Project Cars 2 Review (PC)

I picked up Project Cars 2 after hearing glowing reviews—and seeing it on sale for less than the price of a fast food meal. You know the kind of deal I’m talking about: a slick-looking racing sim, boasting licensed cars, dynamic weather, and real-world tracks… all for less than $10 on Steam (It’s now removed from the Steam store). That kind of value practically screams “hidden gem,” especially when sim racing fans and journalists alike have praised its realism and depth for years.

The game’s store page is packed with high-octane screenshots and grand claims—”motorsport in your hands,” “true-to-life handling,” and “the ultimate driver journey.” Sounds thrilling, right? I figured I’d scored big: critically acclaimed game, massive content, and I barely had to dip into my coffee budget to buy it.

But the moment I hit the track, it became clear there was a reason this game’s price tag fell harder than a rookie on Eau Rouge. And no, it’s not just because of its age.

First Impressions

Booting up Project Cars 2 feels like stepping into a high-end racing simulator. The intro cinematic is all revving engines and dramatic angles, the menus are sleek and overwhelming in the best way, and the car list reads like a petrolhead’s daydream. It feels premium, like you’ve just walked into a racing garage with a black card in your wallet.

Naturally, I jumped straight into a test drive with something spicy: the McLaren 720S. Why not? It’s gorgeous, aggressive, and supposedly one of the game’s poster cars. The moment I hit the accelerator, though, things got weird. The car didn’t glide—it lunged. Every movement felt exaggerated, twitchy, and unforgiving. I’d barely made it around a few corners before I was skidding into gravel like I was auditioning for a crash test.

And the brakes? Oh boy. Imagine slamming on the pedal of a tricked-out Toyota RAV4 doing 160 mph—hard, late, and absolutely panicked. That’s what stopping the McLaren felt like. It was less “precision performance vehicle” and more “wild animal on roller skates.”

At first, I wondered: maybe this is the realism everyone talks about? Maybe Project Cars 2 is trying to simulate that raw, terrifying edge of high-speed racing. But realism should feel tight, not random. Immersive, not infuriating. Instead, the car just felt off—like the physics were cranked up to 11 without ever considering if it was fun.

So, is it realistic—or just bad design masquerading as a “hardcore” experience?

Career Mode Chaos: Where Dreams (and Cars) Go to Die

After getting bullied by the McLaren, I decided to ease into the game properly—Career Mode, starting with something more manageable: the compact car championship. Humble hatchbacks, tighter tracks, and (hopefully) less drama.

I also dialed the AI difficulty down to “Easy,” which in Project Cars 2 language means AI Level 20. That sounds like a walk in the park, right? Wrong. These drivers don’t just defend corners—they bodycheck you off the track like it’s bumper cars at Brands Hatch.

And here’s where the real headache begins: penalties. Project Cars 2 loves rules. Loves them. There’s no setting to turn them off, either. One tiny nudge into a rival car—even if they brake-check you mid-turn—and you’re slapped with a time penalty. Do it again? Restart the whole race. Meanwhile, if the AI rear-ends you and sends you into a tire wall? No problem. No penalty. Carry on, CPU overlords.

But nothing prepared me for what happens when you hit the grass.

You’d think you could recover. Maybe feather the throttle, straighten out, and rejoin the race. Nope. Your car goes into full washing machine spin cycle mode. It’s like you’re driving on ice… while blindfolded… in a hurricane. The only way back to sanity? Stop the car completely, pray to the racing gods, and slowly inch back onto the track—by which time the race is over and your controller is halfway across the room.

All of this raises the same question I had earlier: Is this realism? Or just plain rage bait dressed up as “hardcore simulation”?

Gamepad Woes: Where Are the Controller Users in This Equation?

Let’s talk about the real elephant in the pit lane: playing Project Cars 2 with a controller. I used an Xbox Core Controller, which works flawlessly in most racing games. But here? It’s like trying to steer a shopping cart with a joystick made of soap.

The inputs feel clunky and twitchy, especially at low speeds where fine steering control matters most. There’s a noticeable delay between what you want the car to do and what happens on-screen. You breathe on the stick and suddenly you’re fishtailing into the grass again—welcome back, spin cycle.

Steering sensitivity is all over the place. You either understeer into oblivion or snap-spin out of control. There’s no comfortable middle ground, no real sense of finesse. It’s exhausting, not immersive.

Now, compare this to games like Gran Turismo, or Forza Motorsport—all of which offer robust controller tuning and actually respect players who don’t own a $400 racing wheel. They give you the tools to compete, to feel connected to the car, and to enjoy the drive. Project Cars 2? Not so much.

In short: if you don’t have a high-end racing wheel setup, this game is going to punish you. Brutally. Relentlessly. Without mercy.

What Project Cars 2 Does Well

Alright, let’s pump the brakes for a second—because Project Cars 2 isn’t all doom and tire smoke. When it hits its stride, especially with the right gear, it delivers some truly impressive moments.

First off, the car and track list is enormous. We’re talking over 180 cars and more than 140 track layouts from around the world. From rallycross circuits to laser-scanned GP tracks, the variety is genuinely staggering. Whether you want to take a vintage Porsche around Spa or throw a prototype around Fuji in the rain, this game has you covered.

And speaking of rain—the dynamic weather and time-of-day system is top-tier. Few racing games handle transitions from a dry afternoon to a stormy night as gracefully as this. When you’re in the right car, on the right track, with the rain creeping in and the sun dipping behind the horizon—it’s amazing. That’s where PC2 becomes less of a game and more of an experience.

With a full sim rig and proper tuning, the immersion is undeniable. You feel the road, the traction changes, the weight transfer—it’s all there if you’re willing to work for it.

And for the truly dedicated, online racing offers deep, organized competition with ranking systems and leagues. It’s not as user-friendly as some other platforms, but if you’re serious about sim racing, there’s a niche community that still appreciates what this game brings to the table.

Who Is This Game For?

Project Cars 2 is a love letter to one very specific type of player: the sim racing purist. You know the type—someone with a full racing rig bolted to the floor, triple monitors (or VR), and a spreadsheet for tire temperatures. They want the car to fight them. They thrive on punishing realism. To that crowd, PC2 isn’t just a game—it’s a motorsport lifestyle.

But if you’re more of a casual racing fan, someone who wants to hop in with a controller, enjoy the physics, learn the ropes, and just race? This game might drive you absolutely mad. Literally and figuratively.

The learning curve isn’t steep—it’s a cliff. The AI is ruthless. The penalty system is unforgiving. And without a racing wheel, you’ll feel like you’re trying to thread a needle with oven mitts on.

So unless you’re ready to go full “sim dad” with your setup, Project Cars 2 can feel more like a chore than a joyride.

Final Verdict

Project Cars 2 is one of the most ambitious racing sims ever made—and also one of the most frustrating. It’s beautiful, technical, and packed with content. But it’s also uneven, punishing, and downright unfriendly to anyone not rocking a dedicated sim setup.

With a racing wheel, the game transforms. It rewards patience, precision, and deep tuning. For sim veterans, it’s a gritty, immersive experience that can be incredibly rewarding.

But for the rest of us—controller users, casual racers, folks looking for a fun evening of digital motorsport—it’s a bumpy ride. The physics feels hostile, the AI cheats, and the controls are borderline broken without the right gear.

So here’s the deal: if you love a challenge and have the hardware to back it up, Project Cars 2 might just be your new obsession. But if you’re expecting a smooth, plug-and-play thrill ride?

Avoid it like a wet curb at Spa.