F1 2012

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 139 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 139
  2. Mixed: 31 out of 139
  3. Negative: 19 out of 139

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  1. DigitalReview
    Mar 15, 2013
    9
    Yet again Codemasters have given F1 to the fans in digital form. Yes its not a full blown sim. But there is other places for that. Having the F1 brand, it needed to hit the majority of the fans, Which it did. A true update from the previous, new menus, modes, and an overall refinement of the engine. One issue, and that's not the game, Its the release date. It would be nice if we had it atYet again Codemasters have given F1 to the fans in digital form. Yes its not a full blown sim. But there is other places for that. Having the F1 brand, it needed to hit the majority of the fans, Which it did. A true update from the previous, new menus, modes, and an overall refinement of the engine. One issue, and that's not the game, Its the release date. It would be nice if we had it at the start or near the beginning of the season. Not when its nearly over.… Expand
  2. AWG
    Jul 20, 2013
    8
    Currently the best F1 experience for a normal guy (i.e. a guy who's not enrolled in the Red Bull Young Drivers Program... I'm pretty sure they have even better simulation). F1 2012 isn't perfect (penalty system is bugged like hell and community is horrendously childish; hence the 8 instead of an otherwise well-deserved solid 9) but it's more than great and graphics are so realisticCurrently the best F1 experience for a normal guy (i.e. a guy who's not enrolled in the Red Bull Young Drivers Program... I'm pretty sure they have even better simulation). F1 2012 isn't perfect (penalty system is bugged like hell and community is horrendously childish; hence the 8 instead of an otherwise well-deserved solid 9) but it's more than great and graphics are so realistic sometimes you'd think you're just watching a race on SkyHD (without Johnny Herbert tho).… Expand
  3. mar
    Sep 25, 2012
    9
    Replay is getting better. Fast loading. Graphic is light. The new mode is quickly and interesting. Wet race is good fun with more thrilling.I'm happy to buy the F1 2012 :-)
  4. keepitreal
    Sep 23, 2012
    9
    Does it add lots to the previous years instalment? Not particularly. The game does feel considerably snappier though. Some issues like the AI still being a little stupid can be irksome, but there is only so much AI can do in a game such as this. Things like being able to watch replays from more than one car (instead of focusing on your own) and being able to sit-out a race but still watchDoes it add lots to the previous years instalment? Not particularly. The game does feel considerably snappier though. Some issues like the AI still being a little stupid can be irksome, but there is only so much AI can do in a game such as this. Things like being able to watch replays from more than one car (instead of focusing on your own) and being able to sit-out a race but still watch it (both things GP4 did fantastic). Hell, even make the instant replay feature a bit longer. If GP4 could keep the entire race in memory 10~ years ago, Codemasters can now. Also, saving mid-race would be nice (see GP4). Moving on, using a wheel and being able to see the cars wheel shake as you're going full speed down a straight but not actually feeling your wheel shake is questionable why it was left out. Licensing issues such as more realistic damage are ignored though. All in all, the game is very much playable. It's great fun and well worth the cost, considering the re-playability. If you're used to more arcadey racing games it might be a little alien at first, but as you begin to get used to it you'll see your times go down and your enjoyment go up. Hope that helps xo… Expand
  5. CainGaming
    Sep 24, 2012
    9
    F1 2012 is a great game, having previously played F1 2011, I can say I like this new one a lot more. The new look is very snappy, the various modes they've added are pretty interesting, but the driving mechanics seem to have improved to be more realistic. I can't tell you how many times I've spun out or not braked hard/soon enough to be able to avoid running off the track. The traction ofF1 2012 is a great game, having previously played F1 2011, I can say I like this new one a lot more. The new look is very snappy, the various modes they've added are pretty interesting, but the driving mechanics seem to have improved to be more realistic. I can't tell you how many times I've spun out or not braked hard/soon enough to be able to avoid running off the track. The traction of cars seems to be improved, in the sense that if you're not careful it's easier to spin out. However the things that prevent this game from getting a 10 in my book are the AI, and the bugs. The AI are still pretty much the same as 2011, trying to overtake on very short straights before having to swerve back behind you because they MUST take the racing line into the corner. They should be able to try and overtake properly on corners by cutting inside or going around the outside, not sticking to the racing line the entire race. The bugs were something else, the one bug where after a flashback your engine would immediately blow out, not due to you racing around the track in first and over-revving the engine so much, but for some unknown reason. Also sometimes after a flashback, in the final 'stage' of the flashback, the game freezes for a short period before resuming. It's annoying, and I hope Codemasters works it out. But yes, definitely a great racing game, definitely go for it if you're an F1 fan.… Expand
  6. Timber
    Sep 19, 2012
    9
    Codemasters does racing games, thats what they do and I FKIN LOVE THEM. Both Dirt and Grid are awesome but If you specificaly love F1 then there is no doubt, this is the best F1 game I've ever played.
  7. Rigel86
    Aug 14, 2013
    10
    Is this a perfect game? No. It needs to improve in many ways. If you are a serious driver you can learn so much from it. It is educational you learn so many details of the car setup (interdependence of front & rear wing, camber, toe, tyre pressure, breaks...). I spent hours and hours just preparing for each track, watching onboard clips of of pro drivers on F1 web sites. If you cut offIs this a perfect game? No. It needs to improve in many ways. If you are a serious driver you can learn so much from it. It is educational you learn so many details of the car setup (interdependence of front & rear wing, camber, toe, tyre pressure, breaks...). I spent hours and hours just preparing for each track, watching onboard clips of of pro drivers on F1 web sites. If you cut off all helping aids it is really challenging. If you want to manually shift gears, you need to learn by heart EVERY corner of each track in what gear, when to break, where is the racing track... If you are 7 years old and just want to press the pedal this is probably not a game for you. Advice Advice: You could benefit from buying a good wheel.
    On the negative side there are so many things Codemaster can do better AI for one thing. Telemetry.
    But the very fact that I spent over 200 hours in the game and am still playing speaks for itself (and in this I am not counting F1 2011 time spent).    … Expand
  8. vangomaextreme
    Sep 26, 2013
    9
    Simply a blast and really looking forward to F1 2013. It does take a learning curve if you want to get really technical but you can go low brow technical and still have a great time. You do need to learn and understand the different tracks. There are still a few minor bugs which can occasionally cause you to throw a race (Abu Dhabi seems to be the standout for me) but otherwise prettySimply a blast and really looking forward to F1 2013. It does take a learning curve if you want to get really technical but you can go low brow technical and still have a great time. You do need to learn and understand the different tracks. There are still a few minor bugs which can occasionally cause you to throw a race (Abu Dhabi seems to be the standout for me) but otherwise pretty flawless. Avoiding penalties in the first lap can be hard and for the beginner intensely frustrating but with practise you can eventually avoid them. The only bugbear I have which stops me giving it a ten is the one aspect of the penalty system which penalises you if you have a collision but if some clown AI driver knocks you out they seem to get away scot free which hardly seems fair. The only way to avoid this is be really careful in the turns and stay as far away as you can from the other drivers. But apart from that it`s just a blast especially in career mode which really makes you feel a sense of achievement when you do well in a race or even better get offered a contract with a big team. Hours of fun and well worth the purchase price!… Expand
  9. Dr_Tyler
    Aug 13, 2013
    10
    Formula One 2012 for me has been over one hundred hours of fun and relaxation. This game mixes the realism I look for in a simulator, the fun I expect from a video game, and the fast-paced action I want from Formula One.

