Project CARS : Review (PC)

Some more stuff is in this description so you might want to check it. Wonder why I don't mention MP or Audio? Explanation below.

Graphics setting comparisons :

Jack Spade FFB Tweaks :

Why not mention MP? It's a lobby system, no dedicated servers. So naturally... results are gonna vary.

Audio runs a wide range from poor to solid. In particular, I feel like a lot of sounds are just poorly mixed - super mega loud (and terrible sounding) bottoming out, blow off valves that are louder than a P1 engine... Lots of distortion. That one last point is why I didn't mention it - some people really like that, some don't. I don't, but whatever.

AMD performance from what I've heard is abysmal. I'm on "Team Green" right now so I can't comment directly, but it's worth checking into if you are using an AMD GPU.

I've also heard that controllers are really, really, really finnicky and often poorly utilized - need tweaking to get it right. Again, can't comment on that directly.

AI performance is laughable, it's bad enough that it really is no better than Assetto Corsa. AC AI doesn't try and pass enough, PCARS AI will kill you. I'd rather not have my exhaust pipes violated - it is that incredibly frustrating.

In particular, the first lap behavior is lulzy. I can reliably pass 6 cars on standing starts on max difficulty. This doesn't even include the inevitable AI crashing into one another or missing the apex entirely. (Protip : ALWAYS get to the inside of T1 in advance, it's easy pickings and much safer than the outside as the AI ALWAYS understeers in T1)

Also : you can jump starts by a good bit without punishment. It makes qualifying mostly useless and is a pretty hilarious thing for a racing game to have bugged. But that will surely be patched.

Follow me like a stalker! (please dont actually stalk me... duh)

[jiltjes]

Nice review Matt! Mostly spot on. I do have to sau though, the more time I spend on this, the more fun it becomes. It has great fun factor.

[thomaz_alexandre]

You play really well. Didn't agree with all points but thanks for a thorough review

[kipieslim]

A great review again!

Just a small thing i noticed that you mentioned in the description, is that there are no dedicated servers available.

But if you look in the "Tools" section in your steam library, there is an option available to download the dedicated server.

Really love the video's and channel, keep up the good work!

[allantotti]

Matt, what is your real racing experience? I am not trying to be negative about your review but you refer a lot of your videos to a realism which we all believe you mean, rubber on tarmac type realism... Real racing... Do you actually drive a real racing car in the rain to be able to compare with virtual reality? Or you drive your daily car like a race car on roads and have an idea of what's real racing? Or your real feel of real racing is based on a more Sim type race software like iRacing? Thanks for the video.

[LordNrvr]

Finally! YouTube sends me notification about your new videos! Unfortunately, I'll have to come back later to watch it in 1080p. :-)

[jampetable]

Project CARS appreciation:
Average Call of Duty player: 2/10 (What's the shoot button?)
Sim racers: 6/10 (Just not realistic enough)
NFS fanboys: 3/10 (Why do I keep crashing and why is there no rewind button? --> rage quit)
Gran Turismo fans: 8/10 (Graphics are from another planet and cars don't drive on tracks like a train and there are no 600 Nissan cars in the game and the cars don't sound like vacuum cleaners and you don't have to start in last place every race and wow there are realistic championships)
People who just love Project CARS for what it is: 9.8/10 (Perfect balance between simulation and 'arcade (not really)', loads of options to choose from (car setups, weather, graphics, sessions etc.), Amazing career mode (start wherever you want and play however you want), agressive A.I. (i do admit it can be very frustrating at times with fragile cars, but with GT cars it's a lot of fun).

[leicfoxUK]

Totally agree, the AI ruins this game. Fed up of re-starting races after being shunted off. They drive like your not there cutting on to the racing line regardless.

[AKAKraut]

I have to say that I am very pleased that there a no unlocks. I can't stand that every single new game has some type of leveling and grinding to get things. I want to get in a car of my choice and go. The career mode seems OK to me, I had to start at the bottom lower classes and race my way up.

