Project CARS 2

Project Cars 2 comes with strength this year as the best simulator developed by Slightly Mad Studios, reinforced with a surprising physics system and also including a new online competition mode and accompanied by the debut of Rally Cross. A jewel you can't miss.

Project Cars 2 is an exquisite racing simulator that makes learning the game almost as much fun as winning a race. It demands perfection, refuses to ease up, and still manages to be friendly enough for newcomers.

A true racing masterpiece, Project Cars 2 takes a lot of the negatives from the first game and actually improves upon them in such a drastic and dynamic way that the transition is as different as night and day. Slightly Mad Studios has set themselves a lofty goal of making Project Cars 2 the best simulation racing game available on the Xbox platform, and I think that they have succeeded triumphantly. In fact, Project Cars 2 doesn't set the bar to a new standard, it single handedly renders any other simulation racing game obsolete. Slightly Mad Studios developed a colossal racing game, and that everything about it became bigger and better and more dynamic, and that game is called Project Cars 2.

If you’re a fan of racing, more importantly simulators, Project Cars 2 is the game for you. Sure, there’s the Forza’s and Gran Turismos but Project Cars 2 seems more grounded in ‘our’ world with its realistic controls and amazing choice for the player in both cars, tracks and events.

Project CARS 2’ main goal is being a fun and enjoyable driving experience. And although it’s basically a driving simulator, you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy it. With a huge set of options and more than 200 different cars to choose from, Project CARS 2 is one the best racing games available, even with some minor AI and technical problems.

The perfect evolution of Slightly Mad's series, delivering an extremely satisfying racing experience both for expert gamers and newbies, finally capable of competing with the top titles in the genre.

Project Cars 2 final offers a real alternative to console racing fans and brings to the table a fantastic roster of cars and tracks. Combined with an excellent simulation of track and weather conditions Project Cars 2 is pretty much the pinnacle of racing on console.

Project Cars 2 is a worthy successor to the original game and fixes some of its issues. It still isn’t the most user-friendly game for newcomers, but in time you can get used to its quirks. The game definitely has a learning curve to it, so anyone looking to just jump in and dominate will be humbled quickly. You have to play with a nuanced style and can’t rely on assists to do the hard work of the race for you. It’s a challenging but rewarding experience and the dramatic increase in vehicle types and tracks, alongside new weather setups makes the experience one to remember. Project Cars 2 isn’t for everyone, but anyone who likes a good challenge and loves a finely-tuned racing game will enjoy it.

A proficient sim-racer that brings a lot to the table - both in content and playability. Would have been great to see the base Xbox One version maybe lose a bit of the graphical sparkle in exchange for a 60 FPS lock, but that's more commentary of the power of the Xbox, rather than the game.

Project Cars 2 is the definition of what a sequel should be, taking everything great from the original game, bringing it back, and introducing new and interesting features. Everything feels finely tuned and the options are unparalleled. This is a dream for racing fans and a treat for anyone who even slightly enjoys the genre. Don’t sleep on this one, there are few racing games that offer this much in one package.

Project CARS 2 is a great sequel to a strong but flawed first instalment. This time around, the flaws are far fewer, the racing is first class, and there's not much that Slightly Mad Studios hasn't addressed. Whether you're a sim aficionado or novice, Project CARS 2 is a racing game you need.

Project Cars 2 is a good alternative for all players looking for a simracing in their Xbox One. The game isn't perfect but offers an inmersive experience that provides good driving feelings to challenge a professional career through many disciplines, including the exciting rallycross. Technically the game improves its performance, but it doesn’t evolve so much, having some problems with AIs. Project Cars 2 is a good game for anyone who wants to drive facing the challenge that offers, but maybe this makes the game less attractive than the alternatives. It's one of the best driving car games you can find at this moment.

An uncompromising simulation that expects you to devote all your free time but will reward you with immense satisfaction. [12/2017, p.78]

Project CARS 2 won’t please all racing game fans, but it’ll delight those who crave realism and a challenge; those who want to push themselves to be better. Is that you?

Project CARS 2 really does feel like Project CARS version 2.0 with virtually all aspects of the title having been polished and improved. All of the minus points and complaints from the previous title have been addressed, including the all-important playability with a standard controller. In single-player mode, Project CARS 2 has much more to offer than nearly every other title in the genre but this is undermined by the patchy and unpredictable multiplayer at this time. The combination of weather and the new LiveTrack 3.0 engine is simply superb. Each track becomes so much more alive, shining most in less than optimal racing conditions, leaving other track implementations feeling horribly static. Those who only want to race two or three laps at a time will miss the amazing changing track conditions, so this is a title that is for racers, for those more interested in the details of motorsport in general and a much more immersive experience. The title continues to push the genre forward and continues where other titles stop.

Project Cars 2 is indeed a quality racer, one well worth the time of anyone looking for an ultra-realistic experience. Those coming in as casual racers may find the controls a little harsh, but the general nature of racing a high-performance car is certainly put into perspective, and that should be praised in any game looking to give a simulation experience.

As a fan of all things racing if push came to running start I'd probably place myself firmly in the garage of an arcade racing fan. Ahem. But as with the first game in the series I found a great deal of enjoyment with Project Cars 2. The graphics and sound especially won me over. And whilst the struggles, trials, and tribulations of such a demanding simulator may have left me shaking with rage, the sheer exhilaration I felt after hitting a series of apexes so perfectly, culminating in a podium finish, was sweet recompense.

With all of the trailers, experts, and attention to detail, I expected Project Cars 2 to take the trophy as racing sim of the year. It is definitely not. What you DO get is a game that challenges you to a frustrating degree and does so with beautiful precision. It sadly also takes a bunch of the fun out of it too.

Although the first Project Cars didn't quite capture the hearts of mainstream gamers, the sequel has a much better shot thanks to its polished career mode, wealth of motorsport types, and unparalleled track selection. The difficulty is still on the unapproachable side, but racing sim fans will likely stick it out anyway. I'll be surprised if Forza 7 doesn't top this one overall, but it's still great to have options – especially one that appears on both Xbox and PlayStation.

Neither F1 2017 nor Forza Motorsport 6 offer the level of customisation and detail that this game does, but if I’m honest, it’s those other two games that I’d rather jump back into.