Racing Game ERA: I'm looking for a certain kind of game.

[BennyWhatever]

Ok everyone, I've been out of the racing game scene for a very long time. The last one I really spent time with was Gran Turismo 4 for PS2. The one that really got me hooked was Sega GT 2002 for the XBox (commonly found on the flip side of Jet Set Radio Future in an XBox bundle). I probably put 300 or 400 hours into that game. I loved it.

Anyways, I recently acquired GRID 2 (thanks Giveaway thread!), and was very very excited as it's more of an arcade racer than a sim. However, I find myself missing some features that made Sega GT 2002. It's still a fun game, but I'm already losing interest since the only new things I get is cars or cosmetic.

Here's where I need your help, ERA. I'm looking for a racing game that matches these characteristics:

-Available on Switch or PC.
-Real cars from history to now
-Less realistic racing. Car damage is OK as long as it's not super punishing, but I don't want the racing to be as real as Gran Turismo.
-Heavy upgrade system. This is what I'm missing from GRID 2. I want to pick a car I like and be able to upgrade it a ton so that it can still be viable in many courses as I move up the rankings (though eventually phased out). Unless I'm missing something, GRID 2 doesn't seem to have this.
-Preferably reasonably priced, but that's not a deal breaker.

What say you ERA? Does this game exist? I'm way out of the loop with racing games.

 

[Theswweet]

Forza Horizon 3/4 are both on PC, have historic cars you can unlock, have an upgrade system, and are both cheap and/or on game pass.

 

[nullref]

I don't play a ton of racing games, but I've been playing Forza Horizon 4 lately, and it seems to match your criteria fairly well. Has real car models from throughout history, with a tuning and upgrade system, and the damage model is purely cosmetic by default.

Forza Horizon 3/4 are both on PC, have historic cars you can unlock, have an upgrade system, and are both cheap and/or on game pass.

Click to shrink...

Beat me to it.

 

[Aurica]

I agree that Forza Horizon 3 or 4 seem like the perfect thing!

I was playing 3 on PC a couple weeks ago, and I was looking in the auction house at suped up cars that are originally shit being able to race against sports cars. As long as your favorite car isn't a joke-mobile, it'll probably be viable. You can pretty much race with whatever you want.

 

[Peter Ian Staker]

Forza and Forza Horizon are probably your only realistic options.

 

[--R]

Forza 7 and Horizon 4 on PC and if you want a portable game, you have GRID: Autosport on Switch.

 

[BennyWhatever]

Wow that is an OVERWHELMING consensus on Forza haha. I'll have to get Game Pass to try it out.

Forza 7 and Horizon 4 on PC and if you want a portable game, you have GRID: Autosport on Switch.

Click to shrink...

Are there vehicle upgrades in GRID: Autosport? I do like the prospect of portability.

 

[--R]

Are there vehicle upgrades in GRID: Autosport? I do like the prospect of portability.

Click to shrink...

I think there are upgrades, yeah. Just not at the level of a Forza or a Gran Turismo game. Much more simple upgrades.

 

[Lant_War]

You're kinda fucked OP, as there's pretty much no good arcade racers with real cars anymore. Something like Forza Horizon might fit the bill, but don't expect it to handle anything like SEGA's arcade racers, it's a very weighted feel. Maybe check out Grid which comes out in a few days, but I don't really know if it has any upgrade systems.

Maybe check out Wreckfest as well. It doesn't feature real cars but it's very, very fun and has a lot of progression stuff. Also maaaaaaybe check out the Need for Speed games if you're that desperate for an arcade racer with real cars.

 

[ThisIsBlitz21]

Forza Horizon series (1,3 and 4 are great).
And grid autosport, since thats just a much better version of grid 2.

 

[Outrun]

Horizon 4.

 

[garion333]

There really isn't any racing games right now where you stick with one car. They're all collectathons now. You're meant to play with ten million different cars.

I second Wreckfest, but The Crew might be the series to give you the progression feeling as it's basically Diablo with cars. (I never did play The Crew 2, so that may be the better game though I believe it flopped.)