Formula Legends review

I’m very confused as to who Formula Legends is for. Developed by 3DClouds, the studio that’s delivered a whole host of kid-focused racing experiences for Outright Games, you might think that this too is aimed at youngsters, especially with its cartoony appearance. And while the idea of a Formula One-themed arcade racer is appealing, or even a kart racing game with Formula One vehicles and fun powerups, instead, it takes itself way too seriously.

Jump into Formula Legends, and while you’ll find that its racing physics can hardly be described as sim-like, it still expects you to drive like you’re playing a sim. So, to succeed, you need to learn the braking points on each track, and consistently hit the apex of corners. On top of that, you also need to keep a close eye on the condition of your vehicle, as well as how much fuel you have left and the wear of your tyres. Needless to say, if you don’t develop a good pit strategy, you’re open to failure.

All of these are things you need to consider in the official Formula One games by EA; only those also have stunningly realistic visuals, more options and features, and even more assists to make them welcoming to players of all ages and skill levels. And so, I ask again: just who is Formula Legends for? It’s not really fun or accessible enough for youngsters, I feel, while adult F1 fans will get much more out of a recent official Formula One game.

The biggest draw here is undoubtedly Story mode, which takes players through the history of Formula One. Players will start during the early days of the sport, racing vehicles that don’t have modern advances such as DRS, making their way to the current era. As there’s no FIA licence, all the teams and drivers here have made-up names, though many are obviously designed so that you know who or what they really are meant to be. It’s a nice idea in principle, but the lack of licensing hurts it somewhat.

Outside of Story mode, there’s little else for players to sink their teeth into, with just Custom mode, where races and championship events can be created, and a Time Attack mode. There’s no multiplayer whatsoever – not even a local split-screen option. There are plenty of unlockable vehicles and drivers though, if you can be bothered to meet the various criteria to make them available.

Even forgetting about Formula Legends’ lack of content and licensing, you still would have a rather disappointing game on your hands. For a start, it doesn’t look all that great, and its soundtrack is also pretty dull. On top of that, there are glitches to deal with, such as track textures loading in late or not at all, and possibly falling through the track after a crash. Add in the fact that racing action here just isn’t all that fun or compelling, thanks largely to AI that isn’t particularly fun to race against, and you have a game that really doesn’t have much going for it.

And so, for one last time, I ask: just who is Formula Legends aimed at? I still can’t tell, but I do know that it’s impossible for me to recommend it to anybody. There’s a real gap in the market for a fun game based on Formula One, I feel, but this doesn’t fill it. It’s a genuine missed opportunity. And with its numerous other issues, you may as well just buy one of the recent official Formula One games if you’re interested in this at all – they have a lot more to offer, and are much more polished and accessible.