Parents' Guide to

Project CARS

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 10+

Authentic track racer requires precise driving skills.

Game PlayStation 4 , Windows , Xbox One 2015
Project CARS Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Project CARS Game: Screenshot #1
  • Project CARS Game: Screenshot #2
  • Project CARS Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 2 parent reviews

William N.
William N. Parent
December 29, 2016
age 14+

A fantastic game with a heavy learning curve

I am not a parent but, having multiple nephews I learned this game is not intended for kids at all. The game is hard to play and takes some learning ad not to mention it is a much better game with a FBB racing wheel which is not cheap so I personally see kids younger than the 14ish mark getting annoyed and quitting.

This title has:

Too much consumerism
jamesr4
jamesr4 Adult
January 31, 2016
age 10+

Project Cars

Not a childs game. Very difficult at first but the learning curve is quite quick. I'd like to say that I am a car game purist I like speed beautiful graphics and realism. This game ticks the boxes. The graphics are amazing although the rain can be annoying as it has a hitting glass effect in third person. Ok in the car but no window wipers when outside. The good news is you can stop this in settings. Also the sunlight effects can be dazzling and there aren't any sun shades. You can change it in settings. The game feels fast. Seat of your pants hold on for dear life fast and thats great. The handling all round is good but I have to say the least realistic part of this game. Most of the cars have the same characteristics. Too fast into a corner and the cat slides out try to correct and the car pitches violently in the opposite direction and you are off the track. Not very forgiving. A couple of cars handle better like the Renault Meganne and the Mclaren but generally all the cars have the same feel. Hopefully they are constantly tweaking and developing this.. This game won't be for everyone but what I will say is, all round this is the best car game I've played to date. If you are up for a challenge don't miss it!!
See all 2 parent reviews

What’s It About?

PROJECT CARS is an authentic, detailed, European-style professional racing game featuring scores of genuine cars and dozens of real-world racing circuits. A season-based campaign sees players signing contracts and racing with teams in categories ranging from Superkarts to Formula series as they work through a full calendar year, earning trophies, endorsements, and accolades along the way. Players interested in creating their own idea of a perfect racing weekend can design and customize their own full weekend events, complete with practice and qualifying stages. Similar customization is allowed in the online mode, where players can opt either to join an existing custom session or create one that meets all their favorite parameters. A community area, meanwhile, provides more challenges for fans of online play. Players also can head to the garage area to view any of the game's cars, learn more about them, customize colors and tuning, and take pictures using a powerful photography module.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (2 ):
Kids say (3 ):

Project CARS targets a very specific type of racing-game fan: people who prize authenticity over gimmickry. There's no blaring music, no ability to rewind races to recover from crashes, no cash rewards or experience-based leveling systems. Instead, players are simply provided with beautifully modeled cars that handle much like the real McCoys and an almost never-ending series of racing events set on real-world courses. It's an undeniably gorgeous game, with exacting details -- especially inside car cockpits -- and some dazzling weather effects. Familiar courses such as the Nurburgring and Laguna Seca are perhaps more lifelike than they have been in any other racing game, especially if you're playing on a tricked-out gaming PC.

But the key to whether you enjoy it hinges on whether you can get the car handling just right. Avid auto enthusiasts likely will go straight to manual shifting, turn off all driving assists, and relish in the realistic challenge, but even slightly less fanatical car lovers will want to tinker with the driving aids and computer AI settings to see which ones make the game more enjoyable. Just because you played a game such as Forza Motorsport 5 with most assists off doesn't mean you'll be able to do something similar with much success in Project CARS; fishtailing and spinouts are very possible, even with almost all aids turned on. It can be frustrating, especially at first. If you can find your handling sweet spot, however, Project CARS could become your new favorite racer.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about online safety. Is the ability to communicate with other players in a racing game important enough to turn on text or voice-chat features? Why would you want to override or bypass language filters?

  • Discuss driving safety. What are some safer ways that older teens can indulge their need for speed? Why should you not race on city streets?

Game Details

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