I watched my eight-year-old duke it out with the adaptive AI and while I can’t quite observe the full difference between the two available levels of it, it did seem to keep him in the hunt without making the AI rollover entirely. This should make for more exciting racing regardless of skill. A new adaptive AI mode joins the standard and already huge list of driver aids and accessibility options, and seems to keep the pack within striking distance of less-experienced racers. The new race engineer voice and the ability to switch out commentator David Croft for Alex Jacques similarly help set F1 22 apart from the previous F1 games, which have been feeling increasingly recycled in this department.
Visually it’s treading water this year but small touches, like neat new post-race clips of the battle-worn cars and updated camera angles on the old podium celebrations, slightly rejuvenate parts of the Codemasters F1 series that have been stagnant for many years. Rest assured, there is more to F1 22 than simply a stable of the latest cars and the new Miami circuit.
