Assetto Corsa is a series that appeals to those looking for an authentic, in-depth racing sim. The kind of person that aspires to build a full racing sim rig with the most expensive hardware. The kind of person that takes joy in the challenge of tweaking their racing setup to get the feel “just right” and who ensures that every single setting on a car is millimetre perfect, ensuring that they can feel the track through the steering wheel and pedals allowing to react that split second faster than the next person over ensuring they have that they cross the finish line that hair breadth ahead of everyone. In 2020 a pared down, focused version of the game was released on the then current gen consoles. Competizione focuses on GT3 racing, a series that tests your skills behind the wheel of some of the most powerful cars in the world. And test your skills it will. For those lucky enough to own a PS5 or Xbox Series console, developer KUNOS-Simulazioni released an update for the game, making it the definitive version for console racing sim fans.
Arcade of Simulation
The first thing fans of console racing games need to understand is that even with all the assists that are available to the driver, this is not a Forza Horizon competitor. The FH series is brilliant, and I am a massive fan of all “arcade” racing games even the not great recent entries into the Need For Speed franchise. These games give me the chance to get behind the wheel, albeit virtually, of cars I will only ever experience from the outside. While arcade racers are great for a quick race to unwind and make for exceptional social experiences and the ability to craft some outrageous stories to tell your friends, racing sims require a dedication to identifying the smallest of flaws and making the minutest of improvements to both your skill set and the car you are driving. In many ways this can be seen as work, and yes it can be, but for motor sport fans this work is fun and the only way they will ever get the chance to compete in the sport.
To this end, if you are expecting to be able to be competent in this game, let alone master it with a controller, as good as the Dual Sense 5 or Xbox Elite may be, you are in for a rude awakening. With assists on you can play the game, but you will make too many minor mistakes in the races to be able to place in, let alone win a race. Controllers lack the ability to give the user the feedback they need to make the small adjustments each second, they need to, to maintain their racing line or be able to accelerate through a corner in order to not lose those precious fractions of a second on each lap that mean the difference between victory and defeat. Even a (relatively) cheap Logitech wheel and pedal setup is preferable to a controller.
Race on the Track
One potential criticism for fans of the series is the laser focus on GT3 racing. Such a focus reduces the number of tracks, types of races and vehicles that the racer can enjoy. However, it allows the game to focus on the heart of the matter – honing your skills and knowledge in order to master the game. I doubt that a sim fan would be disappointed by this perceived lack of variety brought about by this specialisation, I think they will welcome it as it allows them to become the master of all that they survey on the racetrack.
This focus along with the recommendation for a racing setup does mean that the game is not welcoming to newcomers to the sim genre. This is a game for that hardcore racing sim fan and the game’s tutorial and qualifying races putting you behind the wheel of a Huracan S bear this out. This car is an amazing piece of engineering in game and in real life and is not to be taken lightly. Whereas in the game you can put the pedal to the metal and only suffer a virtual crash in real life doing that runs the very real risk of you killing yourself. On the screen trying to be the fastest by simply going flat out in this car will frustrate you and result in the player quitting. You must spend the time to understand the car, its capabilities and the track you are racing on as well as the race conditions. That is the only way to succeed. But to start with the Huracan S makes that learning curve less of a curve and more of a straight, vertical cliff. The developers have recognised this to an extent giving you a plethora of assists, but even these will not make the task at hand easy. Patience and an unwillingness to know when too quit is a must for anyone picking up this game. That and the willingness to spend more money to fall down the racing sim hardware rabbit hole.
Assetto Corsa Competizione Next Gen
For those who waited to pick up the “nextgen” version of the game you will not be disappointed. The first noticeable improvement, and the one fans will be most interested in, is that these versions run at 60FPS for the most part but can drop a few frames depending on the weather effects and number of cars on the track. Graphically, the game is impressive, but it does not support raytracing. Unfortunate, but even the PC version dropped support for Nvidia’s DLSS 2.0 just before release in 2020.
While tracks are gorgeous and weather both impressive and able to affect races, they can at times feel “lastgen”. Looking carefully, you may notice that grass and scenery looks a bit flat. Cars themselves are where all the obvious time and skill was spent. Models are expertly detailed and you can spend hours just staring at each perfect facet of these automotive diamonds. So much so that I wish this game included a detailed photo mode.
The attention to details includes the interiors of the cars. First person view gives you a real feeling of being there and sometimes you just want to reach out and touch those instruments. It is that impressive.
Asseto Corsa Competizione is an impressive current gen port of a late last gen game. It is one for the detailed oriented fan of racing sims, but if you are up for the challenge it is an option for you to test your skills.
Series: Assetto Corsa
Developer: KUNOS-Simulazioni Srl
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
Publishers: 505 Games, Game Source Entertainment
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