Driving at over 200 miles per hour in a barley legal street car as you struggle to avoid busy traffic is what modern racing games look like. Racing games of the current generation have evolved substantially since the genre's inception. Players can change gears using manual or automatic transmissions and upgrade the parts of vehicles.
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You don't have to be a gearhead to appreciate the nuances of racing games. Whether they are visual or performance upgrades, vehicle customization is a subtle detail that enhances racing. The racing games with the most vehicle customization owe much to the Need For Speed franchise. As an underutilized feature, vehicle upgrading provides seemingly boundless potentials.
10 The Crew 2
As a startup franchise, The Crew didn't appeal to the racing community. The first The Crew felt lethargic as you raced against infuriating AI. Fast forward to The Crew 2, and we begin to see what the series should look like. Players can race a variety of vehicles, including boats, motorcycles, and F1 formula cars. Thankfully, the game contains robust car customization, from changing the body parts to adding decals or vinyl types to a vehicle.
9 Street Legal Racing: Redline
Released in May 2016 on the Steam Store, Street Legal Racing: Redline offers a complete package concerning car customization. This racing simulator allows you to add a great deal of customization to vehicles. You'll be in charge of repairing the vehicle when needed, as well as tuning them for the best performance. What makes Street Legal Racing: Redline stand out is not its racing or graphics, but more its vehicle customization.
8 Assetto Corsa
From a vehicle customization perspective, Assetto Corsa is a knockout title. It allows you to build vehicles and tracks to share your designs with other players. The customization tools are some of the same as the game's developers.
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This immersive racing game is recognized as a realistic racing simulator. Playing Assetto Corsa with a steering wheel and foot pedals is recommended for the most thrilling experience. Come for the vehicle customization, but stay for the racing mechanics and robust car lineup.
7 Car Mechanic Simulator 2018
Play the part of a mechanic in this detailed racing simulation game. Photorealistic graphics ensure that players have an immersive experience in Car Mechanic Simulator 2018. With a multi-level garage, you won't have to worry about space for your vehicles. Get your hands dirty as you repair and customize vehicles with over one-thousand parts to choose from. Plus, car auctions make it possible to flip cars or bid on others. Car Mechanic Simulator 2018 is a hidden Steam gem for car junkies.
6 Need For Speed: Payback
While many of the shortcomings of Need For Speed (2015) were rectified in Need For Speed: Payback, it still isn't the perfect Need For Speed game. Thankfully, developer Electronic Arts went back to the series' roots by re-introducing car customization. This is one of the few games that let you add a neon glow to the undercarriage of vehicles. The added visual options make this game worth playing.
5 Need For Speed: Underground 2
Need For Speed Underground 2 was a significant improvement over its predecessor. It answered back with better arcade racing and more vehicle customization. The ability to add vanity features like trunk speakers or rims was a deal sealer for many. If you're strictly playing a racing game to soup up a vehicle, Need For Speed Underground 2 delivers in the utmost way possible. To top things off, the in-game soundtrack is praiseworthy.
4 Forza Horizon 3
Although an argument could be made that every Forza Horizon deserves placement, Forza Horizon 3 stands out for its customization, including body kits and parts. You can customize the color of a base model and add liveries before selling a vehicle at the auction house. Vinyl groups can be imported from games like Forza Motorsport 6 and Forza Horizon 2. Forza Horizon 3 was the first Horizon game with HDR (High-dynamic-range) compatibility. It is an all-around masterpiece with great vehicle customization.
3 Grand Theft Auto V
Grand Theft Auto V, a game that revolves around stealing cars, contains more vehicle customization than anticipated. The series has gone a long way since the Pay 'n' Spray shop, which was used to evade police with a new body of paint. Nowadays, players are customizing everything from spoilers to horn sounds to make vehicles feel unique.
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Grand Theft Auto V's racing modes let players race personalized cars. The vehicles are knockoffs and don't use official branding, yet players can find attachment racing the game's robust car lineup
2 Automation
Not only does Automation let players customize existing vehicles, but cars can be built from the ground-up. Those with knowledge of vehicles will find Automation's level of customization satisfying. You can customize everything from the chassis, engine, and suspension, among other things. Keep working and working until the vehicle is to your satisfaction. Many other games tried vehicle customization, and most others fell short of Automation, "the car company tycoon game."
1 Forza Horizon 4
For the most detailed vehicle customization with arcade gameplay, Forza Horizon 4 scoops the number one spot. This game lets you change non-essential parts of the cars to make them more visually appealing. Also, parts like engine upgrades can increase horsepower and acceleration.
You can get down to the nitty-gritty by changing individual parts or quick upgrade to save time. Forza Horizon 4 lives up to expectations with the most expansive open-world map and detailed vehicle customization in Forza history. To answer your question, yes, you can drive the Cyberpunk 2077 car.
NEXT: The 10 Fastest Cars In Forza Horizon 4 (& How Fast They Can Go)
