The Project Motor Racing 2.0 Update Represents a Significant Enhancement Following a Troubling Launch.

      Giants Software

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      Project Motor Racing, the spiritual successor to Project CARS, was released last November in, and I don’t take pleasure in saying this, a dreadful condition. The game suffered from poor performance, frequent crashes, unimpressive visuals, and disjointed driving mechanics. It was clear that this racing simulation required significantly more refinement before being ready for players. How much more refinement? Approximately four months, as it turns out, because a substantial 2.0 patch for the game launched today and it has greatly enhanced the overall experience.

      While the initial standard was low, every aspect of PMR has seen improvement, to the extent that players who enjoyed Project CARS in the past should seriously consider picking it up now if they didn’t when it first launched in November (or more likely, if they requested a refund) for the current sale price of $30.

      One of the most noticeable, although thankfully not the only, changes appears immediately upon starting version 2.0. The user interface, which previously had the feel of a temporary placeholder—and not a very functional one at that—has undergone a complete redesign. It may not be the most aesthetically pleasing UI I’ve encountered, but it is significantly less cluttered, much more visually appealing, and easier to navigate.

      The new UI is, quite frankly, a dramatic improvement compared to the previous version. Giants Software

      The game now better indicates which option you are currently highlighting, which is crucial to avoid accidentally restarting a completed session. (Unfortunately, there is still no confirmation prompt after selecting such options, and there definitely should be!) PMR's menus now function more effectively overall and are more comfortably sized for smaller or distant screens. Developer Straight4 Studios informed us that the UI was one of the primary pain points for the player community since launch, prompting this impressively swift update.

      Performance now appears to be more reliable. It’s not entirely flawless; switching views or coming back from pause can still lead to occasional stuttering. However, I was able to run the game on mostly maximum settings at 1440p with a stable 90 frames per second, which only faltered when several cars were on-screen simultaneously. This is satisfactory, considering my RX 9070 and Ryzen 5800X3D PC isn’t exactly top-of-the-line. This was my first time launching PMR since its premiere week, so it’s likely that previous patches have contributed to the noticeable progress.

      The Mazda MX-5 Cup car has received the most significant overhaul in terms of physics, with new suspension, aerodynamic, differential, and tire models, and it feels fantastic. Adam Ismail

      The most notable enhancement, aside from the UI, is the new tire model that has been implemented in certain vehicle categories. Straight4 recommended I try the 2000s N-GT class first, as it showcases all the improvements made to enhance the driving experience. I intended to do that regardless, since it’s perhaps my favorite lineup of cars in the game.

      Driving the Viper Competition Coupe on Sebring was definitely a better experience. The steering “stickiness” I criticized at launch has nearly vanished, and there’s clearly much more confidence to control the car with the throttle. (Just steer clear of that on the first lap—PMR is harsh on cold tires.)

      The key point is that you now receive more warning before losing traction in an irreversible manner, which completely altered my driving style. I began enjoying the game almost immediately, something I never would have claimed on launch day. Here’s hoping these physics enhancements will extend to every vehicle class promptly.

      A Japanese GT500 pack, featuring a variety of Super GT cars ranging from the early 2000s Toyota Supra and R34 GT-R to the more recent Honda Civic Type R and Nissan Fairlady Z, is scheduled for release on March 31. Giants Software

      There are still some minor imperfections. I noticed a few graphical glitches in the sky while racing at Sebring, with some shimmering clouds. FSR upscaling doesn’t seem to work effectively in this game, at least on my system, leading to significant ghosting trails. Also, I’d prefer track limit penalties to be a bit more reasonable. However, it's evident that a tremendous amount of effort has gone into getting PMR to its current state, and it was clearly worth it.

      There’s a wealth of additional content that I haven’t fully explored. Career mode now features real-world sponsors; new, highly detailed widgets for the HUD explain the mechanics of the powertrain and ECU; track visuals, foliage, and environmental lighting have improved; and AI has been further refined, just to name a few more enhancements. The outcome is the game Straight4 and publisher Giants should have originally released, or at least given themselves the time to complete. The