Best PC Racing Game

SFOSOK

I'm looking for the best pc racing game (in your opinion). It has come to my attention that I do not have and have never owned a racing game for the PC.


What is the best racing game in your opinion and why?

Here is what I don't like:

EA (I'll cope if I have to but I hate their soundtracks, choice of cars, crappy excuse for storyline)

Ugly looking racer

Bad handling that is way to sensitive

Unrealistic damage (cars bouncing off walls)

Unrealistic features (nitro, boost, and over emphasis on drifting)

Gimmick features like half ass weather effects

Here is what I like:
Responsive handling
Realistic damage and penalties for hitting things (like a slower car)
Inside the car driver view
Good or progressive story
Not EA games
Over the top damage
Really good sound


Racing games that I liked for the 360
Burnout Paradise and earlier series(revenge was the worst game ever)
Forza (little too technical to be fun)
Flatout (really bad vehicle handling)




I absolutely hated Need for Speed in the past. Especially when it went to underground and started to become trendy and filled with rice rockets. If there is a good need for speed that is not a product of what EA thinks the mainstream wants to play please tell me otherwise don't.

Callandor

Farcry Instincts???

Vikingod

YOu should check out GRID.

BlueMak

Race Driver 3, Xpand Rally, Grand Prix Legends.

Tril

Richard Burns Rally
rFactor

Stop It

Does not compute, (Hint, Burnout is an EA series, at least it has been since Burnout 3 )

Anyway, my favourite racers? I'll break it up into sims and non sims I suppose

Sims:
Forza 1 & 2: A next gen console game that isn't afraid to be a proper sim, good stuff, handles well, good graphically, 60fps, awesome
Race: WTCC: Best handling touring car game, hard as nails, steering wheel a MUST.
Toca Race driver series (Exlcusing GRID, PC version only): Looks good, plays good, another game that suits a Wheel to the ground, GT killer, underrated.

Non Sims:
PGR series: I love them all, PGR 2 is still my favourite and introduced me to Xbox Live, all of them have great career modes in their own right.
Race Driver GRID (PC edition): Not a sim (boo!) best looking racer I have ever played, with a wheel becomes the most challenging racer I have ever played, objection based gameplay actually works perfectly for both newer players and petrolheads like me.

Callandor

On a serious note the only good racing sim I've ever played was Microsoft Precision Racing, that and Grand Turismo but that's on the Playstation 1/2/3, I tend to enjoy the unrealistic arcade ones instead.

Mousey

Forza Motorsport was really enjoyable for me, haven't played number 2 because i don't have a 360 which is a bummer

BlueMak

Guys, he clearly says PC racing games.

Callandor

Microsoft Precision Kart Racing is a PC game.

Edit: See, they still have a site up

Microsoft CART Precision Racing















See, good game. Well, was in its time.

Mousey

woops didn't see that, sorry

Vehicon

GRID is an awesome driving game. I would recommend that one for sure.

OmegaRED

GRiD is the best PC racing game there is.

Let's go down the list of what it has that you like.

There is a new GRiD PC demo which is updated to the 1.1 patch. That's the one you'll want to try.

RSOblivion

GRID has been mentioned a few times, and I can only agree its excellent.

Flatout 2 hasn't been mentioned (the handling that was difficult in the original is fixed) and also Flatout Ultimate Carnage will be out soon for PC. If you like damage and destruction derby with very good physics (if not totally realistic ) then they are definately worth a look.

SFOSOK

Grid sounds pretty awesome, I'll check the demo out.

Edit: May check out ultimate carnage


When I say "Not EA" but then say I like some of the burnout series that means they are the exception to "Not EA"

Thanks for the help guys.

Sic Puppy

I've just got GRID too and it is very good. I started by using keyboard controls which made it quite hard to control. I went and bought an Xbox 360 controller for the PC and now the game has come alive!
Best racer in a long time IMO.
Only problem is that I tend to end up trying to make the most amazing pile ups!

BulletTheory

GRIS is the best Racing game out there atm. Really fun to play, nice story mode (racing seasons). Id recommend that

nerdrock

This isn't so much a brilliantly stunning racing game here, but when i'm in the mood, it's a fun time-waster , and you more than get what you pay for (free!) : Project Torque , a free mmo-ish type of racing game. Also : I'm fully going to buy GRID soon. Codemasters are my heros, and DIRT was brilliant.

Project Torque

CDsDontBurn

you might want to check out Xpand Rally. You didn't mention anything about rally racing, it's a really fun game, and you can customize the handling to your liking.

BiGBrOwNPimpsta

get a ps3 when gran turismo 5 comes out though! I tried the GRID demo on ps3, the game felt like it had too much oversteer. But cool physics. Should be better on PC with the proper rig. I might try it out here on PC and get back to you. I am a car nut.

And for unrealistic, I'm gonna go pick up Burnout Paradise in a few weeks maybe used so I can play it again with the new patch. It will improve the game big time.