Project Motor Racing has been a much-anticipated title from Straight4 Studios, and could be another very good-looking and capable motorsport simulator to grace the current-gen lineup. We’ve been talking about a couple of racing titles and their excellent visuals, but this one might just be the one to beat, aside from a gameplay loop that’s looking quite close to the real thing.
If you’re thinking about buckling up in the driver’s seat for this one, we’ve got a few things you might want to know before picking up your copy. Let’s dive in!
1. The Factory Driver Program
In its effort to make the game feel as close to operating its variety of cars in the real world as it does in-game, the studio has made solid use of the Factory Driver Program, an initiative in which several pro divers test drove virtual versions of the vehicles in the game, adding pointers and feedback that was then used to fine tune the experience and present a very authentic take on each car you drive.
And speaking of immersion, the realistic handling of cars is just the beginning.
2. Stunning Visuals and Audio
Built on the GIANTS 10 Engine, this game’s a stunner irrespective of the platform you’re playing it on. Dynamic weather systems, some excellent graphical touches, and a physics system that is sure to push your hardware to its limits work very well together to present an experience that could turn your gaming room into the track you’re currently racing at.
The game’s visuals and audio are another pillar of the authentic experience it aims to offer, and there’s a lot going on in pursuit of that goal.
3. Check The Weather
Remember those dynamic weather systems we talked about? Well, the True2Track system in Project Motor Racing offers a racing experience in which no two laps can feel the same, even in the same race, if the weather conditions allow for such unpredictability. As per the developers, it’s a “GPU-driven surface model” that switches things up on the fly even as you’re tearing across the asphalt.
Expect to account for prevailing conditions as you line up your next corner, and be ready to adapt according to the road.
4. A Fleet of Different Cars
If you’re in it for the rides you can get your hands on, we’ve got excellent news. There’s quite a list of confirmed vehicles already in place for the game, and perhaps even more cars on the way post-release. There’s news on the DLC front that we’re going to get to in just a minute, but the good news is that your garage is going to be quite crowded if you so choose.
With some of the finest machines from Mercedes, Porsche, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Mazda, Panoz, and Chevrolet, there’s sure to be something that feels just right for you.
5. Tracks
Of course, even the best of cars are nothing if there are no good places to drive them and see what they can really do. Fortunately, there’s a list of tracks from around the world for you to take on in Project Motor Racing, and with the game’s authentic handling and emphasis on realistic visuals, you’re going to have your hands full.
There are 18 tracks and 28 different layouts to choose from, which means that you have a lot of ground to cover as you try to blaze a path to glory.
6. DLC Additions
There are quite a few exciting additions to the game as part of its DLC, beginning with the Year One Season Pass, which includes the Group 5 Revival Pack, alongside the GTE Decade Pack, and the GT Legends and VS Legends Power Pack, all of which are scheduled to launch over the game’s first year.
Bringing new cars with some memorable histories and a bunch of tracks, it’s clear that Straight4 has more than a few tricks up its sleeve.
7. Multiplayer Options
This is another excellent bit of news, as the game fully supports cross-platform play and leaderboards “across different modes and styles of race events” as per the developers. There are going to be weekly and monthly event rotations and scheduled races that a lot of you might be looking to make your mark on.
Diving into races that span different modes and styles with your friends is definitely going to be a wild ride.
8. Modders, Rejoice
Modders on the GIANTS editor might be happy to know that the console versions of the game support mods built on it, and this one is sure to bring a lot of new touches to the game. Creative additions could change the way you experience the game and perhaps even give you the edge you need for single-player modes.
You might even find some very unique looks for your car while you’re at it, and perhaps even make a few requests based on how things play out.
9. Your Choices Have Consequences
The game’s career mode seems set to make things as real as they get, with the sometimes brutal world of professional motorsports being a part of your experience. You’re going to have to manage budgets, repairs, sponsors, and perhaps even crashes that could leave your car wrecked and your career in shambles.
Expect to face the consequences of your choices both on and off the track as you dive into your path to fame and fortune as a racer.
10. Vehicle Classes
You get to choose from vehicle classes that have some very iconic cars as part of their lineup. The GT4 class, for instance, comes with all the competitive regulations that its cars must navigate in the real world, such as stock tires and a limit on allowed modifications.
Or perhaps the GTE class of cars that come as a preorder bonus might be more to your taste. There are a ton of attractive options, and your choices are going to be quite difficult if you’re picky about the wheels you put on the road.
11. Year One Season Pass
While we already touched on the game’s DLC roadmap, its Year One Season Pass content is worth diving into. That’s because it’s slated to add more than 30 cars and 3 new tracks to the game, including the Japanese GT500, Endurance Racing Expansion, and V8 Power packs in addition to the ones we already covered.
With a steady stream of new content being consistently added over the course of the year, it looks like Project Motor Racing’s going to be a constant in the lives of racing enthusiasts among you for a while.
12. Simulation-First Physics
It’s time to get to the races themselves. The GIANTS 10 engine doesn’t just bring great visuals to the table, but it also brings a “first-principles” physics model with high-fidelity force feedback that could really bring a race to life.
With 720Hz being a prominent talking point in promotional materials, your car is going to behave exactly as it would in the real world, and you’re going to have to become one with your wheel and squeeze every bit of life out of your engine and drivetrain as you tear across the tracks.
13. Driver Equipment You Actually Control
Your wipers, headlights, ABS, traction control, ECU Maps, and more are under your direct control, allowing you to make your car work with you instead of against you as you tackle different tracks and weather conditions.
If you haven’t been able to get into the driver’s seat of some of your favorites, Project Motor Racing might just be the next best thing, giving you a realistic recreation of the cockpit of some of the world’s fastest roadsters.
14. Licensing & Class-Specific Ratings
If you’re thinking about taking it online, Project Motor Racing features a 0-100 per-class driver rating system that precedes online play. It works quite well to pit you against opponents at a similar level of skill, while matchmaking is further enhanced by separate ratings for each class of vehicles.
It also means that you’re encouraged to play across classes and rack up wins to ensure that you’re racing against the best, no matter which class you pick. All races use standing starts at launch, but IMSA-style rolling starts are planned at some point post-launch.
15. Rig Features and PC Requirements
You get to use some pretty awesome rig features right out of the box with support for triple displays, PC VR, compatibility with a wide range of controllers and wheels, and UDP telemetry for your dashboard or haptics.
For PC players, the minimum specs you’re going to need include a Windows 10 (x64), an Intel Core i7-8700 / AMD Ryzen 5 2600 (6 cores or more), 16GB RAM, an NVIDIA RTX 2060 / AMD Radeon RX 580 (6 GB VRAM or more) GPU, DirectX 12, and 50GB of storage.
The recommended specs include Windows 11, an Intel Core i7-9700 or AMD Ryzen 7 3800 (8 cores or more), 24GB RAM, and an NVIDIA RTX 3070 / AMD Radeon RX 6800 (8 GB VRAM or more) GPU.
And that’s all you need to know before you decide to grab the keys to Project Motor Racing and begin to burn some rubber at some of the most iconic racing tracks around the world. We hope to see you around the next corner!
