Project Cars 3 has been generating a huge amount of conversation among racing game fans, largely due to the series taking a huge handbrake turn away from the sim racing roots of the first two games. The shift to a more accessible racing style hasn’t meant the loss of all sim features though, with dynamic weather and times creating plenty of changeable racing situations. A new video from Cram Gaming shows off the drastically different conditions at the Shanghai circuit, using the game’s Ultra settings running at 4K resolution and 60 frames per second.
After seeing some of Project Cars 3‘s car and track selection options, the race starts with 32 cars lining up for a dry daytime race. Gradually some rain starts to appear as the track gets progressively more gloomy, the rain gets heavier and eventually turns to powerful lightning. By the end of the race the track and sky are fully lit up, with road signs and the neon Shanghai skyline peering through the rain.
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The video shows the in-game XP system at work, adding points for driving skills, overtakes and more in a similar vein to Grid and other racers. It also shows the cornering markers which Project Cars 3 uses to help drivers judge braking and turning, similar to those in Gran Turismo Sport. Getting perfectly around each corner and hitting the apex is one of many objectives that drivers need to complete to unlock new events.
Despite the inclusion of dynamic and extreme weather conditions, Project Cars 3 has certainly been generating mixed opinions from gamers who have tried it. While plenty have praised the fun and more accessible nature of the game, many fans of the sim racing approach of the first two games have expressed disappointment at the removal of details such as qualifying and tire wear. Specifically, the graphics have faced a lot of criticism for looking under-par compared to competing racers, with some gamers even saying it looks worse than its predecessor, which was built with the same game engine.
With the game almost at release date, the disappointment of those who enjoyed the original games is understandable, as the shift away from its sim racing is so sudden, veering from hardcore sim racer to a theoretical follow up to developer Slightly Mad Studios’ 2011 title Need for Speed: Shift Unleashed, in just one go. Given the popular success of the Forza Motorsport and Gran Turismo franchises, it is understandable why the studio wanted to try and widen the appeal of the series, yet the confusion over the direction of Project Cars 3 may also backfire if players aren’t sure what kind of racing game it actually is.
Of course, Slightly Mad Studios still has time to address the criticisms with graphical and handling updates. Perhaps with some careful adjustments, Project Cars 3 will eventually become a game that can keep both old and new fans of the series happy.
Project Cars 3 is available on August 28 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
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