Racing games on PS5: The selection of the best titles (car, motorcycle)

Fans of car racing games, motorcycle racing games, or fans of the Tour de France, are you looking for the immersion made possible by the technological advances of the new generation of consoles? Play as a driver and squeal your tires with our selection of must-have PS5 racing games.

The editorial staff of Le Parisien did not participate in the production of this article.

Since the arrival of the PS5 in November 2020, the offer of racing games from Sony's console catalog has expanded. The PS5 car racing games available offer experiences that invite you to rev the engines on circuits, urban routes or even wilder environments, at the controls of machines that differ according to the titles. Two-wheel enthusiasts also have a range of proposals with PS5 motorcycle racing games, while cyclists can embody a champion and win the famous Tour de France. Every PS5 owner and racing video game enthusiast, whether on two or four wheels, whether a seasoned driver or a beginner, seeks to take advantage of the technical developments brought by this new generation console. In order to benefit from immersion and improved graphics, put on your suit and get ready to push the limits with our selection of the best PS5 racing games.

our selection

1. MotoGP 21, Koch Media
2. Destruction AllStars, Sony Interactive Entertainment
3. The Crew 2, Ubisoft
4. Project Cars 3, Bandai Namco
5. Monster Truck Championship, Nacon
6. WRC 10, Nacon
7. Dirt 5 Limited Edition, Codemasters
8. Ride 4, Milestone
9. F1 2021, Electronic Arts
10. RiMS Racing, Nacon

The new PS5 console by Sony

The arrival of a new generation of consoles is a highly anticipated event, putting the spotlight on the big names in the video game industry. Sony's PS5 thus aroused unprecedented enthusiasm as soon as pre-orders opened. With its new machine, the Japanese firm offers a compendium of technology that provides enhanced experiences, through various improvements. Indeed, this imposing console has a quieter and more efficient cooling system than that of the PS4 and allows you to enjoy significantly improved graphics. This is possible in particular thanks to 4K technology and Ray-tracing. The first brings a more beautiful and detailed image to those who have a compatible television, while the second significantly improves the effects of shadow, light and reflections. One of the most glaring examples of the graphic quality allowed by the PS5 is provided by its first market exclusive in November 2020, when the console was released, the role-playing game Demon's Souls. Despite the absence of Ray-tracing on this title, the development team at Bluepoint Games has done a masterful job, using the full potential of the PS5 for a spectacular rendering.

At the same time, the PS5 allows you to take advantage of minimal loading times, often reduced to such an anecdotal time that they become almost invisible. For comparison, the number of seconds required when loading between different areas or sections of some PS4 games is 10 times greater than that required by the PS5. This is made possible by the console's built-in SSD, the element in which all data is stored. It is designed using a technology with performance far superior to that of the PS4 hard drive, particularly in terms of execution speed.

The sound quality is not left out, since 3D audio can accompany the image. To benefit from the immersive sound effects made possible by this technology, all you have to do is get a compatible headset and activate this option in the console settings. Once this simple manipulation has been completed, the headset can be connected to the console or directly to the DualSense, the controller designed especially for the PS5. This model has the particularity of having dynamic adaptive triggers as well as haptic feedback. This concept is not available on the DualShock controller of the PS4, nor on the main competitor of the PS5 which is the Xbox Series S or X. Concretely, the adaptive triggers require to exert a different pressure according to the circumstances, especially in some car or motorcycle racing games. It is thus possible to have the sensation of pressing the brake pedal of a vehicle, with more or less force depending on the desired braking. You can also negotiate a turn on the motorcycle by pressing lightly or more intensely, to the left or to the right, depending on the curve to be traversed.

The PS5 also promotes sharing and online play, thanks to different features. The first is represented by the presence of a microphone and a button called "Share", directly on the DualSense controller, in order to record your performance on video. This microphone also allows you to communicate with your gaming partners, through virtual lounges where you can join each other, without needing to have additional suitable equipment. Note that this feature is open to anyone with a Playstation Network account, which means that you can communicate with PS4 players, even if you play on your PS5. This functionality can also pass through a mobile phone that has the PlayStation App. Other functions make it easy to navigate the menus of the PS5, such as quick access to any content while a game is in progress, or direct access to specific areas of a title present on your computer. PS5. The PS5 thus shows its desire to offer the most comfort and immersion possible to players.

