TEST of Project Cars 2

It's official, the year 2017 opens the prom of a new generation of racing simulations. With Forza Motorsport 7 coming in early October and Gran Turismo Sport starting later this month, Project Cars 2 would like to get everyone to agree, regardless of the platform. Does the title of Slightly Mad Studios have the necessary arguments?

Let us first lay the foundations of a debate that will undoubtedly animate the lovers of driving simulations. No, Project Cars 2 is not at the level of an Asseto Corsa, nor a RaceRoom and even less iRacing if you are looking for a driving simulator. PC2 is more likely to be aligned on the exclusive car platforms of Sony and Microsoft, namely GT Sport and Forza Motorsport 7. However, since its initial development is based on a PC philosophy, it has features that bring it closer to a pure and hard simulation.

For his commercial health and also his misfortune will say some, he must also manage to seduce the players less extreme. Those who have not invested in a hardware equivalent to the price of a console to play with steering wheel and pedalboard, those who do not have a room dedicated to their favorite leisure. PC2 must also be able to play with the pad and it is a difficult exercise to try to satisfy everyone. It is on these points that GT Sport and Forza 7 are on an ideal trajectory and it will be necessary to find another one to dive inside or to come out stronger of the turn with Project Cars 2 .

Content of incredible richness

The first thing that strikes in PC2 is the sum of things that can be done. The task is simply huge and the challenge as huge as a 24-hour race. On the number of cars to drive for example, one could argue that there is "only" 180. But this is reason keep on this. For it is much better to propose a set of a little less than 200 coherent cars, rather than 800 models of which half has the same characteristics.

For example, if you enjoy the cars, you will be able to take your weapons on Formula Rookie, from Formula A, to Formula 1 (Formula X). To support this demonstration of consistency, if you like single-seaters, you will necessarily be interested in their story. In this case, it is perfectly logical to also be able to make laps with the Lotus of the 60s, 70s and 80s and to make the same journey in Indycar.

Note that if there are many categories a little original and "festive" (road and Rallycross) PC2 has a strong footprint GT and Sport Proto which is not to displease those who like to ride during races that require some strategy and management of pit stops. GT, GT1, GT3, GT4 and other Group C, LMP1, 2 and 3 represent a very large part of the garage of the game. For group C, we note the absence of the 787B (one of the most beautiful noises of the creation) to hold the high drag to the Jaguar, Nissan, Mercedes and other Porsche of the great era. There is no need to make an inventory here at La Prévert, there are far more cars and more licenses than in the first Project CARS.

Obviously, these cars would be nothing without the circuits to make them evolve. With all the traces of the first edition, the addition of a number of ovals, Portuguese circuits, tracks now missing (for historical races), Rallycross and a bit of Rallye tout court, we reach 140 circuits on 60 sites and this including the minor variations. When one knows that it is necessary to both control the traces and adapt the trajectories that go with each category of vehicle, there is bread on the board or oil in the casing as they say ... Note that unavoidable routes are still present without the official licenses, Monaco becoming the route of "Azure".

Intelligence on the circuit

If Project Cars offered variable and dynamic climatic conditions, the feeling on the track was fairly uniform. That is, the sensations were the same, regardless of the position on the circuit. In Project Cars 2, the LiveTrack 3.0 system changes the state of the track in real time. This is not just a marketing argument, because not only is it seen, but it is also felt in driving.

Changes in temperature between day and night, rain and fine weather affect very significantly the behavior and performance of the cars. In addition, these are gentle changes that take place. The rain (or snow!) Can only first fall on a part of the circuit before covering the whole. The puddles will build up gradually (and not a single "set" as in Forza) and change the trajectories you will take to avoid aquaplaning. They diminish and increase with time and passages of cars! In the same way, the ground you could pick up on the sides obviously sticks to your tires, but also deposits on the track, thus altering its abrasive capacities.

Since you have a lot of cars that are pruned for long races, you will also be able to define strategies for pit stops and especially to change them along the way with access to quick menus. The ergonomics are well thought out and with a little training, you can prevent a return to the paddock, choose to repair or not, or even adjust the car's settings to changing conditions. All this is really nice.

Stupidity on the track

This table would unfortunately not complete without bringing back the old demons of Project Cars, at least when it comes to console versions. In this case, on PS4 it happens quite regularly that the game bugge at the level of the display. Of course, we are not talking here about clipping that is very present, nor about aliasing (which we do not care about, they do not interfere with driving). Despite successful atmospheric effects, PC2 is a notch below its competitors on console. It is not in 60 FPS, which becomes difficult to bear in 2017. No, the worry is that I happened to start races without tires, while the craft behaved like if he had any. I also started a race with a camera that pointed at an opposite side of the circuit. The animations of the mechanics of the stands have also disappeared as if by magic. It will obviously require some patches to smooth all this (at the time when these lines are written, a first patch is already out) and eradicate all the bugs.

