The game with the best open world driving physics is... ?

[Eudemon]

Before anyone on PC jumps in about it being "X using mod Y", please keep this topic to only the standard games and the way they can be played. Thanks.

 

The handling in an open world and free roam racing game is always a hot topic. You have your casual players who like nothing more than being able to easily hit the roads and fields and have the car behave in a controllable manner, then you have the in-betweeners (simcaders?) who like a little bit of fight with their vehicles but not too much that understeer and oversteer make them panic, and then you have the simulators, who like nothing more than a truly authentic experience. (and would probably wish for real fuel consumption, tyre wear and the need to wash and wax your car after every outing :p)

 

Forgetting all about those different types, it needs to be remembered that the driving in the game itself is the core of it all, and if it's crap, then it doesn't matter how big, detailed and jam-packed full of features it is, as you're not going to have much fun when playing through it if the handling annoys you. You might be able to endure it enough to make it through, and perhaps the tuning, modification and photo mode features or whatever else is available, are so enjoyable that they themselves take over.

 

But it's the game's world that matters most, no? And if you can enjoy it as well as all of the extras, then a damn good game you have found

 

Now, not every game is going to have everything you want, and I am only asking for the game that in your view had the best driving feeling, for you, and to briefly say why it was the case.

 

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In my opinion I still find it hard for any game to beat the feeling of the original... Forza Horizon. There was a nice balance between all the different drive types, the frightening speed through monster power, and the feeling of weight and inertia displayed by the vehicles. I got to try FH2, and FH3, but only briefly, and I did not like the way it seemed to have regressed and felt a bit more floaty than their oldest ancestor. Was FH too close to FM for some and so they dialled it back?

 

The Rally Expansion also is a clear indicator of why I rank FH as the best, the feeling of the car tackling those routes and struggling for traction, Scandinavian flicking, bogging down at points, and the pulling off a perfect handbrake turn was just glorious.

 

If you can, I really recommend you check it out and judge for yourself.

[Ryzza5]

I think someone on Top Gear once finished off a comparison by saying "they both lose". I can't think of any winners, but am inclined to agree with the assessment of FH beginning kinda ok and then getting worse.

[RobikV3]

Actually when it comes to open world driving games for Me the actual map is more important than the driving physics if they are at least half decent.

 

Lets look at it this way you got FH3 with great handling all the nice cars and the game just gets boring after 30 minutes of cruising because youre basically doing laps around the map, then you got The Crew which has huge detailed map but we all know what the physics are, yet I enjoyed cruising in TC for hours even alone I could just jump into one of my favourite cars and just drive, it felt like an actual road trip.

 

But when it comes to handling Id say FH3 with TDU1 close second, third probably Driver SF.

 

On topic of FH i acutally didnt like FH1s it was too twitchy, like the cars felt too light, espeially smaller cars try driving the 205 Turbo 16 in FH1 its almost impossible to drive that thing straight.

[Eudemon]

I'll need to go back, give it another go, and see if it's a case of the rose-tinted glasses for me then.

[Ozzmcom]

I'll have to go with TDU on this one, it's still the number one for me. Horizon is a good contender but here's the problem with arcade physics, they're good fun and all when you're playing with a controller using the chase cam perhaps and driving like a maniac, but for everything else it's just not up there.