Racing Game Recommendations

wirerogue

wirerogue

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
458
hi racers,

i finally hooked up my 60" tv to my gaming rig.

i'm looking for recommendations for a racing game so i can couch potato with my wireless xbox 360 controller for windows.

here's what i'm looking for.

fun, fast, good graphics, good single player, perhaps 2 player with split screen as well. online multi-player is optional.

i like road racing through city streets or countryside

i like the ones where you can drive unrealistically fast. not the realistic ones where you end up in the ditch or on wall all the time. i have a lead foot basically and don't like to brake.

must work with xbox 360 controller for windows.

thanks in advance
 
If you can get past the flashy bs, dirt 3 is a great game.
 
BravO))) said:
If you can get past the flashy bs, dirt 3 is a great game.
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i have dirt 3 and kinda like it. i don't care much for the rally type racing.

the split screen is good.

i don't like the assist settings. on casual setting with the full assists, it doesn't give me enough throttle. if i turn that off, i'm in the ditch.

i'm not a very good diver either. i guess i should get that right out there. i need some forgiveness when racing.
 
I don't have any recommendations to give but here's a resource of good reviews. Darin and Shawn give their honest opinions on certain racing games. I tried to get into sim racing but could but here's the website:

http://www.insidesimracing.tv/

They also give bi-weekly, or weekly, racing updates on the sim-racing community.

From what you wrote you're looking for something arcady. I've only tried NFS:W, and its free, but I don't recommend it since it's micro payments and the cops are annoying. I'd look at the old games, I haven't played any of them but the Shift series seem right up your alley.
 
obi-kun said:
I don't have any recommendations to give but here's a resource of good reviews. Darin and Shawn give their honest opinions on certain racing games. I tried to get into sim racing but could but here's the website:

http://www.insidesimracing.tv/

They also give bi-weekly, or weekly, racing updates on the sim-racing community.

From what you wrote you're looking for something arcady. I've only tried NFS:W, and its free, but I don't recommend it since it's micro payments and the cops are annoying. I'd look at the old games, I haven't played any of them but the Shift series seem right up your alley.
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thanks for the link. i had no idea that site existed. i guess some people are really serious about their reason.

the girl is smokin hot too. always a plus.
 
Driving games I've enjoyed recently, all with XBox 360 controller:

Burnout Paradise (totally awesome. GET THIS. You won't regret it)
Need For Speed: Most Wanted (older, doesn't look as pretty, but probably still the best of the franchise)
Fuel (a flawed game, AI can frustrate you if you don't understand it, but has a ridiculously huge open gameworld to drive around in)

I only ever played single-player, so I can't say anything about whether these were any good for playing with someone else.
 
Grid
Split Second
Blur
Test Drive Unlimited 1/2

For the love of god don't ever try to play NFS: Undercover. This game totally wins crappiest EA game around. Screw you BlackBox!! The PSP version isn't the worst though.

Would be awesome if they brought Midnight Club LA Complete Edition to PC (with improved controls that is) :)
 
I know 2 people have said Burnout Paradise, but it never sinks in until a 3rd person says it. Burnout Paradise.
 
wirerogue said:
hi racers,

i finally hooked up my 60" tv to my gaming rig.

i'm looking for recommendations for a racing game so i can couch potato with my wireless xbox 360 controller for windows.

here's what i'm looking for.

fun, fast, good graphics, good single player, perhaps 2 player with split screen as well. online multi-player is optional.

i like road racing through city streets or countryside

i like the ones where you can drive unrealistically fast. not the realistic ones where you end up in the ditch or on wall all the time. i have a lead foot basically and don't like to brake.

must work with xbox 360 controller for windows.

thanks in advance
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I recommend Need For Speed Hot Pursuit (2010) for good graphics and fun gameplay, not sim-like, no manual shift (unless you install a third party mod). Burnout Paradise is good too if you are into vehicular combat racing games.
 
I really wish we could get a nice Forza/Gran Turismo style racing game for the PC as far as overall tweaking and customization of the car plus varied events.
 
I'm having tons of fun with gas guzzler carnage, after you unlock new cars after the horribly handling one u start with and unlock weapons mods it really becomes addicting, especially multiplay. Google reviews, its an Indie game but destined to blow when it hits steam soon.
 
xJeganx said:
I really wish we could get a nice Forza/Gran Turismo style racing game for the PC as far as overall tweaking and customization of the car plus varied events.
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This right here. Wish someone out there is listening, the PC platform needs this badly.
 
Blur is the most under marketed, unknown, good racing game I've played in a long time. Friends and I played it multiplayer for many hours on many occasions. Great on xbox, occasionally crappy cheaters on pc ruin the mplayer experience.
 
Need for Speed Showdown looks pretty cool, kinda reminds me of the old Demolition Derby games on the Playstation.

Anyone tried it yet?
 
Do all of these games work well with racing setups? I was looking into steering wheels and such. I think it'd be rad to get one with a shifter. Sorry i'm a noob
 
actually I'd say none of these games would work well with a wheel. it's very rare that a console port will have good wheel support, and most if not all these games are console ports. nowadays racing sims (race injection, rfactor, iracing and such) are pretty much the only option to enjoy some good force feedback wheel action. otherwise you'll get better results with a x360 gamepad.
 
Krenum said:
Need for Speed Showdown looks pretty cool, kinda reminds me of the old Demolition Derby games on the Playstation.

Anyone tried it yet?
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I'm guessing you mean DiRT Showdown... It's quite fun if you're looking for a demolition derby game with novelty events like gymkhana thrown into the mix. There are racing events also but they aren't really the focus.