Other parameters disturb the player in his immersion when the AI ​​behaves erratically. Capable of the best, such as changing behavior or making mistakes when pressured, it may also decide to make you back on an online start, while there was the possibility of braking or passing To the left or to the right. The sequence of race sessions is also artificially cheated. Explanations.

If you have a very good time at the start of qualifying, for example three seconds below the best second and you decide to end the session quickly through the menu, you will find yourself last in the race. On the other hand, with the same time and completing these qualifications, you will keep these three seconds in advance or maybe only two, the track improving with time (if it does not start of course). It seems that the system has been designed to give you adversity in qualifying, but that it loses the pedals, or you will pay, if you shorten the session. The sooner you leave, the bigger the differential. Leave a minute before the end and you'll be magically second or third. Obviously when you start the race, they realize the actual times and you are actually three seconds faster ...

The icing on the cake for stupidity on the track is your "spotter" who asks you to attack in the last lap, while you have 10 seconds lead and tires worn to the rope. These worries are minor taken separately and will most certainly be adjusted using patches. But on a whole that exudes seriousness, the cumulative effect makes a little stain.

Sharp and precise driving, except in Rallycross

The number of cars offered has more than doubled, but it is necessary that the sensations follow on their mode of conduct. In general, PC2's approach is sharper than what one is used to experimenting on consoles. The management is very sensitive and it will take a lot of time to adjust both the parameters of the controls and their sensitivity, in conjunction with the driving aids. But once you have made all these adjustments, the challenge is up to the level of satisfaction experienced by making a result at the end of the race.

However, the margin for maneuver remains low. Go too fast and with too much angle in a curve and you will leave in an oversteer that will end quickly in head to tail if you do not react with celerity. Each car will have different limits and driving style. You are going oversteer with a traction in Clio Cup? Especially do not brake, accelerate to hang up the front and regain control. You are on a Group C in propulsion? Be very progressive in re-acceleration. In general, the piloting of PC2 is perhaps less exhilarating than the competition, but more "cerebral", much more in management of trajectories and speed. Every time you have to re-learn the car and the tracks to avoid all the traps. Once again, these are the GTs which give the best sensations and which give a great pleasure of piloting.

And at the wheel / pedalboard?

All this will therefore push the virtual pilots to get closer to the real complexity of a race and gives excellent results. Except for the snow races and the Rallycross, which are totally missed. Managing the inertia and grip of cars is inaccessible to ordinary mortals. Fortunately, this novelty is quite anecdotal in this opus.

Even the use of a steering wheel / crankset assembly does not help things, while it increases the pleasure of riding for all other races. There is no doubt that this is the best way to drive in Project Cars 2. Here again, after spending a little time to optimize the configuration, the steering wheel confirms that it is a sharp simulation that is proposed. The best times of the world leaderboard are systematically realized at the wheel for the moment. Note that if you have been totally allergic to the sensations of the first Project Cars, you will have much easier to take it in hand. So we should not stay on sensations that would not have been satisfactory at first.

trailer :

Driving between gentlemen drivers

Genuine game in the game, the new online management system of races should allow you to meet players who have both a level similar to your own and rolling clean. History not to end up in a demolition race. To do this, the main tool is linked to the reputation of the pilot who will evolve according to the incidents that it will provoke. The more points you have, the more you will be penalized and you will find yourself with aggressive people. If you are cautious, you should also meet moderate people.

Specifically about the level of driving, the power of your pilot will be the sum of the talent and experience you will have accumulated. The first is related to your results and the second to the kilometers and tests run. These filters are optional, but must participate in the creation of quality online shopping. As such, there are many customization options and racing configurations available. There's almost everything you can do, including the 24-hour endurance relay with other virtual drivers.

Project Cars 2 is not perfect, but it nevertheless proposes a race game hyper complete, generous and customizable on a very large number of parameters. This wealth could even tend to drown the player, if the player did not give the game a sufficient time to tame it. If you decide to invest in Project Cars 2, know that you put your feet in a universe that will require hours of effort but also proportional pleasure.

NOTE :8.5

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picture source1 :https://goo.gl/images/mhpFBn
picture source2 :https://goo.gl/images/tzAgAa
picture source3 :https://goo.gl/images/Nnvcmm
picture source4 :https://goo.gl/images/nZycs8

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