This year seems to be jam packed full of titles for every type of gamer. There’s been a steady flow of fighting games, shooters, RPGs, and a spike in the racing genre. While there may only be a handful of racing titles at present, Bandai Namco‘s Project Cars 2 (PC2) aims to take the lead in the race for content and immersion. DFTG got up close and personal with PC2 at this year’s E3 and we’re rather impressed.

Project Cars 2 will be racing onto consoles and PC later this fall, but what sets them apart from other racing games? First of all, the entire inventory of vehicles, which includes some of the most iconic makes and models in racing, will be available upon release. Players won’t have to grind to her earn in-game currency or purchase DLC with real money in order to unlock certain vehicles. Full inventory, day one, period.

Not only will there be a full inventory of some of the industry’s top brands, but players will also be able to use multi-class vehicles in every race. This means that vehicles that are normally geared toward off-road racing will be able to join in on races on paved tracks, and vise versa. At first, this sounds like an unnecessary feature, but PC2’s dynamic weather system will add uniqueness to every single race. The in-game weather effects will be determined by the real life seasons. Project Cars 2 has incorporated Livetrack 3.0, which is a new technology that will give each track its own localized weather patterns. Not only will weather patterns be reflected by the real world counterparts, but differing instances will allow for such things as puddles to appear in different areas of the track. Essentially, when you see rain pouring down on a track during one race, the next time it rains on that track puddles will form in different areas, giving unique variables for each race.

Now that the topic of how weather can affect the tracks has been discussed, time to talk about the tracks themselves. Project Cars 2 promises to have the largest roster of real world tracks than any other racing game to date. The most infamous of racing tracks, paved and off-road (dirt and ice), will be playable in the new title. The tracks were created by cutting edge technology that used laser scans and drones to create “absolute realism”. Each track featured in the game went through this process, which takes thousands of photos of each track, from every angle, then stitches them all together to form a 3D model. The result is the most accurate representation of the world’s most infamous racetracks.

Take note that PC2 is definitely geared at experienced racers. Not to say that those just getting into the genre can’t enjoy the game, but there is some finesse that is required to become a racing champion. The in-game physics are intensely accurate. So accurate that when a car drifts or slides on a track, bits of digital rubber stick to the track, changing the achievable traction in that spot, much like real life racing. On a paved track that is usually slick, the skid marks will add a bit of traction for the next vehicle that passes over that spot. Dust and exhaust will also affect conditions when playing, especially while playing in 1st person modes.

For the competitive racers, Project Cars 2 has gone above and beyond. Players will be able to create and schedule racing championships online, this includes recreating real-world championship circuits. Online tracking of races will determine who is the best in each circuit. Racers from all over the globe will be able to invite players, create teams, track stats (points, penalties, races, etc.), and more to create the most immersive social racing experience possible. PC2 will also be ready for the world of eSports. The first Project Cars title became the #1 eSport title in the racing genre, and they aim to continue to hold that spot.

As far as control mechanics go, Project Cars 2 will be ready for gamepad controls straight out of the box. Feedback from fans that concerned the previous title’s controls were highly vital when programming the gamepad mechanics in the new game. If you are a racing fan, these settings will surely feel comfortable and natural, giving you that fluid, competitive edge.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQlrRpiyy64

The graphics in this racing masterpiece are, for the lack of a better word, stunning. Depending on hardware, PC2 is capable of running at 12K, is VR compatible, triple-screen compatible, and will run at a minimum of 60fps at 1080p. Your eyeballs will thank you for even cruising a track at sunset.

Project Cars 2 will be released on September 22nd on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Are you a fan of the racing genre? Are you looking forward to Project Cars 2? What do you think of the dynamic detail that the developers put into creating real-world tracks and effects? Sound off in the comments section below. Be sure to follow DFTG on Twitter for around the clock coverage of the hottest news in gaming and entertainment.