F1 25 Review: A Stunning Racing Game With a Few Missteps

When it comes to sports simulations, few franchises manage to balance meaningful improvements with their yearly releases like EA's Formula 1 series. The latest instalment in the series, F1 25, continues that trend, delivering a visually gorgeous experience alongside meaningful refinements to its core gameplay. However, while career mode shines, certain features, particularly Braking Point, have failed to impress me once again.

F1 25 Is A Next-Gen Feast for the Eyes

From the moment you hit the track, it's obvious that F1 25 is a graphical powerhouse. The introduction of path tracing (full ray tracing) pushes lighting, shadows and reflections to an entirely new level, making the game look more realistic than ever before. Cars gleam under the sun, wet weather conditions feel authentically oppressive, and night races in Singapore and Las Vegas are simply mesmerizing to the eye. F1 never looked better, that's for certain. 

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F1 25 is a stunning video game thanks to modern new tech like Path Tracing

Beyond just beauty, Codemasters have fine-tuned the details that immerse you in the world of Formula 1. Tire degradation, track rubbering, and environmental changes are more pronounced than ever. The new LIDAR (laser-scanned new tracks), which include Bahrain, Miami, Melbourne, Suzuka and Imola, are jam-packed with detail that I've noticed straight away, delivering the most accurate F1 game ever and perhaps, one of the most accurate racing games ever, at least in terms of racetracks.

Career Mode: A True Driver’s Journey

For fans of long-form immersion, F1 25's Career Mode will undoubtedly be the most exciting feature, just like every year. Unfortunately, this year's version doesn't bring a massive overhaul that fans would love to see. It's more of the same, but you'll enjoy it more, mainly due to improved gameplay that is a mix of F1 23 and F1 24 and strikes a great balance between arcade and simulation. 

A small improvement comes in team interactions. Press conferences now feel less scripted, with dialogue options that affect your career trajectory. Drivers react to rivalries more dynamically, and there’s a real sense of momentum when battling for championships. This is mostly thanks to improved AI, which is noticeably better than last year, which was probably the weakest AI we've seen so far. 

Luckily, F1 25 truly improves on this, so expect tight racing, AI taking the inside line to protect their lead and aggressive overtaking manoeuvres.

Braking Point: Missed Potential Once Again

While F1 25 delivers excellence in career mode, the much-hyped Braking Point story mode remains frustratingly shallow. Intended as an emotional, narrative-driven counterpart to the traditional racing experience, it once again falls into the trap of predictable drama and unrealistic scenarios. I feel like this iteration is the worst one so far, with how dramatic and nonsensical it gets. 

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F1 25's Braking Point feels like a missed opportunity, once again

Character interactions feel forced, with rivalries manufactured purely for spectacle rather than depth. The gameplay itself lacks the strategic nuance that makes F1 exciting—there's not a single full race, no genuine options on track, while the off-track management choices are shallow as a puddle. It’s a shame, because the concept has potential, but Codemasters seems unwilling to truly flesh it out. If you're looking for immersive storytelling, you'd be better off crafting your own rivalries in career mode rather than enduring Braking Point’s forced tension.

My Team 2.0: One step forward, two steps back

The decision to remove the Owner-Driver system in MyTeam is simply baffling. I'm speaking purely from my perspective here. Some may welcome it (I seriously doubt that), but I'm really struggling to see how this benefits the game. While I appreciate the added depth, particularly the ability to customise sponsorship placements and manage finances more strategically, taking away the unique aspect in the Owner-Driver system ruins the MyTeam mode for me.

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F1 25 - You can't be the Owner-Driver anymore in My Team

The R&D doesn't seem like it's received substantial changes and remains similar to previous games, with some UI changes that don't really make navigating any easier. One thing I did like is the expanded driver market, which really gives you the opportunity to scout for top talent and negotiate contracts. 

In a nutshell, if you like the managerial side of F1's My Team mode, then you may like this year's iteration. For the rest of us, who like the idea of having yourself own and drive for your team, there isn't much here.

Conclusion

For hardcore F1 fans, EA's F1 game is still a game worth buying, at least at a discounted price. However, if you’re hoping for a groundbreaking story mode, you might find yourself disappointed. Codemasters have proven once again that they understand simulation racing, but when it comes to narrative, there’s still work to be done here.

F1 25 is a visual and racing spectacle and will attract many players, especially younger ones, but it feels like it doesn't bring enough shiny new things to the table. As an avid F1 fan, I'll still play this one, but I have to say that I feel a bit underwhelmed that we didn't get a more robust Formula 1 game.