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5 racing games to watch in 2018
It was a great year for racing games in 2017 and with exciting new releases coming up soon will 2018 be another amazing year for racers?
Last year was a vintage one for racing games. With classic cars returning to the mix and improved AI, F1 2017 was arguably the best Formula 1 game of all time, Project Cars 2 boasted a garage packed with amazing cars, each of them handling realistically, and Codemasters were at it again with the console version of Dirt 4, a terrific racer that made rallying more accessible than its more serious cousin Dirt Rally. That Gran Turismo Sport and Forza 7 didn’t make the top three in your best racing games of the year poll speaks volumes.
It would be hard to follow that in 2018, but there are a number of racing games to keep your eye on in the next 12 months. Here are five that you might fancy trying out – and don’t forget, we expect more classic series to return, and, hopefully, some exciting reveals, too.
1. Onrush
Format: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: TBC 2018 (console first, PC to follow)
With the brilliant Dirt 4 and F1 2017 both being released last year, it was a stellar 12 months for Codemasters' classic franchises, but this year they're trying something a bit different. Codies are known for producing realistic racers, but, according to the studio, you can expect all-action, gravity defying racing in Onrush. The trailer delivers on the mission statement with ATV-style vehicles crunching into each other as they slide down snowy slopes, before pulling off 360 spins, and bikers clinging on to the handlebars with one hand as they soar through the air. This isn't just about crossing the finish line in first – you need to complete objectives on your way around the track, whether that be pulling off a trick or smashing your opponent off course.
This step away from serious racing shouldn't come as a surprise when you consider that Onrush is being created by the team behind PS4 off-road racing series Motorstorm. As the game's director Paul Rustchynsky recently told us: "We wanted to provide a breath of fresh air and create something that will instantly put a smile on your face." So far, it's job done.
2. The Crew 2
Format: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: Between April and September 2018
The Crew 2 is another one that’s more than a racing game. Yes, you get to speed around in a Porsche 911, a Maserati GrandTurismo and a Mazda RX7, but you also get behind the controls of a DCB M31 (that’s a boat by the way) or even pilot a Zivko Edge 540 plane. There’s also plenty of big bike brands represented from Harley-Davidson to KTM and Ducati. What’s more, you’re free to swap between them at any point without even pressing pause. It’s bonkers!
Best of all, you can go on a road, boat and air trip across the entire USA, soaring through San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, hurtling down the Hudson River in New York or avoiding the pedestrians and traffic on Manhattan’s city streets. It’s a massive open world, but, as gorgeous as it is, this isn’t about seeing the sights – there are events to take part in, too. Head to the track for a motocross or an F1-style race, or try a drift event in Central Park, getting points for longer slides.
The original Crew also impressed with its vast open world, but its story could have been better and it was criticised for its microtransactions and technical issues relating to the always-online gameplay. The sequel looks like great fun to play, and if Ubisoft sort out the problems of the first instalment, this looks like the game we all wanted in the first place.
3. TT Isle Of Man: Ride On The Edge
Format: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release date: March 2018
Now for some real motorsports. The annual Isle Of Man TT is regarded by some as the most dangerous motorsports event in the world, as motorcyclists test their nerves, racing as fast as they can on the open roads of the 37 3/4-mile Snaefell Mountain Course. Soon you’ll be able to try it out yourself (only without the danger) in TT Isle Of Man: Ride On The Edge.
Riding on the edge is exactly what the competitors do in the TT and developer Kylotonn will be hoping to capture the thrill of riding at speeds of up to 200mph on the winding country roads and bumpy straights of the course. Having made WRC 5, Kylotonn have experience of creating official motorsports games, and they have recreated many of the leading teams and riders for this new racer.
4. MX Vs ATV All Out
Format: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: Early 2018
The vintage series that puts motocross bikes up against ATV and UTV vehicles returns for yet more off-road racing and tricks. From THQ Nordic, you’ve got plenty of different competitions to get stuck into, including Supercross, Opencross and Tag, while Freestyle mode will test your stunt skills. There’s also a two-player split-screen mode as well as 16-player online multiplayer.
5. Gravel
Format: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Release Date: February 27
With no announcements for new MotoGP or MXGP titles, racing specialists Milestone have been focusing on Gravel, their all-new driving game. It's another off-roader, tasking players with becoming the ultimate offroad master as they speed through forests, snowy mountains, dunes and desert.
Unlike Milestone's more serious sim-style official motorsports games Gravel is all about arcade fun, although you’ll have to be at the top of your game if you want to win all 200+ events, which include Cross Country, Stadium and Speed Cross. According to Gravel’s Head of Game Design Irvin Zonca, Gravel is “the most extreme off-road challenge. with some of the most exciting vehicles ever created.” We’ll see when it’s released in February.
And there’s sure to be more!
Can we look forward to a new Forza Horizon in 2018?
© Playground Games / Microsoft
The biggest racing games of 2018 haven’t been announced yet. Codemasters released its best F1 game ever on 2017 and fans will be hoping the series continues to improve when F1 2018 is released.
Given that Forza Motorsport 7 was released in 2017, that should mean that we can expect the latest instalment of the Forza Horizon series this year. The open world racer was originally released as a more arcadey spin-off from the more serious Forza, but Horizon 3 is even better. than Forza 7, so big things are expected of Forza Horizon 4.
We anticipate more official motorsports games, too, including the new games in the MXGP, Moto GP and WRC series. Last year was a vintage one that'll be hard to repeat, but racing game fans will have plenty of reasons to get their wheel and pedals out in 2018.
