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The more XP it accumulates, the bigger the bump in reduction for upgrades (level 5 = 5%, level 10 = 10%). Some are better at acceleration, others have better handling, and your car gains XP by competing in events and completing objectives. One time the race engineer said I won by a mile – it was 0.008 seconds.Įach car has a Performance Index Rating (PIR) for an overview of its stats. It’s not a game that holds your hand – there’s no flashbacks if you make mistakes – but it’s there with positive reinforcement. Your race engineer enthusiastically congratulates you on finding that perfect line, and the game tops up your XP when you master a corner or perform a clean overtake, which acts as further encouragement. Braking in the right place, hitting the apex and accelerating out of the corner is rather obvious, but at its best, Project Cars 3 sends you into a rhythm where all you’re thinking about is achieving those three goals, building more momentum and going faster with each lap.Īnd the game gives you plenty of encouragement along the way.
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There is skill to it – at least once you’ve jettisoned the assists – and driving recklessly will make things worse.Įven though adhesion to the road feels thin with lower class cars smooth, measured driving is the order of the day. However it’s not a game that rests on luck or pure speed. Cars can be tail-happy and engaging in opposite lock wrestles them back on course.
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The result is something of a hybrid between arcade and simulation racing, an accessible racer with depth, and one that’s enjoyable in a rather ramshackle kind of way.īack when the game was announced it was said to be a spiritual successor to 2009’s Need for Speed: SHIFT, and there’s a bit of that DNA as well as a handling model that’s reminiscent of the GRID series.
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It’s a change from its racing sim beginnings, which may have some fans questioning whether the route this sequel has gone down is the right one. Project Cars 3 sees Slightly Mad Studios return to the wheel for the broadest and most accessible entry in the series.
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