Best Car Racing Simulator Games

[NISMO]

I've played every game in the Gran Turismo series and gotta say that a PC sim like GTR2 kills every one of them. On top over time with new mods they just get better and better. I know have everything from the Japan GT500, GT300 series to 1988 F1 championship, to classic cars championships like escorts, Jag E types, GT championships, World Super GT Championships (F50, Mac F1 Aston etc etc). Even star in a budget car from UK top gear. You also have endless tracks, and get to download your locals. Oran Park, eastern crk, Winton, Hidden valley, bathurst, phillip island etc etc. F1 car around bathurst is nuts!

Gran Turismo just can't compete with that.

[Mr Eps]

...never heard of this game outside this thread

but

how can you possibly poo poo the GT series compared to this PC game when GT hasn't dropped an official title in what... 5 years now???

be serious.

[mtopxsecret6]

Dont forget people, we are talking about two different styles of simulators here. The GT series is a DRIVING simulator, R factor/GTR series is a RACING simulator. Lets not get confussed on the different styles, you just cant compare apples and oranges.

[NISMO]

...never heard of this game outside this thread

but

how can you possibly poo poo the GT series compared to this PC game when GT hasn't dropped an official title in what... 5 years now???

be serious.

I actually enjoy the GT series and will continue to buy pretty much every title they release. I just think that the PC games are much more flexible. Also games like GTR2 and rFactor have all been around for years.

Dont forget people, we are talking about two different styles of simulators here. The GT series is a DRIVING simulator, R factor/GTR series is a RACING simulator. Lets not get confussed on the different styles, you just cant compare apples and oranges.

Not really. GTR allows you to download street cars now from pretty much any make and model. If there is a demand for it those talented folks who come up with the mods will make it.

Don't get me wrong, as i said, I love the GT series. But when you can get all that and more on a PC game which after 2 years is constantly releasing new cars and tracks, I don't know, i just think you get a better overall game with GTR2/rFactor.

Another example, last night i downloaded the Proto-Cars mod for the game. That's over 300 new cars, featuring every car from the American LeMans series, the Le Mans series and one other LM series, including every championship from each series since 1999.

[iamhe77]

For me, PC Racing games always gave that extra sense of realism

Gran Turismo did not have car damage mainly due to pressure from car companies not wanting to show their cars deform (yes I know Forza has damage but it's not super realistic), Polyphony want to try do it in GT5 we'll wait and see. Damage wise Race Driver GRID has it as if you slam the walll at 200 you are done (pending you don't use the flashback feature)

- iamhe77 - I have tried racing 2008 F1 Car on the LeMans Bugatti track and you think its nice and easy untill you need to brake at the end of the Mulsanne Straight into the Mulsanne Corner now that's scary (imagine full throttle going 375-380k/m on a 5km straight then braking hard to take a corner at 120 k/m

Yeah but try the 1976 Le Mans track. Like driving those straights, only made of cobblestone with a serious crosswind!!!!

If GT had semi-accurate car damage, I would be interested.

Let's hope!

[NISMO]

Yeah but try the 1976 Le Mans track. Like driving those straights, only made of cobblestone with a serious crosswind!!!!

If GT had semi-accurate car damage, I would be interested.

Let's hope!

Yeah i think if GT having no damage is every ones pet hate. It would make the game much more realistic.

[GFXman]

I was always a playstation supporter and played through all the GT series up to GT4. Was certainly a brilliant game.

However, I recently decided to get into the "next gen" consoles and decided on an xbox360 and haven't looked back.

For me it was the clear winner; here's why:

• xbox wins on price. Available for ~$220 now.
  
• xbox wins on game selection. Waaaaaay more games available on xbox.
  
• Can use it as a media extender to watch movies and TV eps on my telly over the network (PS3 does this too).
  
• Can be modded - for $70 you can flash the DVD drive firmware allowing you to run "backup" games. This mod has NO effect on your ability to use xbox LIVE unlike traditional hardware mods.
  
• I knew alot of people with xboxes so I could join them on xbox live.
  
• I have no desire to buy all my DVD movies all over again on Blu Ray just so it can look x% better on my plasma. I agree it looks better than DVD but it's not worth spending $600 on a PS3 and $35 a pop for every movie - it's just not THAT much better in my opinion.
  
• The only selling points for the PS3 that interest me is GT5 and Blu Ray... neither of which were enough to convince me to buy one.
  

Like I said, I was always a supporter of the GT series and never having actually tried Forza, I always considered it to be a try hard clone. Boy was I wrong! Forza 2 is simply amazing - the car selection, including Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Pagani, McLaren, Mercedes, BMW, and all the usuals. The handling is brilliant, and the OMG sound effects are stunning; the cars actually sound the like the real thing - something I felt GT always lacked. Not only that, Forza has visible damage - something GT never implemented. I find the handling more controllable that GT and to be honest, I think GT5 has become over realistic (if that's possible) in that it doesn't really feel like driving a real car any more. Hard to explain - it just doesn't feel right any more like it used to.