If you're looking for a car game with a variety of different types of events, this should keep you interested. Some might find it a little ADD in that it doesn't really have a defined focus in a particular type of event.
 
Bdonedge said:
Do all of these games work well with racing setups? I was looking into steering wheels and such. I think it'd be rad to get one with a shifter. Sorry i'm a noob
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rFactor
LiveForSpeed
iRacing

All descent games that support steering wheels. They are simulator type games though, no arcade modes.
 
Trackmania.


I have never laughed so hard playing a racing game in my life. We did it at a LAN once and it was hilarious.
 
xJeganx said:
I really wish we could get a nice Forza/Gran Turismo style racing game for the PC as far as overall tweaking and customization of the car plus varied events.
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It took them like 5 years to develop GT5...it's a true racing simulation. I don't see PC developers putting this much time and effort into a PC game...I hope I'm wrong. Plus Japanese developers avoid PC like the plague
 
Ridge Racer Unbounded is %50 ($24.99) off currently on Steam. Looks like decent reviews saying its a mix of Blur/Burnout Paradise/NFS.

Someone tell me how it is?!?

EDIT: There is a demo. Game plays well and looks pretty good. Can't get better than 5th in races if trying to complete objectives though. Probably just me.
 
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psy81 said:
It took them like 5 years to develop GT5...it's a true racing simulation. I don't see PC developers putting this much time and effort into a PC game...I hope I'm wrong. Plus Japanese developers avoid PC like the plague
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How close are the nfs shift games to forza or gt5? I think those look very sim-like but I don't know how they control.
 
Shift 1-2 are well known for their notorious under-steer on 85% of the cars. Unless you do some serious tweaking on your wheel settings, you will not be going anywhere fast.
 
i have NFS Shift II and I applaud their effort but the cars response lags big time but its about as close to a racing simulation game NFS series has ever gotten. Still falls far short of GT5. I guess Dirt III is somewhat simulation like but not as refined as GT5
 
psy81 said:
It took them like 5 years to develop GT5...it's a true racing simulation. I don't see PC developers putting this much time and effort into a PC game...I hope I'm wrong. Plus Japanese developers avoid PC like the plague
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you have to be joking.

iracing.com
simbin titles.

They may not have the faux upgrades like GT5, but they are far truer racing 'sim's than Gt5 or Forza can ever hope to imagine.
 
I left Forza and GT behind two years ago for rFactor and I have not looked back. The AI is rubbish but everything else about rFactor is the real deal. There is a reason F1 teams use a customizable version of the ISI rFactor engine (rFactor Pro) for their actual simulators. If you've got the cash, you can run a full hydraulic cockpit with gravity simulation and everything... supports multiple monitors, supports SLI, ENB works splendidly, the list goes on. My rFactor install is around 80gb and I play it every day for hours. Totally addicted. You need high quality hardware and lots and lots of patience to set up all the mods, tweaks, variables, and to get used to "real" racing... but the payoff is simply incredible. Simply fucking incredible.

PM me if you want more info or need help. Me and a good German buddy run practises and friendly races every day or two on a wide variety of mods and tracks and we'd be amenable to adding another to the informal group.

The best rfactor mods include: PCC, DRM Revival, TCL, F1-SR 1991, GPC F1 1979, F1 1985 MVCRF, CTDP F1 2005/2006, MMG 2007, FSONE 2008/2009, Historic GT&TC

There's a lot of crap mods out there and a lot of mods with stolen/ported content from other mods and even other games (lots of mods imported from GTR2, for example), but there's tons of high quality ones as well. You just have to either know enough to identify the good ones, or know someone that can tell the difference.

And don't forget essential gameplay optimizing mods like Realfeel, Realheadmotion, better skies, LeoFFB, etc. There's really too many to list. I've changed everything about my rFactor... even many textures like the rubbered "racing line" and pitboxes.
 
Get GRID off Steam. Then edit the video options file and turn on stuff like 8xMSAA, etc. It plays great! Looks great! And is tons of FUN!

GRID footage

:)
 
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Short Answer: They're all garbage. Yes, even the Shift series - unless you enjoy srs buidnezz 24/7 , excruciatingly boring Nascar driving.

Short Answer volume 2: Just wait for the reboot of NFS: Most Wanted.

Let's prey that these guys don't fuck it up this time.
 
This has me wondering why most developers lean towards the arcadey type of racing game as opposed to simulation. Is it to appease the the teeny boppers who can't drive yet?
 
psy81 said:
This has me wondering why most developers lean towards the arcadey type of racing game as opposed to simulation. Is it to appease the the teeny boppers who can't drive yet?
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Eh. I wouldn't say that. If you've ever played a serious simulation, like Race 07 for instance, you'll see that you can configure the car some thousand ways in order to race on a particular track. Some people don't want to do all that and would rather just buy an "upgrade" and go faster. There's days I enjoy a serious racing game, but then there's days I just want to break out the wheel and play Dirt or Grid. I'd say the market for arcade racers is much larger than sim games as well. Let's be thankful we still have some companies who participate in sim games!
 
I'm not a fan of sim racers. I'd rather have fun drifting around a corner at 150mph into a wall ;)

Sims are like RPG games, they take too much time to finesse. This ultimately takes more time than I have in a day.

And I'm sorry but Grand Turismo will never be a good game to me nor any other that makes my car a paperweight but others are immovable objects. I like to have fun with other racers.
 
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