    This game can be picked up and played by anyone really. There’s the Young Driver Test, which serves as the games tutorial. It’s completely optional whether or not you    Formula One 2012 for me has been over one hundred hours of fun and relaxation. This game mixes the realism I look for in a simulator, the fun I expect from a video game, and the fast-paced action I want from Formula One.

    This game can be picked up and played by anyone really. There’s the Young Driver Test, which serves as the games tutorial. It’s completely optional whether or not you finish the whole thing, as it can go on for quite a bit. There are a number of settings in this game that assist new players, such as braking assists and the racing line. After you set the game up, you can jump in to any of the game modes.

    The game is stocked with game modes. With the casual quick race and career modes, to the new season challenge and champions mode. Each of these game modes can provide hours of fun. My personal favorite is the career mode. You start out on a small team and work your way up to the top tier teams by winning races and earning points.

    One thing that really sticks out to me in this game is how amazing the physics are. I’m not one to try and crash all my opponents (you actually get severely penalized for doing so), but when it happens to you, or you accidentally do it to someone else, the physics are spot on. Codemasters does a good job with this in this game. I can’t say for sure if they do in their other games, like Dirt 3, but it’s just an overall well done job in this game.

    The career Mode is really in depth, but sadly only five years. If you’re a big fan of this game like me, you want to be able to keep playing this through, but you can easily start your career over once you’ve finished it. There’s an option for it in the settings menu. But that’s not really a complaint. I don’t have any complaints with this game. As of right now, I have ninety-eight hours plus in this game according to Steam. The biggest complaint I’ve read off of other user reviews on this website is the penalties are too strict. That’s really not the case at all. If you learn to play the game properly, you wouldn’t have to worry at all about those penalties. Even if you want to get speeding at two-hundred miles per hour into someone’s rear end, you can turn the penalties down to reduced. Seriously, if you take the time to learn the track, and learn when to break, you can avoid these easily. The game gives you the option to have an hour long practice session before qualifying, just like in real Formula One. This is not a problem, the community is the problem.

    The graphics for the game are beautiful. The rain splashing back onto your helmet from the car in front of you is just stunning. Codemasters has done similar work in the Dirt series, but this game too has some pretty impressive graphics.

    Overall, I’m giving this, my current favorite game, a ten out of ten. This game is loaded to the brim with fun things to do and a lot of replay value. I’d recommend this game to any gamer and especially any racing fan!    … Expand
  10. JarradGhent
    Jun 20, 2014
    9
    I'll really love this game. When I saw this game for the first time and played, I insistently fell in love with it. The career mode was really great, graphics and music was unbelievable. I love this game. A+
  11. XDavidX
    Nov 23, 2015
    10
    The game is just amazing. I love play this game. For me this game is amazing ! Nothing more to comment because this game is amazing ! I rate this 10/10
  12. Genek13
    Nov 18, 2019
    9
    First F1 game after many years of break - and feels good :)
    Game suck me in after few races.
    Great visuals and engine sound.
  13. The_D4RknesS
    Aug 10, 2023
    10
    The best F1 game ever made!! The handling is completely arcadey if you activate all the assists, that's what I like. Destruction is also one of the best ever done in f1

Awards & Rankings

54
#54 Best PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Oct 29, 2012
    80
    F1 racing game does not differ much from last year's installment – it brings just a few new game modes and slightly better visuals – F1 2012 is a great game nevertheless. [Oct 2012]
  2. PC PowerPlay
    Oct 28, 2012
    70
    Rather than wheel out a new car for this year's season, F1 2012 is content to dust off last year's model and slap on a new set of tyres. [Nov 2012, p.83]
  3. DarkZero
    Oct 8, 2012
    80
    As it stands, F1 2012 is the best F1 game I have ever played, and for anyone who is interested in the sport, then you really owe yourselves to check out this great representation of F1.
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