Formula Legends Review

Whilst I’m not a die-hard Formula 1 fan, the motorsport does interest me, and if I can watch it, then I will. That said, when it comes to video games, I am not a person who loves circuit racing games. But if there is a bit of arcadey-ness to it, then it will intrigue me. Formula Legends is now available on Xbox, PlayStation, and PC, and attempts to approach the genre uniquely. It’s a colourful, unlicensed experience through seven decades of Formula One.

Developed and published by 3DClouds, I spent a considerable amount of time with it on Xbox Series X. It reminded me of titles such as Art of Rally and, even more recently, Rally Arcade Classics, with a dash of F1 25. The question is, though, does it play as well as the best racing titles out there?

Gameplay

Admittedly, I struggled at the start with Formula Legends, with the handling feeling a little weighty, especially with the older 60’s vehicles. I was constantly running over corners and not braking early enough. Once you dive into the newer model cars, though, they have a more modern feel and play style, demanding energy management and pit strategy.

The handling is solid for the most part, but it can feel a bit sluggish at times and recovering from collisions is a bit of a headache. I found AI racers to be a little inconsistent, with some allowing you to pass, whereas others like to bash you like Road Rash. Pit stops are a nice touch, with you being able to choose the wheel type according to the race type and a mini-game of pressing timed buttons to nail the tyre change.

Different Modes

I’ll start by saying that, unfortunately, there is no online or local multiplayer. However, there are plenty of single-player playlists to get stuck into. Career mode is the main mode, which has you progressing through the decades of Formula One racing from 1960 through to modern day. There are championships and challenges to work through, with each era having its own cars and circuits. Winning races will grant tokens, allowing you to unlock more throughout the era,s and I liked that you don’t have to play them all in a particular order.

There are some challenges you’ll have, such as being able to manage fuel, fighting back from last place after a pit stop and racing on worn tyres, all seemingly designed to change your strategy. Outside of career mode, you can engage with Time Attack mode, which thankfully has online leaderboards where you can strive to be the quickest around the circuits. Custom races are available if you’d like to set up your own championships or even just a one-time race.

Visuals & Audio

I loved the visual presentation in Formula Legends, but I understand it won’t be to everyone’s taste. It has an aura of some of the more recent Hot Wheels games in how cars appear, with some great effects work, especially when it comes to wet tracks. The developers have opted for more of a toy-like feel than pure realism, and it works. Great work has been done with the vehicle design and how it stands against the era they were constructed. The early 60s models are thin and fragile, with the later 80s and 90s vehicles being bulkier and packed with more power. Track and environment design is great and often appears like a watercolour painting, which looks fantastic on a giant 4k screen.

Audio design does the job with different vehicles having their own individual sound. With newer cars having higher-pitched revs and older ones having a raspy growl, they have done well to separate the era-specific rides. Sound effects are as you’d expect, with crowd noise bringing the atmosphere to the intense roar of F1 cars soaring through at high speed. Pit crews bring a little chatter and general feedback from tyres, and going off-road blends into the presentation.

Final Thoughts

Formula Legends is a quirky and unique racer that celebrates the decades of Formula One. Sure, it isn’t on par with the offerings of the official games that arrive annually, but it does serve as a solid alternative that can be fantastic fun. It can be occasionally frustrating, but that’s more of a skill issue on my part. If you don’t mind the fact that there is no licensing or online multiplayer, then it’s a vibrant and fun experience that will give you a good amount of enjoyment.