There are few genres better suited to VR than racing.
Think about it - your
headset is already a little bit like a racer's helmet and most games offer you a
steering wheel view of the game. If you've already got a headset ready to go,
you've absolutely got to at least try out a few racing titles. VR racing is as
much as most will get to being in the seat of a race car, so why not give it a
go? If you really want to fulfill your need for speed, you absolutely must take a
look at the games below.
Need for Speed No Limits VR
Need for Speed is one of the best-known racing franchises in the world. It's gone through a ton of
different iterations and made its presence known on virtually every gaming platform, so it should come
as no surprise that it'd eventually wind up as a VR title. This version of Need for Speed is a little less
robust that some versions of the game, but it's definitely well made. If you are looking for a solid racing
experience that captures the fun of arcade racing, this is the game for you.
DRIVECLUB VR
If you're a console gamer, you probably have mixed feelings about DriveClub.
The game was meant to be a centerpiece of Sony's Playstation Plus program,
but ended up a bit of a bust. It's important to note, though, that DriveClub VR
ended up being a bit of a different beast. Instead of offering a limited
experience, it provides one of the most varied racing experiences on VR
headsets.
This VR racing game title puts you in control of over eighty fantastic cars and
allows you to drive them on a hundred tracks. There's both single-player and
multiplayer action to be had here, with a price point you can't ignore.
Definitely a must-have for users of Sony's PSVR.
Project CARS
Another game that's ported over from the PC and consoles, Project CARS is
probably known for being stunning more than anything else. Beneath the
shiny exterior lies a ridiculously deep game, though, with a ton of options and
some in-depth tuning that would make even a car pro blush.
If you're going to pick up this version of the game, it's recommended that you
take a look at the Game of the Year Edition. It includes all of the DLC packs
and a bevy of extra cars, which makes the game even more of a value. If you
like it, you may want to look further down the list at the sequel.
iRacing
While iRacing might not have the pedigree of some of the other titles on this
list, it's a fantastic racer in its own right. More of a simulation racer than
anything else, it's a subscription racing game that allows you to join leagues
and take on other racers from around the world. It's got a variety of famous
tracks and some great mechanics for putting together your own tournaments.
It's a game that can quickly overwhelm newbies, but it will scratch a racing
itch you may not know you had.
Assetto Corsa
One of the most detailed VR racing games out ther,e Assetto Corsa features
real-world tracks and a host of authentic cars in order to bring out the racing
fanatics. It's as real a racing experience as you'll ever find, down to the feel of
racing on imperfect tires and the subtle changes in engine sounds as the heat
increases. It's not a game for casual racers by any stretch of the imagination,
but it is a good showcase for how VR can enhance the racing experience.
Project Cars 2
While Project Cars was a lot of fun, it suffered from being made without VR in
mind. The sequel was all about VR straight out of the gate, with more cars,
more tracks, and a control style that absolutely favors racing in a VR view.
With an enhanced career mode and an overall better presentation, it's the
definitive version of the game.
It should be noted that there are still a few bugs in Project Cars 2, so
perfectionists might want to wait on this one. It's certainly a great experience,
but the first iteration of the game is still cheaper and a great deal more stable.
DiRT Rally
Who says you need pavement to race? DiRT Rally is an off-roading game that
puts you in control of some of the world's finest rally cars. This game is more
about precision driving than anything else, though it does offer a surprisingly
deep career mode that will require you to upgrade your cars, repair your
damage and manage a racing team in order to progress. This game is only
available on PSVR, and it does require purchasing the game plus a VR DLC
in order to play.
Redout: Enhanced Edition
One of the best parts of VR racing is that it doesn't have to be real. If you
were a fan of older titles like WipeOut, you've absolutely got to try Redout.
This gmae is all about the speed, with colorful tracks that will make your head
spin. With twenty tracks and seventy-five different events, it's a great game
on which to test your reflexes. It's one of the best ways to really get your
blood pumping during a race, especially if you don't feel overly attached to
realism in racing.
VR Karts: Sprint
On the other end of the spectrum is VR Karts: Spring, a game that's less
about speed and more about recapturing a bit of childhood fun. A great
homage to games like Mario Kart, this kart racer puts you in the midst of the
item-throwing, power-up using action. You can play against the AI or take on
other players in this game, with no blue shell in sight.
What's Your Favorite?
Do you already have a favorite VR racing game? Have you found that one
VR platform is better for racing than others? Don't keep this information to
yourself- let us know exactly what you think about racing games in VR!
<H2>What is VR?</h2>
Virtual reality is one of the more misunderstood technologies in the
entertainment world. While it's certainly an immersive tool, it's not one
that's meant to be a picture-perfect replacement for reality. Instead,
modern VR is an enhancement of the classic entertainment experience,
one that has an ability to drop players and viewers directly into the action.
Instead of viewing things from the removed perspective of a screen,
players are given the chance to get up close and interact with some of
their favorite settings and properties thanks to some pretty clever
technological tricks.
At its core, VR is currently more of a viewing technology than anything
truly new. Virtual reality is highly dependent on the tools used to run the
programs themselves, which in most cases are either powerful
smartphones or high-end gaming computers. What you're getting out of
the technology is the ability to view something that's typically 2D in more
of a three-dimensional setting. You get the perspective of being placed
directly into the action, all thanks to some clever work done with multiple
screens and first-person perspective.
Most VR technology relies on stereoscopic displays. These displays
present a different image to each eye, which is processed by the brain as
having a great sense of depth and 'realism'. While the images might not
have the fidelity of some of the higher-end video games out there, the dual
displays trick the mind into processing them as something that's a little
more real.
Modern VR has coupled the stereoscopic displays, which have been
around for years, with a number of other advanced technologies. Most
headsets have a number of tracking sensors that essentially play the
same role as the camera controls in video games. As the user moves his
or her head, he or she can see more of the game world - helping to further
increase the level of immersion.
There are a few different methods of control for VR, though most still use
video game controllers. Oculus Rift and PSVR both have controls that are
meant to better simulate the user's hands in VR, though these tools
largely serve the same purpose as the controller. Even though you can't
reach out and interact with the environments you see, all the work done by
the headset itself makes for a much more convincing experience than
you'd get from a more traditional 2D display.
VR is in many ways still in its infancy. It's come a long way in the last
decade, but it still has a long way to go. Devices like the Rift, PSVR and
HTC Vive still make use of very early solutions to problems that are in the
process of being solved. Even though these technologies are still on the
ground floor, playing with them can be exciting - after all, even in an early
state they still provide gaming and viewing experiences that simply cannot
be replicated elsewhere.