Project CARS Reviews
The folks over at Slightly Mad Studios should be proud of what they have accomplished. Project CARS may not quite live up to the hype, but considering it has outdone its competition in some critical areas, it should be applauded. It may not be a perfect sim racer, but it's pretty damn near close, and for those willing to put in the time, can be incredibly rewarding.
All in all, colour me surprisingly impressed by Project CARS.
The small line-up of vehicles and non-existent unlockables really hurt the lasting appeal, though, and although newcomers can certainly get into it, there is the feeling that more could have been done to offer extra help for novices that aren't quite sure how to approach the game or what certain functions mean.
It alters the racing-car formula smartly in several areas, but the good ideas are often half-baked or hidden behind a load of cruft.
Spend some time with Project CARS and you'll be fed up with how unforgiving each turn is on your over-eager vehicle. Spend a little more and you'll grow to appreciate each unique, licensed hunk of steel as it groans under the stress of constantly alternating between accelerating and braking. But play any more and you'll start to feel slightly detached, barreling aimlessly between locations and race courses.
The kind of shake-up that this genre badly needed
When everything works and with the right control configuration, Project Cars is the strongest sim-style racer on console platforms, and the best all-rounder on PC. Less serious racers may find the career a bit of a slog, but if you prioritize quick thrills over authenticity and challenging racing, then Project Cars is not the game for you. Our only real gripe is that it's still a little buggy, with new issues creeping in with the 1.04 release. There's nothing wrong that the developers can't fix, and if they do they'll have a game that will still be a formidable contender when Forza 6 rolls onto the track.
Project Cars not only sets the standard for new gen racing games, it redefines them. From its authentic gameplay to the little quirks thrown in, it will keep you entertained for hours and hours on end. If you are new to the genre, it’s a great start. If you aren’t, it’s a great addition. So what are you waiting for?
It's difficult to give Project CARS a score. When it comes to the actual racing, the game gets top marks primarily because of how deep the handling model feels. It also does a fantastic job of giving the player every possible option to tailor his or her experience to their liking. However, everything outside of the racing, such as the career mode, is mere window dressing. The game certainly excels at its intended purpose, which is to be one of the most accurate racing games around, but I can't help but feel that the game is pretty bare-bones when it comes to the creature comforts that other games offer, even from the standpoint of catering to the most hardcore crowd.
Project CARS delivers on its promise of a demanding racing experience that requires skill and knowledge in the automotive space.
Fully patched with a fuller catalog of cars and even more circuits, there is little left to complain about. The racing is as good, as real and as uncompromising as it gets on the console and it is a truly exhilarating experience.
Slightly Mad Studios have, in the year since release, tidied up Project CARS no end. There's still a few small niggles here and there, but overall this is now a title I will happily have adorning my shelf.
Projects Cars brings to the table everything you expect when driving a car, the controls require a bit of learning first but once you get comfortable with your own style you can bring make some serious time on the track. The Career mode will likely be the mode that will suck up your time as you aim to climb the ranks of your chosen motorsport, the game effectively challenges the player to become a better driver without forcing them to do it at a crazy pace, this along with the visuals add together for some of the best virtual driving I’ve had in a long time.
