Developer: Slightly Mad Studios
Publisher: Namco Bandai Games
Platform: PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4
Tested on: PlayStation 4
Project Cars 3 – Review
The Project Cars franchise has become a staple of simulation racing over the last few years. When it first released, Project Cars 2 became a fan-favorite racing game that is both highly realistic but still very playable. When Project Cars 3 was announced, it was told that the game would lose many simulation options in favor to become a great arcade game. If you look at Project Cars 3 from a simulator perspective, then you will hate it, but when you look at this game as an arcade title then you will absolutely love it. The game might not be highly realistic anymore, but its a blast to play!
Story
Project Cars 3 comes with a huge career mode in which you have to work your way up from simple stock road vehicles to highly powered beasts. These differences are in small increments, so it feels realistic that you start with a simple Mitsubishi Lancer, then work your way up to something decently powered like an old Ferrari and then to super and hypercars. The way up can take some time, but because of the many options (from upgrading vehicles to many different races), it will be a fun route to take. Because of the way that you can upgrade your vehicle, it won’t be strange to see older cars joining the ranks of more powerful opponents. In the end, most of them are GT worthy and the story of their past is yours to write.
Graphics
The graphical quality of Project Cars 3 is a bit like a pendulum. At one end, you have these great graphics with very nice details (such as actuated dashboards that are fully functional) but sadly at the other end, this is when the age of the current console generation is starting to show. On the normal PlayStation 4, the game suffered from various visual bugs (mainly the rain that doesn’t get rendered and obstructs the view) and frame-drops when many cars are on the screen. The tracks look decent but the quality will really vary between driving alone or against opponents.
Sound
The fact with racing games these days is that they are phasing out music during races. This is where Project Cars 3 turns the tide and shows us that you can still play music during races. Not that it is a great soundtrack, rather some generic music that plays during the menus and races, yet it does make races more enjoyable because you have something to listen to.
Overall sound quality is also really good with different engine sounds, wheels slipping and the turbo spooling. All of these sounds are really realistic and makes the immersion much better. You also have a voiced race director that will give you information about the track, lap times and opponents.
Gameplay
Project Cars 3 is a racing game that switched over from simulator to arcade playstyle. The previous games were highly realistic with unforgiving damage models and incredible physics. Now the game caters to a wider audience. The vehicles handle more forgivingly and you can now easily slide around corners. This newfound fun does come at a cost and that is the removal of many simulation factors. You do not have any tire wear, tire temperature, aerodynamics, or damage but penalties for cutting the track are still in place and will slow you down for a moment.
Another move to cater to the crowd has been the extension of the career mode. Project Cars 3 has a pretty long career mode, you can race in ten divisions, ranging from the slowest streetcars to Hypercars. You will have to work your way up and make the right decisions during your career; will you upgrade your old car or buy a new one in the showroom? This also introduces the upgrade option to the series; now you can install new and better parts to make your car faster or handle better. There is also a customization mode present, allowing the user to dress up the car with some fresh paint and new rims. During your career you will have to prove yourself in various races as each class has four themes with four races respectively. In those races, you will have to complete tasks to score points and unlock other events. This feature can be a bit frustrating at moments because it tests the overall skill of the driver. Sometimes you don’t need to win the race but you will have to master each corner or set a certain lap time. It is not always that easy but it doesn’t slow down progression that much.
One cool thing during races is that the weather seems to randomly change; one moment it is very sunny but the second that you try to take a corner, the flood gates open and the track gets soaked. You will have to adjust your driving technique as the opponents only seem to get slightly hindered. Strangely the A.I. either drives like a professional, or it seems that you are in a demolition derby.
If you get a bit burned out on the career mode or you want to try out a certain vehicle, then you can always play in the multiplayer, rivals and custom event modes. Multiplayer is always online, racing against opponents from all over the globe. In rivals you will have to beat other gamers their best time on a track and these are either: daily, weekly or monthly. You can gain points by completing the challenges and will get rewarded after each season. Lastly, in the custom event, you can pick a track, car and rules to your liking and just go out and race to your heart’s content. The game boasts a huge car count, so if you are unsure of what purchases to make in the career mode then try that vehicle out on one of your favorite tracks.
Conclusion
While developer Slightly Mad Studios made the crazy decision to turn the simulator franchise into an arcade game, they did seem to have handled it the right way. The game is enjoyable to play, not too hard and with a lot of content, you can spend hours on the race track. Thanks to the upgrades, you can now decide to take your trusty steeds from the low street rank all the way up to GT ranks, all while adding a personal twist to the flavor. Graphics are decent enough on the now-aging consoles, yet there isn’t an absence of fine details, so if you like to drive in cockpit view then you will be glad to know that this is where the details are at. The sounds are good and the music is enjoyable to listen to while drifting around the many corners on the track.
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