Games reviews: F1 2020 / Iron Man VR – Metro Newspaper UK

THE BIG RELEASE
F1 2020
PS4, XO, PC ★★★★✩
AFTER a long shutdown, F1 is back on our TV screens. Now its video game companion returns too, just in time to burn some rubber — and the smell is oh so sweet.
That’s not always been the case with pixel iterations of the flashy motor sport. And even though stalwart developer Codemasters has consistently taken small steps to keep the series on track, it’s only now that it’s made the leap to must-own racer.
That’s mostly thanks to the new My Team management mode, which puts you both in the pit of your own racing team to call the shots and behind the wheel, chasing down rivals. Not only will you select sponsors, manage contracts and improve facilities, you’ll also control an R&D upgrade tree to manage progression and get a head start on the competition. Not fussed about playing team captain? Getting behind the simulated wheel has never been better. Handling has had a welcome overhaul, making cornering a feat of attention and strong hands, while fellow racer AI leans more towards aggression. While this may not mimic the more cautious real-life racers, for a video game it makes perfect sense to up the ante.
The split-screen racing for sofa co-op is another element that increases the revs, adding an old-school vibe to the modern dimensions that come with the F1 brand.
For purists, the delayed F1 season has resulted in some minor setbacks in the latest edition. For one, the 2020 season isn’t entirely mapped out: some of the rumoured replacement circuits, such as Ferrari-owned Mugello, and Portimao in Portugal, don’t make the cut, while two new tracks scheduled for the season — the dunes-based Zandvoort and Hanoi, with its sweeping straights — do. Eagle-eyed fans will spot slight differences with team uniforms as well.
Meanwhile, simulated media interviews drag in the single-player campaign and the Michael Schumacher theme (he’s the ‘face’ of the Deluxe Edition) adds little. But these are tiny bumps in the road and none of these issues detracts from a series that’s come of age, delivering something that’s accessible for video game racer fans and authentic for the F1 faithful. Gareth May
The verdict
Finally, a must-have F1 game that plays like the best real-life feuds and delivers off-track control and drama to boot.
Iron Man VR
PSVR ★★✩✩✩
THERE are moments in Marvel’s latest video game when you genuinely feel like you’ve pulled on the famous Tony Stark suit. As its the PlayStation VR’s biggest exclusive of the year, you’ll need the PSVR hardware and a pair of Move controllers to play it but with the extra dosh you will become Iron Man, pointing your hands down to the floor to blast up, forward or backward, and arching your hand and pulling the trigger to fire rays of energy.
Yup, soon enough you’ll be flying around your living room with aplomb, blasting evil drones to oblivion. But what goes up must come down and after about 30 minutes in the air problems arise, with nausea rearing its head. That’s not unusual for a VR experience but Iron Man VR is worse than many purely because of the way in which the superhero moves and due to an over-reliance on melee combat instead of the less dizzying long- or mid-range attacks.
The story is similarly restrictive with a fairly substandard good-versus-bad tale that never really gets going. And the graphics are equally lacklustre with the cityscapes and coastal regions lacking the visual VR punch, instead looking rather like bad holiday snaps.
Throw in some long load times and shoddy tracking, and this is a VR game that, outside of the brilliant flying simulation, lacks that wow factor.
MORE NEW RELEASES
Railway Empire
Control the railway lines, upgrade stations, add 40 different trains and apply signalling in this thoroughly entertaining transport sim. Since it’s set in the 1800s (we’re talking steam locomotives here), it’s not the most hi-tech experience but the graphics look great as you lead your company and look to outsmart your competitors. NS
Star Wars Episode I: Racer
When it comes to handling and weight distribution, this Star Wars-themed racing title is no spring chicken but for a 21-year-old game the delivery of wall-to-wall speed is impressive and the quirky track designs challenge many modern, boring racers. The AI is almost nonexistent, however, giving this budget buy a limited appeal for modern gamers. PS4, NS
Ninjala
Developer GungHo’s free-to-play melee-focused Switch exclusive is what you get if you blend the cartoony battle royale Fortnite with ink-spraying territory game Splatoon. Fun and fast-paced with a lick of neon cool, you fight with soft play elements to score knockouts. It’s adorable, confusing and often clumsy – but younger gamers will forgive the flaws. NS

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