FH5 was a big disappointment for me, just felt like FH4 on a new map. The story was absolute cringe as well, everyone sound like they're on coke, constantly telling you that you're the most amazing driver ever, and they never, ever shut the fuck up. Not to mention the amount of brands that were removed such as Alfa and Fiat, or the lazy reused assests, the Vocha should be a later model Beetle but it's just the same car from FH1 felt like a real celebration of car culture, FH5 feels like a participation trophy.
I do enjoy the F1 games though, I think they strike a good balance between accessibility and realism. You can go for a cockpit only 75 race lap if you want, or turn off the flags and damage and have a 3 lap destruction derby. I generally play somewhere in the middle, and like the strategy elements of planning pitstops, and that depending on your team it's not always about having to finish first. Although you do face the inevitable problem of the tracks largely being the same in every game, I wish they'd add a few classic ones as well. There were a few of the classic F1 cars, but EA now own Codemasters so took them out, as well as adding stupid shit like ballet podium emotes. That said, no monetisation yet......
