Seven different eras of motorsport come together in a singular production.
Take a look at these other reviews
- Review of Just Dance 2026 Edition – We Return to the Dance Floor Once Again
- Review of Battlefield 6 – Essential
- Review of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds – The title that wants to be the new monarch of karting games
| Don't miss anything and follow us on Google News! |
Good driving games are hard to come by, that’s an undeniable reality, but out of nowhere come the Italians from 3DClouds with a very interesting proposal for racing fans. The developers had already shown glimpses of their talent with Hot Wheels Monster Trucks: Stunt Mayhem and Transformers: Galactic Trials, among others, but this is the first time they’ve approached the “Formula 1”, and I put it in quotes, since you won’t find any official license of the top motorsport category in Formula Legends, but the nods are more than evident, even in the names of the drivers.
The game’s proposal is somewhat curious because it’s divided between simulation and a more arcade-like experience, although it never fully defines itself as one or the other, which can make purists of both sub-genres feel confused and not fully engage with the title because it doesn’t focus on known parameters.
Anyway, I don’t want to get ahead of myself, so I suggest you buckle up and join me on a journey through different eras of Formula One, I mean, Formula Legends, to discover the highs and lows of this production. Let’s go.
Technical Aspect
The title displays a curious visual aspect, with simple and minimalist scenarios loaded with colors and filters according to the selected era. Each car design is a kind of caricature of its real counterpart, with big-headed drivers and exaggerated features, but with wonderful details that make the models, for example, in the 60s, the transmissions and engines are exposed, while in later eras, the designs become more aerodynamic. A detail that made me smile while analyzing the game is that the HUD of the cars, which indicates speed, gears, and wear of the different components, also changes depending on the era, from something more rustic to the most refined in the present.
The tracks have a similar characteristic and change according to the eras with safety modifications that were established over the years, to which different era filters are added, which, although they can be removed, add a lot to the “retro” atmosphere.
To illustrate all these factors, the game features a photo mode that I liked a lot, although I found it impossible to master the zoom, since when I got close to the cars, they lost a lot of definition, still, I think the detail of incorporating this mode is a great success.
The sound of the engines is also noteworthy and emulates the roar of the cars in their different stages, being perhaps the most faithful the V10 of the 2000s, which truly impressed me. As for localization, rest assured that Formula Legends is localized in its interface to Spanish, in its Iberian variant, without any issues and with great care.
Pure F1 under a simple hood
Gameplay
As I mentioned a few paragraphs ago, the title mixes arcade and simulation in various aspects. For example, people who are more used to racing games can deactivate the braking lock or traction control systems to make the experience more realistic, although much more difficult.
The races are short, and the weekend starts with just two qualifying laps, but during the competition, you’ll have to take into account different factors such as tire choice (which changes depending on the selected era), managing tire wear, fuel consumption, brakes, and even structural damage to the car. Despite the competitions not having many laps, it will be necessary to visit the pits, especially in those races where it starts raining unexpectedly, and these include a kind of minigame to repair damage, refuel, and change the four tires, according to the speed at which these minigames are completed, the stop will take longer or shorter.
Despite looking like a simple game, you can tell the love and knowledge of the category by the developers. A clear example of this is the reward system and the structure of races that the game presents. In total, Formula Legends features 7 decades of the category, from the 60s to the 2000s. Each of these eras can be selected without prior requirements, that is, you can play in the 80s without having passed the previous decades, but some decades have 10 more sections that must be unlocked to play them, and this is achieved by winning.
The unlockable items also include teams and drivers, each with their own advantages and disadvantages, although to unlock some of these aspects, it won’t just be necessary to win, but to do so with certain configurations, teams, or difficulties.
The negative point appears in the difficulty of handling and the AI of the rivals. The cars are difficult to drive as is, obviously, in the early eras, this becomes even more complex, the adjustments in the directional sometimes have to be millimetric, while in other cases, despite pressing the arrows frantically, the result won’t be ideal on screen. On the other hand, despite having spent many hours with the game, it seems like you’ll never fully master it because the handling becomes unpredictable, and this is added to the penalties for leaving the circuit, which are often simply absurd or millimetric.
Regarding the AI difficulty, it seems to be totally random. That is, on one track, you may qualify in pole position without much trouble and win without sweating, and in the next competition, it will be impossible to pass 14th place with the same configuration.
Your only chance of the year to turn back time in driving
Duration
Formula Legends is a long game due to the number of unlockables it has and the different eras in which you can test your driving skills, although the difficulty that appears and disappears will often make you question the limits of your own frustration.
Conclusion
3DClouds’ development is a great idea in itself. A license-free tribute to Formula 1 that doesn’t fear exploring the category’s past, something that triple-A developments seem to have erased from their memory. The only thing it lacks is more accessible or fair AI in any of the difficulty levels it offers, and modifying some parameters of the car’s handling, something I hope they’ll do in the near future with a patch.
As it stands at the time of writing, the game is still highly recommended for those looking for an experience that’s not too arcade-like and not too much of a simulation, especially for those who enjoy F1 and will have a good laugh with the invented names of some drivers (Malf Shoemaker, for example) or teams. After all, for less than 11 euros, you’ll be getting a title that features 30 cars, over 60 drivers, and 14 tracks. Take advantage of it.
Many cars, many teams, and all of F1’s history
Translator and video game localiser with a passion for retro titles and simulators. He has never let go of a controller since he was given an Atari 2600. He collaborates with different developers in the localisation of their titles into Spanish through Camelot Translations.
Related Post
