What Are the Best Racing Games Available Right Now?
With the next Gran Turismo game officially announced, racing game fans around the world will
be itching to play the next version of Polyphony Digital’s long-running franchise. With the last
couple of installments, though, we’ve seen a gradual decline in reception from both critics and
fans alike. Will Gran Turismo Sport have what it takes to take back its crown? Here’s how the
current competition looks. Take a look here for the history of racing games by LeaseCar.
Forza Motorsport 6 (Xbox One)
When Forza Motorsport first debuted in 2005 for the original Xbox, it was firmly positioned as
Microsoft’s challenger to PlayStation’s Gran Turismo series. The latest game has been heralded
as a return to form, with many feeling that the fifth game was rushed to meet the launch of the
Xbox One console. The biggest new addition to the formula is the inclusion of wet-weather
driving, which the developers promise is more than a just cosmetic change. Players not paying
attention will soon find themselves facing the other end of the track if they try to tackle a puddle
too quickly.
DRIVECLUB(PlayStation 4)
DRIVECLUB received mixed reviews during its initial launch phase. Many players bemoaning
its lack of content or the ability to play in a sixty frames-per-second mode, though many praised
it for being one of the most visually stunning games to be seen on consoles. Since then, the
developers have continued to add both new content as well as tweak the controls. The
reaffirmation that DRIVECLUB is here for the long-haul was further cemented when
DRIVECLUB BIKES, a standalone or downloadable expansion to the main game, was
announced at the recent Paris Games Week conference.
Project CARS (PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
Project CARS, which stands for Community Assisted Racing Simulator, was released this year
by Slightly Mad Studios, developers of the Need for Speed: Shift series. Thanks to the new
physics engine that’s built to take advantage of the latest generation of hardware, the game
intends to create as realistic a driving experience as possible, with 74 driveable cars and over 30
unique locations with at least 110 different courses, 23 of which are based on real locations. All
of the tracks of vehicles are available to the player from the offset, rather than restricting much of
the game behind a progression system like the Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport series.
The Crew (PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
Unlike the three previous games, which are all centered around track-based racing, The Crew
puts players in a massive open and persistent world where they’re freely allowed to roam. The
map is a scaled-down version of the United States, split into five regions: The Midwest, East
Coast, Mountain States, West Coast, and The South. Each region has its own unique
geographical features and terrain, as well as at least one city to race in. Players are encouraged to
team up and form “crews,” before heading out into the world to tackle missions together or
compete in an eight-player multiplayer mode.
Do you think that the next Gran Turismo game has what it takes to reclaim its crown as the best
racing game? Let us know what you think in the comments below.