Gaming is a huge part of our lives where we see a shift that shows more and more people opt for this type of pastime, or even full-time, relaxation instead of other things.
When it comes to gaming there are platforms and there are genres you can choose. When it comes to platforms you got standard consoles, handhelds and PC. No matter what you opt for there are plenty of different games in a lot of genres to make you fall in love with something short term and long term. Recent research showed that more and more gamers are opting for three genres – sports, shooters and simulations.
Simulation games made a real breakthrough several years ago. In this genre, you can pretend to be anything from a race car driver to a successful farmer. Let’s not forget the real-life simulators like Sims that also contribute a lot to this category of games.
As you could read from the title today, we are focusing on the racing genre and we will tell you about the most realistic racing simulation games that you will enjoy especially if you are a car enthusiast. For more gaming news and insights, the place right here will cover you!
One last detour before the main thing we just want to make a rough split that is necessary when it comes to these types of games and it means that you will have two categories to choose from Hardcore racing simulations and Sim-cade racing games. Both are self-explanatory so we will not go into too many details, but what we will do is continue with our list and article!
1. Assetto Corsa Competizione
Asseto Corsa always balanced finely between visuals and racing simulation. With the Competizione title, this hasn’t changed, we still have stunning visuals, suspension, chassis and roll physics which add to a new experience. Here you can enjoy anything from night racing to a dynamic weather system while the AI is very advanced and capable of battling fear and yielding corners. The selection of some of the world’s most respected circuits is what will get you into this game very deeply and make you fall in love. The attention to detail from the car itself to the race track is astonishing and this is mainly why Asseto Corsa is always on top of their game.
2. iRacing
The famous and simultaneously infamous iRacing game is its core integrated web-based league, ladder, ranking and pickup for a system that launches a single instance game client for the specific session you pick to run on the website. This means that this game is not a simple launch and play offline type of game. This is a multiplayer-only instance-based game. The rating, license and penalty system make this game one of the best ones out there for factory-supported competitive racing directly from the developers. When it comes to fidelity this one is the most accurate and precise racing simulator where every single inch of car and track is laser scanned to milometer accuracy.
3. rFactor 2
This is one of the most full sim featured, fully realized and fully dynamic consumer racing software in existence today. It boasts a full 24-hour day-night cycle, rain with a dynamic drawing line based on the cars running over the track and dispersing the water, endurance racing and online driver swaps to allow for 6 to 24-hour endurance races, with crazy complex tyre and suspension models make this your top pick if you are in the hardcore simulation genre. Another plus side of this game is that content is incredible and the number of cars and tracks available for you to experience is beyond anything you can dream of.
4. Need For Speed Shift
Need For Speed has always been the title that makes arcady type of racers and we have all grown fond of that and accustomed. The first try at a simulation arcade type of game they made was a total success which is why Shift is on our list. Here there will be no fast and furious type of action and you will focus more on the racing side which is a nice change. Its visuals and tracks are awesome, the number of cars, liveries, modifications is enough to get your attention for a while. Once you try it you will keep on coming back to it, trust us.
5. Grid Autosport
Grid is another game that offers a non-committal experience where you bounce around the disciplines with as much ease as the drive and control. It is an arcade racing game that gives you a cinematic view of what the real racing world is all about vs the realism side. You will find fewer real-life cars and tracks here but there is still plenty of content and variety to allow you to have a lot of fun. The grid has always been a fun racing game even though it leaned the arcade-style racing. Most gamers find it as a game that will lead you into some more serious racing.
6. F1 series
Now F1 games have always been those games that allow ordinary gamers a sneak peek into the way racing is done in an F1 car. The series took a big hit around 2014 and they tanked hard, after which the resurgence that lasted the last several years has been pretty strong. The titles from 2018 till now have turned out to be a total success with career mode in-season car development with your team is the highest quality it has ever been. The graphics along with tyre, fuel, damage and other simulations make this game a true representer of the sport.
7. Project Cars 2
This title is hands down the most fully experienced featured and visually stunning racing game. It is approachable yet extremely deep in its driving model and setup engineering. This game is the pride of the sim-cade side of racing games and it alone is the reason why these types of games shouldn’t be passed away. Titles like Project Cars 2 are how you just sit down and realistically enjoy the thrill of Motorsports without having to take it full-blown with these hardcore simulators. The most fun thing about this one is that you can take it as seriously as you wish because most of the options that this game offers are on par with top hardcore sims out there.
