game, I was apprehensive about the second instalment, F1® Manager 2023. What would they have improved or changed in this new version? One of the most important questions, in my view, would be whether it was worth the money compared to its predecessor.

F1® Manager 2023 is a simulation and management game developed and self-published by Frontier Developments on the 1^st of August, 2023 on the Steam platform. The game is available on PS4/PS5, Xbox One and Xbox One Series X|S.

As expected, all official drivers, teams and tracks are featured in this game. In regard to the interface, well, it is pretty much the same as its predecessor, so you won't need to learn extra things in this version. And if you haven’t played the previous game and want to give it a shot, you’ll be able to settle into the boss’ seat very quickly.

The game is presented in the same way as F1® Manager 2022, where you'll be receiving emails from your team in-between each Grand Prix, as well as taking care of the running of your team.  This will include designing and manufacturing new parts for your cars, as well as taking care of the pit crew and driver training. If you’re like me, you might even start head-hunting drivers or better staff for the next season.

As for each Grand Prix, you can choose to participate in all the sessions yourself (practices, qualifying, sprint race and race) or just let the system simulate it for you. Personally, I set each driver's practice runs and let it simulate, but I took full control of the qualification and race sessions. Again, there is not much difference between the 2022 and 2023 games. What I really noticed is that there is more attention to the tyre temperature in this game compared to the previous one. It seems that you need to be more attentive when ordering your drivers to push, making sure the tyres are at the optimal temperature in qualification so they can produce a good lap. Giving the orders at just the right time is paramount; sometimes, I even take control during a practice run just to get it right.

Regarding tyre wear and fuel consumption during races, I feel it is more accurate, but it also depends on the skill of each driver. You can also change drivers’ development at any time to improve their smoothness during races, which helps with tyre wearing, for example.

There are definitely more issues during the races. A lot more drivers will run wide in corners, and you’ll have more accidents, which is good. The pit stops also have more issues, which is also good, but there are so many of them that I worry it may be viral. In several Grand Prix, all the teams had pit-stop issues. That’s totally crazy; I’ve never seen that in one Grand Prix, let alone several.

The next thing that needs to be improved is the driver’s model. Leclerc and Verstappen seem to have received botox treatments on their faces; they look so rigid! Carlos Sainz seems to have slight strabismus (cross-eye) going on, which is not ideal for a Formula One driver.  I know this is minor, but come on.

I am enjoying the game for the simple reason that I like this genre of game and I love Formula One. But I have got to say that there is not much difference between this and the previous game. I think newcomers will enjoy this game more than someone like myself who has played both games. And please don’t get me wrong, I understand that it will always be difficult to improve such a game from one year to the next.

The graphics are good, and you have the official Formula One Theme. The tutorial is as good as the previous game.

Review written by THE CPT FROGGY for Zeepond.com

 F1® Manager 2023 Steam Store page