Essential accessories to enjoy racing games on PS5

When it comes to racing games, immersion is particularly sought after. Slipping into the skin of your favorite racer, experiencing sensations that are close to those of an F1 champion or a sportsman on two wheels, this is what racing games tend towards. To do this, any fan of PS5 car racing games must have the essential accessory that is the steering wheel. The good news is that owners of PS4 steering wheels can continue to use their current model, they are compatible with the PS5. However, it is possible to take advantage of an extended market to change equipment or acquire your first steering wheel. The Thrustmaster T80, T150 or even the G29 models from Logitech promise to work flawlessly on PS5.

Immersion can be taken to its climax with the cockpits, seats with steering wheel, gear lever and pedals, which are designed to offer the sensations of a real Formula 1 interior. Models like the GTR from Oplite and GTTrack from Next Level Racing can satisfy the most demanding gamers.

Other racing games require the use of a controller, only the wireless DualSense is currently available on the market and for good reason: supplied with the console, it embeds features that Sony has patented. Thanks to the vibrations and the resistance of the triggers which adapt to the circumstances, this controller improves the sensations felt, especially in PS5 racing games. This wireless controller has an internal battery that needs to be recharged, different charger models are available to you. Some are able to accommodate two controllers simultaneously, a significant plus for those who wish to explore the tracks of racing games with a friend.

Online gaming enthusiasts cannot do without a headset with a microphone to communicate with their partners during a common game. Using a gaming headset also has a considerable advantage when it comes to immersion. Most current productions benefit from meticulous work on the soundtrack, headphones prove to be the ideal accessory to take full advantage of it. The Sony Pulse 3D model is particularly suitable since it was designed specifically for the PS5, but a wireless or USB headset is essential for anyone who wants to use a steering wheel for their racing games. Indeed, no model has a mini-jack port, the connection most frequently associated with headphones, all brands combined.

To complete the range, a quality webcam allows you to film yourself during your performance, an essential tool for anyone who wants to share their impressions live, whether on a PS5 car racing game, a PS5 motorcycle racing game or a title of another category. All games are compatible with streaming, this activity which consists of broadcasting the game in progress, accompanied by images of the player in real time. To fulfill this function, Sony offers a camera model in the colors of its console and perfectly adapted to the machine.

Just like the PS4, the PS5 can accommodate multimedia applications such as Netflix, YouTube, Disney+ or Spotify. In order to simplify the access to these applications and their use, there are remote controls designed especially for the PS5. They allow you to launch the chosen media by simply pressing the button dedicated to it, then to manage the viewing using the play, pause, fast forward and rewind buttons. This remote control also allows you to turn on the PS5 and navigate its menus, but also to adjust the power settings and the sound volume of compatible televisions. To do this, it is necessary to have an internet connection and a PlayStation Network account.

From now on, PS5s allow the transfer of compatible PS4 games and PS5 games to USB drives with SuperSpeed ​​USB technology. The latter allows you to quickly free up space in the console's storage and to reinstall a game on the PS5 just as quickly. As current games occupy a large volume of data, this feature makes it possible to efficiently manage the space available on the console's SSD and thus always be able to install a new game without wasting time.

The next racing game releases on PS5

Your PS5 is not ready to fall asleep with the next releases in racing games. From October 28, NASCAR 21: Ignition will be rolling out on PS4. Admittedly, no PS5 version is planned but as the latter runs PS4 games without worries (and with improvements most of the time), it remains a possible purchase if you are passionate about this famous stock-car racing championship. Especially since we will find the emblematic circuits as well as the star drivers. Let's turbocharge towards 2022 with the long-awaited release on March 4 of Gran Turismo 7. The famous car racing simulation that once sold PlayStations by pallets must, with this episode 7, regain its aura of yesteryear. Visually, the latest images are more than reassuring, but it will be difficult to overshadow the Forza Motorsport franchise, which makes Xbox owners happy. Fingers crossed (and everything we can) that Gran Turismo will be talked about again, and for good. Finally, and still in 2022 (but without a specific release date this time), it will be GRID Legends' turn to enter the scene. The title will draw a hundred cars to compete in different countries. A most enticing program.