While many have been busy focusing on the racing simulator giants that are Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport, Slightly Mad Studios has been putting together a truly amazing racing simulator called Project CARS. It's been in development for half a decade, and this week it will hit final release.
I've spent the past week neck deep in Project CARS' captivating simulation, and have learned a few things I wasn't expecting along the way. In the gallery below I'll go over 10 things about the game that you might not know. Each slide includes an in-game screenshot from my journeys.
10 Things You Might Not Know About Project CARS
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There are 10 levels of difficulty
Project CARS offers more options for fine tuning difficulty than any other racing game out there. Not only are there the assist options that you've come to expect (anti-lock, STM, TCS, etc.), but there are 10 levels of difficulty.
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rnWith these 10 selectable levels of difficulty comes a powerful way to customize your experience to be as challenging as you want it to be. The difficulty option is available in all modes where A.I. is present, including Career. I've found 60/100 to be a great balance of simulation while allowing me to progress in Career mode. -
Race length and difficulty can be adjusted in Career Mode
Many of the race types that Project CARS simulates, such as Le Mans and GT Endurance, have extremely lengthy races in real life. Thankfully, developer Slightly Mad Studios offers you control of how long and challenging your races are. Before heading into a Career race, you can scale the length way down to around five laps, or simulate the real thing with several hour long races. You can also define the difficulty of A.I. opponents. The choice is yours. -
The damage modeling is impressive
There's a full damage model in Project CARS. You'll see minor scuffs on the side of cars after swiping across a barrier, and panels fall off in major collisions. The cars react to damage the way they would in real life, a nice change of pace from Gran Turismo's half-hearted attempt. rn rnYou can define how far the damage modeling impacts your game. You can make it so that car damage affects how a car operates, introduce mechanical failures, and more all within the Settings. -
It\'s a racing sandbox
From the moment you boot up Project CARS you have complete control over what you do. If you head into a Quick Event, you can race in any car on any track. The same can be said of the Online Mode. Made better, when you boot up Career Mode you can place yourself in whatever tier you'd like. If you want to feel what it's like to live the life of a open-wheel Formula A racer, you can do so immediately. If you'd rather start off in GT5 where cars are more manageable, you have that option.
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rnWhatever you choose, you'll be sent offers from racing teams to race for them in any number of tiers provided you perform well. You won't be stuck where you choose, and the better you are at racing the more options you'll have. -
The A.I. is intelligent
This isn't Driveclub. The A.I. behaves as if it's aware of where you are, and will actively attempt to avoid collisions. Its dependable intelligence is a major factor in the racing experience being fun and simulative. I'd go as far as to say that the A.I. is right up there with the best in the genre. -
There is no race music
You will not hear any music once in a race when playing Project CARS. So, you'll want to boot up Spotify or another music platform if you want to race to some inspiring tracks.
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rnThere is menu music, and it's surprisingly extraordinary. -
It\'s a PC benchmark
If you're planning to buy Project CARS on console, I urge you to reconsider. This is a game that pushes modern PC hardware, and at least in my case it validated my purchase of a GTX 970. It's absolutely drop-dead gorgeous, especially when it comes to the day/night cycle and weather effects. The console versions will look good, but the PC version on High/Ultra settings is something that you absolutely need to experience. -
It\'s an authentic racing experience
Project CARS is truly spectacular when it comes to simulating the thrill of being a race car driver. The physics are spot-on. You'll hear your racing team communicate over radio during races, sometimes to push you, other times to lead you into the pit for tire changes. The rules are well implemented, punishing you for ramming other cars intentionally or cutting corners, but allowing you a safe buffer for making minor mistakes such as tapping the bumper of the racer in front of you. It all comes together to deliver an authentic racing experience. -
There are special events
When playing Career Mode you'll occasionally receive offers to participate in Special Events. These can range from car challenges on specific tracks, to Kart races. They help to mix up the redundant nature of Career Mode where you stick to one car for great lengths of time. -
A full day/night cycle and weather
Project CARS is one of only a few racing games to feature a day/night cycle in addition to a weather system. As seen in the screenshot above, both can be very precise. If you want to race in April at 12:00PM during a Thunderstorm, you have that option. Bright skies, light rain, and storms are on full display.
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rnThe day/night cycle makes for some spectacular views during races, especially in cockpit view. Also, weather isn't static. You can actually see the clouds move through the sky, and with them the weather they bring. You'll watch rain trickle down before stopping, and overcast skies clear up during longer races.
