Story modes in sports games have long had a problem. Scripted stories clash with the “anything can happen” nature of sports, meaning that what happens in the actual games can directly contradict what happens in the story.
Maybe you’re a rookie NBA2K24 Scoring 60 points per game breaks all expectations of what a first-year player can achieve, but the cutscenes between games are still about you trying to make a name for yourself (or for some, carve out a second career as a DJ). rode). Maybe you’re a quarterback who’s in over your head Madden NFL 24throwing an unprecedented 20 interceptions per game – there won’t be a peep about that humiliating record from the talking heads or from your coach (other than the regular “Don’t do that or you might be benched”).
This conflict, between the abundant possibilities in sports games and the limits of their scripted stories, has been neatly sidestepped by EA Sports and Codemasters’ F1 series through the Braking Point game mode. Braking Point, which appeared in F1 21groundbreaking work for story modes in sports games, and F1 23‘s Braking Point 2 went even further. F1 23 is now available to Game Pass Ultimate subscribers via EA Play, and if you’re a fan of sports games, racing games or real F1, you owe it to yourself to give Braking Point 2 a try. Both Braking Point campaigns excel in being character-driven and giving you scenarios to complete rather than an open road where anything is possible.
Most story modes in sports games allow you to create and fully customize your own player. Sure, this lets you see yourself in the game, which can be fun, but it limits the storytelling potential, as the game can’t possibly take into account the stats or traits of each individual player’s avatar. Braking Point instead brings a small selection of characters into the real world of Formula 1 and gives them goals, dreams and personality traits.
Image: Codemasters/Electronic Arts
In the first Braking Point you start as Aiden Jackson, an ambitious young British driver who is in a team with Casper Akkerman, a stoic veteran Dutch driver nearing the end of his career. The two clash as they battle for supremacy within the team rather than working with each other – and the game cleverly switches perspectives halfway through, seeing Akkerman’s side of things after he becomes fully embedded in Jackson’s point of view. Meanwhile, the smarmy Devon Butler hangs around as the game’s opponent, sparking rumors in the paddock and generally being punchable. (It’s rare for a sports game’s story mode to feature an actual villain.)
The second Braking Point picks up where the first left off, with (spoilers) Akkerman retiring and Jackson looking to establish himself as a driver for a top team. This time he drives for a new team called Konnersport, where he works with none other than his fierce rival Butler. Braking Point 2 once again makes good use of perspective shifts of several main characters (following a recent trend with Alan Wake2 And Marvel’s Spider-Man 2) to tell different sides of the same story, with some bold character choices that take things in unexpected directions.
Image: Codemasters/Electronic Arts
Crucially, your goal as a player in both Braking Points is not just “win as much as possible”; your characters’ personal lives intersect with the competition in ways that are true in the real world and rarely in the world of sports video games. Braking Point’s races themselves push this creative friction further. Typically, instead of running a full race, you join in halfway with a specific goal. It could be: ‘Pass your teammate on lap 8.’ It could be: “Finish in the top 10.” Often, completing one of these objectives (or getting close) will trigger a cutscene that changes everything (or ends the race). These limitations mean that you can’t just win every race – an outcome that the game probably wouldn’t be narratively prepared for, and that wouldn’t feel realistic or challenging.
It also helps that the game is just plain fun. Racing games are a meditative experience, while F1 23 may not have the fidelity to reality iRacing, it’s great for F1 enthusiasts or curious racers. Braking Point 2 is a great place to drop by, with evocative characters and a compelling story about underdogs, family drama and hard racing.
Too many sports games try to have it both ways: you can do whatever you can imagine with your player character, but there’s also a predetermined story that goes into it. But the F1 series’ Braking Point campaigns cleverly bring limitations into the mix, creating a much more satisfying sports gaming experience.