And lets not forget, GT5 isn't actually released..... STILL! Last I heard 2010 was the release date!? It's just a glorified demo in it's current state.

Forza is here, now and with Forza 3 only around the corner, it can only get better!

Sorry for the long rant - just thought I'd add my 2c.

[DemsA31]

gran turismo 3 is still the best for drift... Ive been playing it for over 6 years now haha, been through 4 GT3 discs.

[Excess]

gran turismo 3 is still the best for drift... Ive been playing it for over 6 years now haha, been through 4 GT3 discs.

Would you mind telling us where, ive been playing the gt3 for years too and cannot drift at all..

[mtopxsecret6]

gran turismo 3 is still the best for drift... Ive been playing it for over 6 years now haha, been through 4 GT3 discs.

Absolutely true. Of the 4 episodes.. number 3 is the best one for drift.

[jaryd]

As for new car games i've just finished (PC) GRID on normal and as for difficulty, realism, gameplay(yes there's wicked drifting), tracks and of course the graphics (they are the best I've seen on a car game yet). I've played most of the games listed in these posts but this is the best i have played. It is pretty hard to get used to but the steering and effects are unbelievably realistic just wait to you get used to it, what a game. Been playing need for speed Undercover on PC + XBOX 360 also but that's just so so compaired with GRID but is a step forward for the NFS legacy.

[Pepsinator]

this is regarding GFXmans post

well having both ps3 and xbox 360

i only use the ps3 to watch movies in the lounge on our 60" plaz

i just plug my stick in and play them off there or upload them to the hd

i only have gt5prolouge and well yeah the graphics are awesome

but i just dont find that much interactiveness in the ps3

on xbox (now with the NXLE update) you can talk to like 8 mates at the same time

and they can be playing a completely different game then you

you can share photos and stacks more

but i find the ps3 menu is just ..........boring..........copied off psp

xbox 360 is the way to go if you want a good gaming system

and some may say "well the ps3 has 1337 graphics!!!! xbawx sux!!"

well the graphics on xbox are good but when you realise how much fun your having

playing the games you love

and talking to your mates listening to music all at the same god damn time

you wont give a crap about the graphics

thats all i have to say

XBOX 360 4 LIFE <3

oh and FreshFm 4 life to

Edited January 28, 2009 by Pepsinator

[GFXman]

Agreed.

And while the ps3 technically has better specs on paper, its a bitch to program games for. I would have thought sony would learn from sega's mistakes of the dreamcast...

To be honest i haven't seen one game that demonstrates the PS3's superior hardware; the 360 manages perfectly well and there's certainly nothing to warrant spending twice the price. All the show stopping games that they showed before the ps3 was released were all pre-rendered and not run on the actual ps3 (killlzone2 for example). It was that hype that seemed to give it it's "superior graphics" label which has since been proven to be BS.

[(OO)SKYLINE(OO)]

The Need For Speeds are still a favourite for me. NFS Carbon is tops for me, the drifting is insane and down hill races keep you on the edge of your seat.

Gran Turismo 3, 4 and 5 are always good, no complains there and thats is for me with Racing games.

[BigDirtyJase]

I can't wait til GT5 comes out - apparently it's Christmas '09 or a mid 2010 for release...If Sony are smart the would push for a chirstmas release to maximise sales

I liked Forza 2 mainly due to the amount of cars and brands and customisation (AE86 with a Supra Engine)...but I found the tracks to be repative and boring Forza 2 only had 12 tracks (not including all the variations - which would make it 47)

The GT Series had very nice car selection and while it did have more tracks (40 odd at GT4) and variety of races...although some of the tracks are really boring...people have their favorite tracks that they can race lap after lap with any bordom

GRID on PC is very very good....it runs really really smooth and IMO better then its console counterparts. but I would say that 95% of the time the PC version would be better than its console counterpart mainly due to the technology that the PC has (I say 95% because there are some games on PC that are really really crap to play that are also on consoles)

[Mohsen]

Need for Speed: SHIFT is coming out this november:)

its a hardcore simulator.

thats all that EA's sayin. lets hope its good and we can get R32-R35 GTR's + being able to see your aftermarket intercooler, being able to hear your cars exhaust note to a tee

also waitin for GT5

[mtopxsecret6]

i just bought race 07 official wtcc game. I will load it in today and see how it all pans out!

[Chris-06R]

End of discussion...

Edited February 16, 2009 by Chris-06R

[syfon]

Live for Speed on PC is the most realistic game i have ever played....please close the thread now coz Live For Speed is the best? LOL

[InterCooL]

live for speed.

no flash, no tacky "NOS BOOSTERS" "level 1 wheel upgrade complete!" "congratulations, you have bought a promo girl" etc. no royalty payments to use branded car manufacturer names.

just realism.