And here comes the article where we will talk about the main PC simulation games currently available, briefly discussing their key features. It’s important to clarify that, as of today, there isn’t a single simulator that stands out above the rest; rather, each one offers a set of improvements depending on what the Simracer is looking for.
Live For Speed
Also known as LFS, it was one of the first simulators to hit the market. It’s over 10 years old and still boasts one of the best physics and tire models. Although its graphics are outdated, it’s heavily investing in virtual reality headsets and is already 100% compatible with Oculus DK2 and HTC Vive. It’s possibly the best sim for drifting, as you can really feel the car’s behavior through your steering wheel. Its downside is that the few tracks it offers are fictional.
Rfactor
Undoubtedly one of the most well-known in the simulator world. Launched in 2005 by ISI, it has thrived over the years thanks to the ability to create thousands of mods and custom content, as well as recreate every track imaginable. Its graphics are also somewhat obsolete, but its PRO version is used by hundreds of racing teams to study car telemetry.
Richard Burns Rally
Years go by, and this rally game remains the best in terms of physics and car behavior. It’s been with us for over a decade, and while its graphics aren’t cutting-edge, modders keep enhancing it for incredible driving experiences. It’s compatible with Oculus DK2, and for many real drivers, it’s still a perfect simulator for training extreme driving and co-driver notes. Year after year, new updates are released, and hundreds of championships are held, emulating the same rules and regulations as real ones.
Iracing
It began in 2008 and has become the global benchmark for online competition. Thanks to its permanent servers in the USA, Australia, and Europe, it allows races and events at any time of day with the world’s best drivers. It also has the best scanned tracks, using a unique laser system (LEICA ScanStation) that digitizes them with millimeter precision. It operates entirely through the web and has a massive database with all the information on drivers, series, times, races, and scores. It requires an annual subscription, but it’s well worth having it installed on your computer. Lastly, it’s worth mentioning that the scanned version of Nordschleife (Nurburgring) has just been released, undoubtedly the best digitized track version in history.
Assetto Corsa
It followed in the footsteps of the well-known NetKar Pro and Ferrari Virtual Academy, which amazed us all with incredible steering wheel FFB (Force Feedback). AC, developed by Kunos Simulazioni with a small budget and a tiny team, has made waves thanks to its realistic graphics and sounds, plus the fantastic feel it transmits through the wheel. It also continues to scan the world’s best tracks with great precision. Its weak point might be the online aspect, but as a simulator, it meets expectations perfectly. It’s a must-have on your PC.
Rfactor 2
ISI has gone all-in on the purest simulation from the start, and with this version, they’ve hit the mark, as it’s possibly the best in physics and telemetry. The tire behavior is among the most realistic seen so far—you can even observe lateral deformation in corners during replays and gather all the temperature and pressure data for later analysis. It might need graphical optimization since it requires a high-end gaming PC to run smoothly, but the sensations through the wheel are guaranteed. It offers plenty of content in tracks and cars, and modders are also contributing to expand it. Its downside is the difficulty in configuring FFB and wheel parameters.
Game Stock Car
Reiza Studios, a Brazilian game development company, created this fantastic simulator that uses the rFactor engine but significantly improves graphics and physics. It has brutal physics and FFB, especially with cars like the Formula V12 or Classic, and is heavily committed to simulation. One of the physics developers is Simracer guru Niels Heusinkveld, one of the most knowledgeable people in driving simulation. Game Stock Car will be compatible with Oculus and HTC Vive, making it a global reference. Plus, thanks to its latest crowdfunding campaign, it raised more than expected, and they’ll develop another new simulator that could become one of the best in history.
Project Cars
It started strong with an online funding campaign, but it seems it didn’t live up to many expectations. True, it’s visually unmatched and has great sounds, but in terms of physics and realism, it doesn’t reach the level of some mentioned above. Developed by Slightly Mad Studios, it’s compatible not only with PC but also with PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. That said, it’s a highly recommended game for enjoying driving, even if it’s not as realistic as one might hope. Lastly, it’s worth noting that its developers emphasized compatibility with Oculus DK2, and today, it can be said to offer the best driving experience with this type of VR headset.
RaceRoom Racing Experience
Another simulator carving out a space among the rest, thanks to the development quality of Sweden’s SimBin Studios. It’s a visual delight, and car control is noteworthy. It offers paid content for tracks and cars, similar to iRacing, but it’s much more affordable. The DTM (German Touring Car Championship) packs from various years stand out, offering one of the best driving experiences currently available. Even many real drivers use it to train on the tracks.
Dirt Rally
It’s the most recent simulator, and it must be said that it’s visually spectacular. It doesn’t yet match the physics of Richard Burns Rally, but it offers a fantastic rally driving experience across all types of surfaces—from asphalt to dirt/gravel to snow—day or night, in good or bad weather. It’s also compatible with VR headsets, and the replays look straight out of the WRC (FIA World Rally Championship).
Others
There are other driving games, but they don’t reach the level of those mentioned above. Dirt3, Formula 1 2015, WRC 5, Grid, etc., are some of them, but we won’t discuss them as they are entirely arcade-style.
In future posts, we’ll dive deeper into each of the simulators we’ve mentioned to provide more information to the reader, helping them choose the one that best suits their needs.