We get behind the wheel of the early hours of Project Cars 3. Slightly Mad Studios says goodbye to the generation by changing focus entirely.
The second semester of 2020 has become a relevant period for driving fans. Since this particular rake was started by F1 2020 in early July, the next contender to set foot on the asphalt continues to have a British character. Project Cars 3 will debut on PS4, Xbox One and PC on August 28. At FreeGameTips we have already tested its first hours.
Because as we told you in its particular presentation, Slightly Mad Studios has tried to change the third in its farewell to the current generation. Project Cars 3 feels different from the sobriety of the previous two. The mane has been released above what Forza Motorsport 7 did with respect to its predecessors. On the one hand, it demonstrates its qualities; on the other, the nuance of the simulation is missed.
Diverse career mode
The franchise has always bet on doing different things in relation to the trajectory mode. That groundbreaking path carries over to what was seen in Project Cars 3. We no longer have a closed calendar, but instead go through ten categories, each with its own program of events, tests and progression. If we get stuck, we can buy blocked events with ingame money.
Within a category we will find several tabs dedicated to a specific theme. For example, if we are on the Japanese weekend, we must use a vehicle from a Japanese manufacturer within the same class family. Little by little we are forced to jump through all the brands and thus fatten our garage.
This is where the improvements come into play, the possibility of converting your vehicles to classes above their base. It is a system similar to that seen in the Turn 10 saga, with the exception that not all classes have the same potential value. In the build that we had access to, we were able to modify our 2016 Honda Civic Type R from Road E (the minimum value, practically a street car) to Road B, that is, three levels above. In this way you can make your cars accompany you throughout the entire journey.
The start of career mode collides head-on with what was seen in Project Cars 2. From a serious weekend, with training, classifications and a race, we went to a selection of disparate events. From the typical two-lap race, to doing a time trial in a single turn, among others. We also find sprint routes that inevitably remind us of Driveclub, and that is that the title of the already closed Evolution Studios seems to have influenced a large part of its creative process.
At times it seems like a spiritual sequel to Driveclub, even due to the challenges in full competition. Usually we will find three objectives with which to expand the amount of experience at the end of the test. We receive rewards for practically any action, and that is that from the studio they want to introduce the player to a constant spiral of progress. Make them feel like their time invested in Project Cars 3 has paid off. There are other modalities, such as maintaining a constant rhythm over a period of time, or destroying the maximum number of targets by the lines.
Impressions behind the wheel
The study placed special emphasis on improving the sensations behind the wheel. For this, it has been reinforced with two of those responsible for driving at Driveclub felt so good. Nick Pope and David Kirk have done the same with Project Cars 3: it is controlled like never before with control.
The feeling of being on a two-way barge is left behind. You can perfectly decide the level of spin, it goes smooth as silk. You feel the weight of the vehicle from the command itself, even the angle at which the tires are when going through sharp turns. It is, without a doubt, the best version of the saga with a controller.
Of course, there is still some room for improvement, especially due to the influence that the system has on our ability. Even removing all the aids, the game guides us very slightly along the line. It is very noticeable in paths with fast curves, since even turning abruptly we see how the hands do not correct at the same level as the stick does. We would also like the climatic conditions to have a greater incidence. Rain hardly affects driving. We cannot yet talk about artificial intelligence, still in development.
Veterans will recognize a noticeable change in gameplay. It is, without a doubt, much more direct, arcade. It is a game designed so that the great mass of players is comfortable in a wide automotive experience on offer. The competitive claims remain to be seen, especially for the balance it shows, much more compensated towards routes far from the classic closed circuits. With the elimination of pitstops and the loss of management, you can see where the shots go. Assetto Corsa has lost its other great contender.
Half gas
In this way we would summarize our first hours in the game. Project Cars 3 finds a place to fill in the market, one in which Driveclub was called to do so and could not because of the circumstances that we all know. That approach to diversity, to embracing the widest possible audience comes at a price: it has lost the character of a simulator.
However, it is a well-controlled driving game that seems to offer quality doses after being played. Nothing else. It remains to be seen how the multiplayer unfolds, which we were unable to access. The residue left in this first contact is irregular. Despite the good, we have the feeling that he tries to be something he never wanted to be.
