Project Cars 2 – Recensione

Article by Pietro Gualano 

The first Project Cars was certainly a noteworthy product, a game with some flaws that could capture the attention of racing fans. In today's market dominated by brands like Forza and (to a lesser extent) GT, it takes courage to propose an alternative and the expectations of the players are really high. The developers of Slightly Mad Studios, however, did not let themselves be intimidated and are ready to launch the first sequel to what is now a real racing series: Project Cars 2. In this new chapter there is much of the predecessor, let's say it right away, but there are also interesting news that will surely capture the attention of fans ...

Fasten your helmet and seat belts then, it's time to discover the new Project Cars 2 together!

On the track!

The first big changes compared to the previous chapter are immediately noticeable by taking to the track. The game, as is also evident from the boundless section dedicated to the assets, pushes a lot on the simulation and has a rather interesting physics engine. The speed trajectories, the management of the braking, the reaction of the engine to an early gearshift… it is all quite realistic but despite this we are still not 100% satisfied. In our opinion, in fact, collisions could certainly be managed better and it can happen to witness unlikely reactions after the collision of two cars. Nothing dramatic, mind you, but we would have appreciated more attention from the developers in this respect. 

For the rest from a strictly simulation point of view we cannot complain: the player can have fun modifying a lot of parameters to build a truly tailor-made driving experience and, if desired, can also minimize the consequences of potentially errors. fatal. The help system is of course also present in this chapter and is very useful for beginners: guided trajectory in curves, assisted braking, fully automatic gearbox… They are usually essential for novice players.

As far as the artificial intelligence of the other riders is concerned, we are only partially satisfied: their aggressiveness depends on the set difficulty, it is evident, but it has happened too often to witness races that are practically perfect on their part and without flaws. Moreover, it often happens that train trains of cars are formed without overtaking and this is not a nice sight for those looking for a competitive driving experience. Despite this, however, the AI ​​is certainly more than worthy and defends itself well from the player's assaults. She never plays dirty, but she is always reluctant to leave you a position without a fight and this is definitely a stimulating aspect. 

In concusion we can certainly promote the gameplay of Project Cars 2: the driving experience changes completely according to the category or the car chosen of course, but the simulation level is satisfactory and winning a race is a real achievement. The physics engine behind the game has been refined and refined compared to that of the first chapter and we are convinced that it will delight fans. 

Cars for all tastes

Moving on to the contents, the work done by the guys at Slightly Mad Studios is certainly more than good. Players have at their disposal over 180 cars of all types produced by many different manufacturers, they can race on over 140 circuits in one of 29 series linked in turn to one of the nine disciplines of the motorsport world. There is really everything, from karts to indie formula, from rallies to constructors' races, from events designed for vintage cars to competitions dedicated to real supercars. It is practically impossible not to find a car that best suits your driving style, but they all have a unique feeling and require some practice to be mastered. The circuits have also been made well and are literally scattered all over the world: we have some tracks with long and eternal straights and others that are a real hell of curves, the variety is guaranteed and it takes a lot of time to learn the secrets of each circuit of the game.

The best way to test the various cars present and the series in the best possible way is certainly the career mode: the structure proposed for the occasion is quite classic, with the player starting from the bottom and from the lower series and then moving on to increasingly demanding competitions. . By choosing this or that series, you will be invited to sign a contract for a specific manufacturer and compete for him, without particular penalties in case of defeats or unsuccessful seasons. As we said, the model chosen by the guys at Slightly Mad Studios is quite classic, but we appreciated the freedom of approach given to the player.

As for the assets to be managed (and possibly saved) during the career, the player can follow two paths: do everything manually, following the clear (but very long) explanations prepared by the developers, or contact your track engineer and fix everything through a simplified menu. The first approach is certainly advisable since it allows you to touch many more parameters than the second, but it is also tremendously complex for a player novice with the world of motors. Dealing with assets is essential at the highest difficulties to obtain decent results, so the sooner you learn the better.

In terms of modes, in addition to the career just mentioned, we also have the fast race, custom events to create and play several times and online races to be faced in the company of friends.

Under the hood

The improvements compared to the first Project Cars are also evident from a technical point of view. The uploads are average, while we really appreciated the light management and the reproduction of the car interiors: the interior view is fully usable in the race and this is not at all obvious. The models of the cars have been made with great care, some cars have dynamic components that move us during the race (flaps for example) and we also very much appreciated the attention paid to creating the brands of the individual sponsors. The tracks have been reproduced well also from a technical point of view, the shadows are a bit disappointing but otherwise the level is certainly more than good: the elements of the scenario are satisfactory even if a little more care from this point. sight wouldn't hurt.

Let's now move on to the painful notes: the game, unfortunately, still has some graphic bugs and it can happen to see billboards literally glued to the ground or wheels that "snap" in strange positions. These flaws, purely aesthetic, do not compromise the overall experience which can boast a very solid frame rate and a generally high quality.

As for the audio, the game has all the texts in español, while the sound has unfortunately remained in English. The engine noise is credible and satisfying, while the music is nothing memorable.

Conclusion

Project Cars 2 is a title that has a lot to offer: players can literally get lost in the set-ups, the series, the cars, the circuits and so on. Too bad for some graphic flaws, for a not perfect collision system and for a campaign structure that is perhaps a bit too classic. Overall speaking, however, Project Cars 2 is an excellent racing game and is recommended for all fans of the genre to buy… The hope is that the series can continue to grow over time, improving from all points of view.