[windyman]

still no option to murder the crew chief
0/10

[dave-r]

As per usual Spot on.  From now on, I wait for the Box Review. I have gotten tickled at reading comments on forums that go like this "it's not the AI's fault it's your driving". "There's something wrong with your controller." Yes the left stick of every XBOX 360 and XBOX One controller that works fine in GSCE, R3E, RF2, RF1 and every other PC game is just broken in Project Cars.

[donbehatin]

Well after watching this review, the comments are exactly the hate fest I was expecting.




Also, if I read/hear the word "simcade" one more time I'm going to stab a puppy.

[ormancadam]

there is no unlocking?! how is that a negative. Its great, its exactly how old games used to be.     You play a game to be the champion, enjoy the game and not for the carrot at the end of the same fucking stick.   I am so bored of the tired same old level up system that every game seems to copy.               it makes everything feel like a job than a game for enjoyment. only satisfies the obsessive.

[mightydane]

For me this game is worth the wait and almost lives up to the hype. The races I've had with mates have been nail bitingly good! Yes it has bug, but all games has that nowadays sadly. But I can't get enough of it.

[VanillaLoaf]

It seems like it takes up the middle ground between sims and arcade racers.  It's a game for casual gamers who want to feel like they are playing a sim.

Sucks about the free choice though.  Most people enjoy progression.

[sleepingdrones]

I really agree with what you said about the career mode, the idea of having 'endless possibilities' sounds good in theory but in practice I may as well just drive a custom event, because there feels like there's no progression anyway. Overall, I like the game but certainly don't love it but I'm glad it exists. Showing there is a market for this kind of racing game on PC might just get us some better ones - I do like the idea of some more arcade-y racers to mess around in sometimes

[letsgettaco]

A solid and fair review and I say that as a €100 backer. In a game that is sold on its single player experience, then you'd expect the AI to be nailed on straight out of the box. Being dive bombed by AI to the point were they are corner cutting by a massive amount, without penalty, isn't fun. Their slowness in some corners means you sometimes can't avoid contact, which again, spoils the fun. Hopefully a patch can improve it.

[rexoid]

I set my AI down to 70 and found they were just as quick but less aggressive and now have better races.

[epicwarding]

In my opinion this isnt "Arcade" As Grid Autosport, but it is Still Arcade. I Consider GT6 and Forza Series as Arcade. cry all you want . they just are

[OzDeaDMeaT]

I am also an average Joe racer, I've done iRacing, the NFS, Live for Speed, GT5/6 on PS3 all the old Papyrus games. 

I think the AI is one of the best things about Project Cars, its not the standard Computer Generated railroad track like all of the Grand Turismo titles. In fact, I fear the AI as much as I do a human driver who is right behind me. You don't know what they are going to do, sometimes everything works out, other times it doesn't. Yes it is frustrating when it goes to custard, but you would get the same level of frustration if it was a human player. I guess it comes down to what you expect from an AI in the game. I look at them as replacements for human players, and I am hard pressed to find an AI as a better example of this. If you are looking for little bits of perfection racing around a track then I think Project Cars was always going to disappoint. 

As for describing the game as a grind. The definition of a grind is the process of engaging in repetitive tasks during a video game. That said, every racing game ever made would fit in this category. At least I can select how much of a grind I am going to have by actually selecting the type of racing I want to play, rather than having some game designer tell me what type of racing I MUST do to get to the part of the game I am actually interested in.

I am not sure about the hype as I think I've seen like 2 adverts for the game since it came out. Maybe it's different where you are. It also comes down to how much you buy into marketing BS anyway. 

TLDR; To me, Project Cars is Grand Turismo for PC, with better AI and a licenceless Career mode.

In closing, I freaking love your videos and hope that you find a group of people that you can play Project Cars with online. Thank you for giving me another point of view (Hardcore Online Racers perspective) with regards Project Cars. Thanks man :)

[Donkybonky]

6:27
You are a wizard with words. Amazing