By: KG – an experienced browser-based games developer with a big passion for writing. She is obsessed with driving games, yoga, and astrophysics.
You can get your automotive kicks in a variety of immersive, realistic car driving games at the moment. And as technology has improved, racing simulators have become all the more convincing.
With so much choice available, which games are worthy of your time and money? Here are just a few of the top racing games you need to play.
Assetto Corsa
If you don’t want to settle for anything less than a completely compelling driving experience, Assetto Corsa is the game for you. Designed with realism in mind, it accommodates the modding community, so if you play on PC you can access a variety of home brew adaptations to tweak it further.
Also available on PS4 and Xbox One, this title is definitely aimed at a hardcore audience, with minutely modelled vehicles from major manufacturers including Porsche and Ferrari. It may be a few years old now, but the visuals are still highly polished and the attention to detail is second to none.
The main downside is the fact that it doesn’t have a fleshed-out career mode like some of its competitors, so the amount of enjoyment you get out of it will depend on how much you like trying to beat your best time on challenging tracks.
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Project Cars 2
Released last year, this simulator sequel gives a broader look at the world of racing, from the tarmac of popular circuits to the dirt tracks of gruelling rally courses. And with more than 182 vehicles on its books, it will attract petrol heads who like the look of sports cars as much as the joy of driving them.
Investing in a sim from a successful franchise like this is sensible for several reasons, not least because expansion packs are released regularly to add new content. The quality of the graphics and the compatibility with a number of peripherals, including VR headsets, gives Project Cars 2 the edge over some of its smaller rivals.
Critics initially complained that the game suffered from some AI bugs which shattered the realism with odd behaviours on the track. But most of these have been patched out since its arrival and it will continue to improve over time as further additions are made.
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Forza Motorsport 7
For a game series to last as long as Forza Motorsport, it has to be doing something right. And as Microsoft’s rival to Gran Turismo, it has managed to carve a sizeable niche in the driving game market since the first version arrived back in 2005.
Forza 7 has more than 700 vehicles in its roster, from supercars to trucks. It also blends a selection of real world tracks with a few fictional creations that are just as much fun to tackle.
Enthusiastically praised for its pixel-perfect visuals on both PC and Xbox One, this game is a surprisingly accessible simulator. It offers enough realism to appease serious racers, while helping newcomers to get into the swing of things. Straightforward training features and a career mode gradually increase the difficulty to avoid players feeling overwhelming.
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Gran Turismo Sport
It’s only fair to give Sony’s flagship racing sim franchise a shout out after fawning over Forza. The current generation of Gran Turismo is just as deep and diverse as the competition, providing both arcade-style racing for players who want fast thrills and more realistic modes for those who crave a more involved experience.
Online play is available to let you test your mettle against others. And there is a solid eSports scene building up around Gran Turismo Sport. If you get into this game, you will probably enjoy watching popular streamers compete as well.
Some critics turned up their noses at the relatively small number of vehicles, tracks and locations included in this game. But as with any modern title, more are being added by the developers, so this is hardly a deal breaker.
Dirt Rally
If off-road racing is your thing, Dirt Rally is the simulator you need to add to your collection. It has single and multiplayer modes, as well as a selection of officially-sanctioned cars and courses from the FIA World Rallycross Championship.
After its release, Dirt Rally quickly achieved critical and commercial success, with some publications dubbing it one of the best games of the year.
It definitely delivers when it comes to realism, which can make it a bit punishing for newcomers who are expecting to be able to chuck the cars around like in Sega Rally. But with a bit of practice it becomes incredibly rewarding.