Formula Legends, our review!

Formula Legends: the single-seaters that made history

Hurry up and put on your helmet and fasten your seatbelts: in a few lines, the red light will go out and you can read our review of Formula Legends! Developed by the Italian team 3DClouds for all platforms on the market (with the exception of Android and iOS), Formula Legends is a declaration of love for Formula 1 and its history. The components that make up this particular racing game are a "cartoon" graphic style and arcade gameplay, although there are options to modulate your gaming experience and parameters to keep under control to achieve victory. We have several modes to try: career, timed free practice, and an editor that allows you to create single races and championships. As for the career, don't expect anything too elaborate; it's just about choosing a car and driver to face a series of races divided by year, trying to achieve the best possible result. It's a shame about the absence of multiplayer: there will only be the possibility to see other players' times in time attacks, although the option was not yet available during our test.

There are 14 circuits, all inspired by the most beloved real tracks of all time, and if you are a motorsport enthusiast, you will easily recognize them, given unmistakable elements such as curves or architectural references. Furthermore, many of these can be unlocked in multiple versions, such as historical, classic, or modern, recovering the variations that some tracks have received over the years. A similar discussion applies to the cars: there are 16 models, each linked to a particular historical period of Formula 1. It starts from the late '60s and goes up to the present day, and each decade is divided into three blocks: early, mid, and late, with the exception of the '60s, of which we only have the final part, and the years from 2020 onwards which, for obvious reasons, only offer the early and mid-parts. In each of these categories, you can use a single model of single-seater, differentiated by the liveries of the available teams, so don't expect cars with different performances. The only differences available from the point of view of track performance are represented by the drivers, as they might have bonuses related to acceleration, braking, or perhaps behavior during pit stops. 

Exactly as with the circuits, the teams and drivers also do not have official licenses, with the guys from the 3DClouds team having fun creating fictional names capable of bringing to mind the most famous duos of the past, and here comes Batteri Vottas driving the Merksedes, the unforgettable Jacques Altresi on the flaming red Ferenzo, and so on. In this case too, we will have to commit to completing specific tasks (such as driving for a given number of kilometers with a specific driver) to unlock each protagonist and team. When hitting the track, we immediately notice the very cute super deformed cartoon graphics, where every element is stylized, with the cars taking center stage and showing a simplified, but no less pleasant, realization. Indeed, although the secondary elements are decidedly sparse and there are some bugs (such as smoke that persists on the circuit or the walls of the Monaco tunnel disappearing), the overall rendering fits the product perfectly, also with good fluidity: during my tests, I did not notice any significant frame rate drops. The sound compartment is less memorable, merely accompanying the hours of gameplay.

Formula Legends: how is the gameplay?

Now we come to the strong point, which is the gameplay of Formula Legends, overtly arcade, but no less interesting or without elements to keep under control. The basic driving mechanics are very intuitive, but to achieve a good lap, you need some precautions. First, you must choose whether to enable driving aids, traction control, and the anti-lock braking system, elements that greatly change the approach to the track. The anti-lock braking system, in particular, makes its presence felt, and if you choose not to use it, you will have to be very careful when braking, because it will take very little to keep your foot on the brake too long, resulting in locked tires and an excursion off the track towards the nearest wall. In general, even with driving aids enabled, Formula Legends' gameplay requires a certain delicacy in using the brake and accelerator, in order to follow the rubberized part of the track as much as possible and achieve a good time. In more modern cars, there are also BRS and WRS which respectively represent ERS and DRS, i.e., the rechargeable "battery" that allows you to momentarily increase engine performance and the movable wing that adjusts aerodynamics, and regarding the latter, you can decide whether to use it manually or delegate its functions to an automatic system.

During the race, three indicators must always be checked: the fuel level, the damage sustained, and tire wear, in order to enter the pits at the right moment, also considering that the weather could always change and force us to switch to rain tires. It should be noted that the pit stop is managed by a small mini-game in which you have to press the buttons that appear on the screen as quickly as possible, also being careful to take the necessary time to repair any damage and fill the tank. Even the start requires a minimum of timing, and we will have to give the right amount of gas to avoid over-revving and ending up in the back. The physics are well-realized and provide pleasant sensations, but the management of impacts between cars should be reviewed, especially when the front and rear of two single-seaters touch: quite frequently I found myself "stuck" with my opponent, losing a lot of time and accumulating a lot of damage. In any case, the driving model is fun and convincing, allowing any type of gamer to relive the history of Formula 1 in this particular reinterpretation, also considering the presence of three difficulty levels that can modulate the experience for both casual players and those looking for a real challenge. Considering the attractive price of 19.99 euros, Formula Legends represents an unconventional excursion into the world and history of Formula 1, albeit with some compromises.