When discussing early access releases, it’s always important to know what you’re getting into. The length of development, the overall goal of early access, the roadmap for future updates, and, of course, how much content will be playable. No one, not even the developer, can predict just how things will shake out, whether it’s patches in the early going to fix critical issues or hitting its initially promised milestones. But hey, at least there’s some guarantee of content at launch. Right?
Cue Kunos Simulazioni’s Assetto Corsa EVO, the latest title in its relatively long-running franchise. Upon launching for early access, it faced backlash for the sheer amount of content locked to online mode, which wasn’t working.
“It’s still very early days for EVO, and there’s no better indication of this than the user interface. Minimalist to a fault – your mileage may vary – but it suffers from very obvious lag, especially with a controller.”
Even as the developer made it possible to race with all 20 vehicles across its five tracks, the meatier content like Driving Academy and Special Events was unavailable for a good, long while. The fact that they required online connectivity, which wasn’t disclosed before early access began, also rubbed many the wrong way. Optimization issues, bugs and whatnot didn’t help either.
As of last week, however, Assetto Corsa EVO has finally received its online mode, adding such essentials as the game economy and progression alongside the promised modes. However, the question remains: Is it worth diving into early access, especially at this stage? We ultimately circle back to the initial launch content and what matters most to you.
In terms of overall experience, it’s still very early days for EVO, and there’s no better indication of this than the user interface. Minimalist to a fault – your mileage may vary – but it suffers from very obvious lag, especially with a controller. This is especially obvious during races when restarting a session and waiting those precious few seconds for the UI to load in.
It can look clean and uncluttered while selecting Special Events and License Exams, but there’s also work to be done with the UX. Completing an exam and not having the option to tackle the next? Not having settings to immediately end an exam after completion, regardless of success or failure, and returning to the pre-race screen? These are just a few things that are sorely needed.
“While there are five tracks, the total number of configurations is eight, with Suzuka and Brands Hatch getting two to three options. Mount Panorama, Imola and Laguna Seca get only one layout each.”
There isn’t much to say about the progression aside from the fact it exists. You earn credits from completing races and use them to purchase vehicles. At least there are different versions of cars to purchase, with options to test drive or admire them in various ways, from toggling different animations to seeing how they look against different backdrops and weather conditions.
Alongside Driving Academy and Special Events, you have Quick Race and Practice. While there are five tracks, the total number of configurations is eight, with Suzuka and Brands Hatch getting two to three options. Mount Panorama, Imola and Laguna Seca get only one layout each.
Special Events are pretty straightforward, offering various races with set conditions and vehicles. Driving Academy is where you truly cut your teeth, taking on challenges across multiple categories like Sportscar, Supercar, Hypercar and Racing. You’ll tackle chicanes with a Lotus Emira on Imola, seek to best the “L” corners of Laguna Seca and brave Suzuka’s snaking corners in the rain with a Mazda MX5 ND Cup. All in all, I quite enjoyed these challenges – you can drive normally and clear them well enough, but getting three stars on each requires understanding your vehicle, the track and the weather.
Nevertheless, it’s still a shame they’re tied to online mode. At this moment of writing, the latter became unavailable, which means no checking the Licenses tab, the Special Events section coming up blank, and even the Dealership becoming greyed out.
“The other big selling point of Assetto Corsa EVO is the visuals, with the environments and car models looking quite gorgeous. Much of that will depend on your hardware, though.”
From the outside looking in and a features standpoint, Assetto Corsa EVO doesn’t seem to offer much content at this point in early access. However, when it comes to the gameplay, it’s one of the more compelling racing sims on the market.
The physics model and handling are some of the best on the market. Track conditions, including weather, will affect them in the most expected ways – you may have a handle on surfaces when it’s clear skies or scattered clouds, but when the rain arrives, there’s a battle for stability. Whether you’re overshooting a turn and going off track or nudging the corner a little closely, it feels natural, responsive and even visceral.
Best of all, each car feels unique. You would expect nothing less from a racing sim, but there’s something remarkable about how EVO captures each vehicle’s essence. The Honda S2000 AP1 feels alive, humming along at a strong pace, but it feels like a leisurely drive next to the Ferrari 296 GTB, which explodes with power, visually and audibly. Experiencing each vehicle with the handling model on offer is as joyous as it is challenging, and there are assists available to ease players in. Granted, the options aren’t extensively detailed, but you can still toggle stability control, the ideal line, and automatic clutch, which is better than nothing.
The other big selling point of Assetto Corsa EVO is the visuals, with the environments and car models looking quite gorgeous. Much of that will depend on your hardware, though. On an RTX 4060 and an 11th-gen Core-i5, I went with Medium for most settings, with the level of detail and texture pool size set to High at 2560x1440p and 60 FPS.
“If you’re someone who enjoyed previous Assetto Corsa titles or racing sims in general, this could make for a decent diversion, potentially to try out the handling that everyone is raving about. “
The results were relatively solid, though there were noticeable frame drops during the conclusion of a License Exam and at certain sections of races. Alongside some noticeable pop-in, the reflections in the rearview mirror of the cockpit also look underwhelming. I didn’t experience any major drops or sluggish performance while racing, much less any crashes, but there is plenty of optimization work to be done.
Overall, Assetto Corsa EVO isn’t an easy recommended, at least at this stage of early access. Even if everything ran smoothly – which is not the case – the amount of content isn’t exactly the most extensive. This isn’t to say that the experience is terrible, but you should really know what you’re getting into and the availability of said content before committing.
If you’re someone who enjoyed previous Assetto Corsa titles or racing sims in general, this could make for a decent diversion, potentially to try out the handling that everyone is raving about. Racing sim enthusiasts seeking a more complete package might want to wait several months for more extensive updates and content additions. However, there’s no denying that EVO possesses one of the better sim gameplay experiences on the market or that its visuals can rival the greats. It just needs more time to truly make them shine and justify that $40 price tag.
This early access version of the game was reviewed on PC.
