There are honestly two different kinds of racing games, the ones that go for chaos and overall fun, and the ones that go for super realism. A lot of people love those realism ones because of the experience they give. So let’s give you 10 of them.
#13 Forza Motorsport
Platform: PC XSX|S
Release Date: October 10, 2023
In all honesty, there are two kinds of racing video games out there: the ones that focus simply on the racing and getting to the end of the track first, and those that pride themselves on “realism” and presenting an accurate take on the sport.
Forza Motorsport is in the latter category, and it’s more than happy to state that. For example, in the career mode, you’ll get to outfit your car to be better, stronger, and faster, and help you make the moves needed to secure a victory.
The game also has realistic tracks, the ability to see how safe you are as a driver, and more.
#12 The Crew Motorfest
Platform: PC PS4 Xbox One PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: September 14, 2023
Epic | PlayStation | Xbox
It’s true that many racing titles focus solely on the racing aspect of things because many gamers want to go fast and prove they’re faster than others. But it’s the multiplayer where racing games truly come into their own and showcase just how grand they are.
In The Crew Motorfest, you’ll be on the island of Oahu and have numerous options to play with alongside friends and rivals! You can head to the track and race on perfect surfaces, or you can head to the streets and see who can best put the pedal to the metal on the concrete surface.
When you add that to the campaigns, car selections, and more, you’d be foolish not to try this title.
#11 F1 23
Platform: PC PS4 PS5 XSX|S
Release Date: JUNE 16, 2023
Steam | PlayStation | Xbox
There are two kinds of racing games out there. There are the kinds where you are simply racing to have fun and be the best racer out there, and there are the ones that try to get an authentic experience. F1 23 aims to deliver the most authentic simulation of the F1 circuit you’ll ever play.
From how the cars look to how they drive, you’ll feel as though you’re truly one of the F1 racers and must use everything at your disposal to win the races ahead of you.
Alongside the simulation elements, you can customize your experience to suit your needs, get put into a deep story mode, and more.
#10 Dakar 18
If you’re not familiar with Dakar 18, don’t worry, we’ll explain it all. This title is based on the annual rally raid organized by Amaury Sport Organisation (A.S.O.) in South America. It is in fact the biggest cross country rally race in the world today, and you’ll get to see what it’s like in this very realistic simulation title.
Especially since you’re not just going to go and enjoy this game in a car, you’ll be able to drive motorcycles and ATVs as well!
Drive over a variety of terrains in a variety of countries, all so you can come out on top. Think you can handle that?
#9 RaceRoom
If you’re looking for an in-depth set of races to do, but don’t exactly have a lot of cash to spend, we got you covered there too. RaceRoom starts out as a free-to-play title that’ll give you access to a set of cars with unlimited drive time to have fun in. Then, if you decide to expand, you’ll get access to many more race tracks and cars in order to truly experience what it’s like to be a professional race car driver.
Some of the professional series you’ll get to be in are WTCC, DTM, and ADAC GT Masters. This game is not short on content, and so with it being free, you can try it out and see if it works for you!
#8 rFactor 2
We honestly weren’t joking when we said that there are a lot of racing simulators out there, and many of them go almost out of their way to try and make the most realistic racing experience possible. rFactor 2 is an example of that.
The game does its best to mix a blend of graphics, customization, sound design, track layouts and of course, the best cars around to make you understand just how realistic things are here. You’ll be able to play against your friends, foes online, or battle against the computer itself to see who’s the best behind the simulated wheel.
The physics engine in this game is working overtime to ensure that everything feels right. Test it out for yourself to see what it’s all about.
#7 Assetto Corsa Competizione
Assetto Corsa is one of many titles in the racing genre that endeavors to put you on the track in some of the best racing series in the world. In this case, Assetto Corsa Competizione allows you to be a part of the GT3 championship, and not just race in it, but race against the other teams and drivers who are very much a part of this line of racing.
And like other games on this list, they went down to the most basic of things and built them up to deliver a meaningful simulation experience. Between the weather, the cars, the handling, and more, you’ll feel like you’re racing in this championship even though you’re technically not.
#6 Dirt Rally 2.0
Rally Car racing is by and large one of the most difficult kinds of racing out there, and for the most basic of reasons. Mainly, you’re in a small car going real fast down often very tight tracks where you have to make precise and quick turns on a dime in order to not end up in a ditch.
So with Dirt Rally 2.0, you’re getting a game that is trying to make you feel like you’re in that rally car and it’s up to you to finish the race. You’ll have access to the FIA World Rallycross championship circuits and get to use a variety of vehicles in order to win. Think you’re up to the challenge?
#5 Project Cars 3
For some people, it’s all about the racing experience, for others, it’s just about driving the best cars in the world. Then, there are things like Project Cars 3, which is very much…about both.
This franchise has been known for not just its realism, but its incredible depth of cars that you can partake in and drive in various situations. Just in this title alone you can own HUNDREDS of cars, including 200 different kinds of “elite cars” in terms of both racing and just having a nice car.
You’ll have 24-hour racing ability, be able to drive in official races or just going up against others to put the pedal to the metal, and everything in between.
#4 Forza Motorsport 8
Forza Motorsport 8 isn’t out yet, and in fact, it’s not scheduled to come out until 2023. But, that doesn’t mean we don’t know anything about it, and in fact, the Forza Motorsport series is one of the best racing simulation titles on the market right now, so if you want to try out the recent ones to get a taste of what’s coming, we won’t fault you for that.
The rosters of these titles are massive, and they often push the graphics to the limit and beyond, so just imagine what the next one will be like. Not to mention, the last one was dubbed “near flawless”, so they’ll be trying to match that up here for sure.
#3 F1 22
Here’s another title that isn’t out yet (unless you’re reading this on or after July 1st, in which case, enjoy!) but let’s talk about it anyway because F1 as a whole is a very special kind of racing due to the cars and the speed that the drivers partake in.
The official F1 22 game will put you in the very season that is going on and allow you to try and make things work as a driver on this circuit.
You’ll find the realism here not just in the way the cars look, but how the races are handled, the rules you have to follow, and of course, the blinding speed you’ll get to use. You’ll likely enjoy it very much when it comes out.
#2 Assetto Corsa
We talked about one of the newer entries in this title, but now, let’s talk about Assetto Corsa from 2014. Because when this game came out back then, it strove to use DirectX 11 to its fullest in order to deliver a beautifully powerful and accurate racing simulator.
Just how advanced did they go at the time? They wanted to show you, “tyre flat spots, heat cycles including graining and blistering, very advanced aerodynamic simulation with active movable aerodynamics parts controlled in real time by telemetry input channels, hybrid systems with kers and energy recovery simulation.”
So yeah, they did a lot, and while things have definitely advanced since then, that doesn’t mean you can’t try it out now.
#1 iRacing
Of course, one of the ironies about simulated racing is that you can’t really simulate taking on other racers unless they’re right there with you in the game. Enter iRacing, which is all about internet racing and putting your skills against the various other players of the world today.
To that extent, you’ll find that this game has a lot of updated content that makes the game even larger than it was when it arrived. So jump in and find out all the cars and tracks you can be in and on, and see just how realistic internet racing is when the game pushes things to the max.
