A Forza Fan Tries a Sim… and Actually Likes It: Project Motor Racing Review

As someone who normally lives in the colourful, high‑speed chaos of arcade racers like Forza Horizon, stepping into Project Motor Racing felt a bit like trading a festival wristband for a pit‑lane pass. I went in expecting a stiff, punishing sim that would make me miss rewind buttons and drift zones, and while it is absolutely a sim at heart, I was surprised by how quickly it pulled me in. There’s a seriousness to the way the cars behave, the way the tyres bite or slide, and the way every tiny mistake matters, but there’s also something strangely addictive about that precision. Instead of throwing me into a playground, the game hands me a finely tuned machine and says, “Alright, prove you can handle this.” And honestly? That challenge is half the fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puAoRdnP_pU

The first thing you notice is how deliberate everything feels. In something like Forza Horizon, you can throw a car sideways at 120 mph, tap the brakes, and still come out looking like a hero. Here, the game politely but firmly tells you that physics are in charge now. Every corner becomes a small puzzle: when to brake, how much steering angle to commit to, how early you can get back on the throttle without unsettling the car. It’s slower, more methodical, and way more punishing but that’s also what makes it satisfying. When you nail a lap, you know it wasn’t luck or assists doing the heavy lifting; it was you actually learning the car.

Races themselves feel tense in a way arcade games rarely do. The AI doesn’t rubber‑band or magically teleport to keep things exciting, instead, they behave like real drivers with strengths, weaknesses, and the occasional questionable decision. You can’t just blast past them with raw speed; you have to out‑brake them, pressure them into mistakes, or set up overtakes over multiple corners. It’s a slower burn, but it makes every position gained feel earned.

Track conditions also play a huge role. Tyres heat up, grip changes, and the car reacts differently depending on how aggressively you’ve been driving. Even small thing like clipping a kerb too hard or braking a fraction too late can throw your rhythm off. It’s the kind of game where you start a session thinking “I’ll just do a quick race” and suddenly you’re 40 minutes deep, trying to shave another half‑second off your lap time.

What surprised me most is how rewarding the learning curve becomes. At first, it feels like the game is fighting you. But once you start understanding weight transfer, braking points, and how each car wants to be driven, the whole experience opens up. It’s not flashy, but it’s deeply engaging and almost meditative once you get into the flow.

When it comes to vehicles, Project Motor Racing gives you a surprisingly generous garage to play with, especially if you’re used to the “drive anything, anywhere” chaos of Forza Horizon. Instead of throwing supercars, dune buggies, and rally monsters at you all at once, the game focuses on curated motorsport classes, GT3, GT4, touring cars, prototypes, classics, and a handful of specialty machines. What makes it interesting is how different each class feels. In an arcade racer, cars often share a similar underlying “feel,” but here, switching from a GT3 to a touring car is like learning a new language. GT cars are planted and grippy, while older classics wobble, slide, and demand a gentler touch. Even within the same class, individual cars have their own quirks, which makes experimenting genuinely fun rather than overwhelming. It’s the kind of variety that rewards curiosity rather than just giving you faster and faster toys.

The track selection leans heavily into authenticity too. Instead of fictional playgrounds, you get a lineup of real‑world circuits that challenge you in completely different ways. Tight, technical tracks force you to focus on precision, while high‑speed circuits test your nerve and braking discipline. Coming from open‑world racers, it’s a bit of a shock to be confined to proper race tracks, but once you settle in, you start appreciating how each layout teaches you something new. Some tracks feel welcoming, others feel like they’re actively trying to humiliate you, but all of them push you to improve. And because the physics are so detailed, even the same track can feel different depending on the car you bring.

As for game modes, the structure is more traditional than arcade racers but still offers a good amount of flexibility. The career mode is the main attraction, giving you a ladder‑style progression through different classes and championships. It’s not flashy, but it’s satisfying in a grounded, motorsport‑focused way as you’re not collecting XP for drifting through fields, you’re improving because you’re learning how to drive better. Quick Race and Time Trial modes are perfect for practice or short sessions, especially if you’re still adjusting to the handling. Multiplayer is where the game really comes alive, though. Races feel intense and tactical, and because the game doesn’t rely on rubber‑banding or arcade shortcuts, every overtake feels like a genuine achievement. It’s competitive, but in a way that encourages clean driving rather than chaos.

Overall, the combination of varied vehicles, demanding tracks, and structured game modes creates a very different flavour of racing compared to something like Forza Horizon. It’s less about spectacle and more about mastery but once you get into the groove, that mastery becomes incredibly satisfying. If you want, I can fold this into your full review draft or help you expand it even further.

That said, the game definitely shows its sim roots in ways that might frustrate players coming from more laid‑back racers. The learning curve is steep, and even with assists on, the cars demand respect. A few quirks like occasionally unpredictable AI or menus that feel more functional than stylish remind you that this is a game built for purists first and everyone else second. But even with those rough edges, I found myself wanting “just one more lap,” which is not something I expected going in.

Pros

• Deep, rewarding physics that feel satisfying once you adapt

• Strong variety of cars and tracks with distinct handling

• Immersive audio that enhances the sense of speed and realism

• Career mode that encourages genuine skill growth

• Stable, competitive multiplayer once you find your footing

Cons

• Steep learning curve for players used to arcade racers

• AI can behave inconsistently at times

• Menus and UI feel plain compared to flashier racers

• Requires patience — not ideal for quick, casual sessions

Project Motor Racing isn’t trying to be the next Forza Horizon, and honestly, that’s its strength. It’s a game that respects motorsport enough to make you work for every victory, and while that can be intimidating at first, it becomes incredibly rewarding once you adjust your expectations. As someone who usually prefers drifting through fields or blasting down highways at impossible speeds, I didn’t expect to enjoy a game that demands this much discipline, but the more time I spent with it, the more I appreciated its focus and craftsmanship. It’s not a casual comfort‑food racer; it’s a slow‑burn obsession that grows on you the more you push yourself.

If you’re an arcade‑racing fan curious about dipping a toe into the sim world, this might be one of the most approachable and surprisingly enjoyable ways to make that leap. It won me over, and that alone says a lot.

XPN Rating: 4 out of 5 (GOLD)

Project Motor Racing is Available Now!