When Kunos Simulazioni’s Assetto Corsa was first released in 2014, it took the racing world by storm due to its unparalleled physics and realistic driving, to the point that trying to play it with a controller proved to be a daring test in its subsequent console port. Kunos followed suit five years later with Assetto Corsa Competizione. Rather than a sequel, Competizione is a multiplayer-focused spinoff centered around on the real-life Blancpain GT Series, more of a platform for esports than an actual racing game for all afficcionados out there.

The main issue with it at launch wasn’t exactly its focus, but actually how little it offered content-wise. Things improved throughout the year, and now Kunos is ready to attempt bringing their racing game franchise to consoles once again? Is the console version of Assetto Corsa Competizione better than the console version of the original Assetto Corsa? Let’s find out.

I have to admit I was impressed with the quality of the port. Those Kunos games weren’t made with consoles or controllers in mind, being even used by real-life drivers as practicing tools in between seasons, but this Xbox One version of Assetto Corsa Competizione is quite good in terms of controls and visuals. The physics are as realistic as the ones present in the PC version, with cars behaving completely differently depending on the weather and how often you hit against a wall, and with one of the most detailed tuning screens I have ever seen in a game, even managing to put Forza to shame.

Another thing that’s really important is the fact that playing with a control, while not as user-friendly as Turn 10’s racing magnum opus, is actually a viable option. Kunos made sure to add a handful of options and assits in order to make Assetto Corsa Competizione a bit less overwhelming towards newcomers. If you still own a steering wheel, however, don’t even think twice. That’s how this game should be played, with all assists turned off.

That being said, the game did suffer some setbacks in order to run on less powerful hardware. The framerate is locked at 30 frames per second, and you can notice some frame pacing issues every now and then. You can also notice a reduced quality in lighting and particle effects, although running at night still looks neat. Thankfully, car models still look fantastic, both on the inside and on the outside, and Kunos’ laser scanning technology can still be seen in how realistic their tracks are.

The PC version’s main issue is still present in here, however. Although Kunos did patch a few more tracks and cars over the past year or so, fixing the original issue regarding the amount of content included in the initial build of Competizione, the same cannot be said about single player content. If you don’t care about tackling other players online, and if you don’t care about seriously wanting to follow an entire esport season, all you’ll have at your disposal is a very undercooked career mode and your run-of-the-mill quick race mode which, at the very least, is highly customizable, adding a bit of replayability to the mix.

Assetto Corsa Competizione is in a much better state in terms of content now than when it was first released in 2019. There are more tracks and teams to choose from, and playing it with a controller is nowhere near as nightmare inducing as the console port of Assetto Corsa is. With that being said, you need to understand that this is primarily a multiplayer-centered game. There’s not a lot to do by yourself in here. If you want to test your virtual racing skills with other players on a surprisingly realistic environment, Assetto Corsa Competizione is the way to go. If not, well, this is the Xbox One, racing games are this console’s bread and butter.

 

Graphics: 7.5 The car models look absolutely fantastic, both on the outside and on the inside, and the tracks look as realistic as possible, but Assetto Corsa Competizione suffered some graphical setbacks in order to run properly on consoles.	Gameplay: 8.5 Unlike the console port of the original Assetto Corsa, playing with a controller isn’t rage-inducing. It’s still more complicated than other racers due to its realistic physics, but it’s a lot more forgiving. With that being said, if you own a steering wheel, use it.
Sound: 8.5 Car engines sound as rabid as they should, and your team will constantly communicate with you via radio chat.	Fun Factor: 7.0 The career mode is still lacking in content, but the game features more content now than when it was first released for PC last year. This is mostly centered around online multiplayer, and it works just fine, so be aware of Competizione‘s main focus before deciding to grab it.
Final Verdict: 7.5

Assetto Corsa Competizione is available now on PS4, Xbox One and PC.

Reviewed on Xbox One.

A copy of Assetto Corsa Competizione was provided by the publisher.