I will try to be concise & to the point. I will assume that you are serious and want to become a professional. Even if it isn’t so, I have included a mini-review and intro so you can get a hang of what I am trying to say. The games/simulations that you play depend on various factors like your previous experience, genre, your level of interest etc. I would suggest the following simulations. Choose what you like & play.
Assetto Corsa: This game deserves a genre of its own since it falls into neither of the 2 categories above & below it. It is not too hard but it is definitely not for someone racing casually. The game is evolving right now & its early days to comment on where it’s going to end up. As of now, it will probably fit into the semi-simulation category. Good graphics, and accurate engine simulation.
I have given my views as a professional sim racer. I have included the best possible simulations for PC+G27 combination & hence the list is a bit too much. It might be that you were on the lookout for just a casual experience. For that, try out the first two genres.
Remember :Racing is an art. And it will get better with more practice.
PS: Google ‘Project C.A.R.S’.
For Novices/First Time Users.
If you are new to cars/driving/stick-shift, you will have to spend some time learning & mastering it. If you just want to simulate driving on the road, try to use the following combination.- Euro Truck Simulator 2: A truck simulator based in Europe with good graphics and steering feedback. Useful for mastering clutch/gear operation (for first timers) since you can set the biting point of the clutch. Comes with preset settings for G27 & can be customized to a high level. You can even set the gear ratios yourself. In-Game physics, time dilation & damage is not realistic. Traffic rules are also not implemented very well, with fines and violations being very inconsistent. Good developer support with regular updates. Use this game to get your driving spot on.
- City Car Simulator: A car based sim, which you can use to get the hang of traffic rules, road etiquette and in-city navigation. It doesn’t have great graphics or steering feedback & hence will not be able to provide you a realistic feeling. It will seem very artificial. Game physics are also nothing to speak of and the less said about developer support, the better.
For Amateur Racers/Semi-Simulation
This is where you enter the world of sim-racing. Start with these basic/arcade-ish Sims and move on to higher ones if & when you feel the need. Bear in mind that from here onwards, you have to be precise with your inputs & have some knowledge of racing. You should be familiar with terms like racing line, apex, under-steer, over-steer etc. Most games listed will walk you through the same.- Need For Speed Shift/Shift 2: NFS Series has been always more about gaming than simulation. That said, Shift/Shift 2 come close to delivering a good track simulation. Has advanced features like helmet cam(camera moves as you go into a turn), better night racing and realistic damage. Physics not very realistic.
- Race Driver GRID/GRID 2/GRID AutoSport: Almost the same as Shift, but has more real world locations, better feedback and fool-proof assists. Note that when you start sim racing, you WILL initially need assists. Graphically better than Shift series. Grid 2 & AutoSport do not have a cockpit view however & this is the biggest dampener. Most of us consider GRID as the best game in the series.
- F1 2013: The best ever semi-simulation of F1 racing till date with awesome graphics, feedback and physics in the semi-simulation genre. Codemasters have done a great job with it. Features all 19 tracks & 22 drivers. But keep in mind that as with real F1, the cars in this sim are very powerful & require good skills if driven without assists. New gamers will find themselves running off track at every corner. You also need to understand F1 rules if you are playing this one at Pro level. Use only after you are done with GRID/Shift 2.
- WRC FIA: World Rally Championship based on rallies around the world. Since no game/simulation can accurately depict rally racing, I am not going to linger too much on this.
Assetto Corsa: This game deserves a genre of its own since it falls into neither of the 2 categories above & below it. It is not too hard but it is definitely not for someone racing casually. The game is evolving right now & its early days to comment on where it’s going to end up. As of now, it will probably fit into the semi-simulation category. Good graphics, and accurate engine simulation.
Shit Gets Real genre/Professional Level racing
This, my friend, is the real deal. These Sims are used to train newbies and learn tracks. This is the epitome of professional sim racing. A word of caution though: These sims require you to have extreme motivation for racing. If you are casual in your approach, don’t even think of trying it. Really good driving skills & some previous experience with professional track racing help a lot with this.- iRacing: Mind-blowing simulation with good balance of great visuals, good physics and deep customization. It has laser scanned tracks, meaning that the tracks in the game are accurate to millimeters, with each bump & dip in the same place as in the real track. Professionals such as Jordan Taylor & Travis Pastrana use it for bettering their lap times. Great online community with tournaments held every year by NASCAR itself. Purchase model is not good, since you don’t buy the game all at once. You purchase specific cars & tracks you want to drive.The best option overall, if you want to drive really well.
- rfactor 2: The benchmark in physics for racing simulations. Dynamic tire wear model, proper turbo simulation & accurate engine telemetry.
- Live for Speed: The most accurate engine simulation you can get on a PC with a G27. Clutch overheating, drive-train stress etc. You really have to know how to drive. Details like tire deflation, rubber elasticity, tire wall deformation are calculated.
I have given my views as a professional sim racer. I have included the best possible simulations for PC+G27 combination & hence the list is a bit too much. It might be that you were on the lookout for just a casual experience. For that, try out the first two genres.
Remember :Racing is an art. And it will get better with more practice.
PS: Google ‘Project C.A.R.S’.
