NASCAR 25

Why is there not a ‘restore to defaults’ option in the key bindings, controls setting tab? I cleared my g920 because I was getting a weird oscillation from the force feedback and I had to completely delete the game because it wouldn’t read that my wheel was active.. nor is there a ‘wheel calibration’ In the settings menu. You guys should really patch that, please. Other than that, the game is f*cking dope

best Nascar game in years.

fun

ok

this game is absolutely amazing. it did seem stale when the car turned left for the first time but by the 8,000th time I really started to feel like spiderman. phoenix is bad.

[h1]NASCAR 25 Review – A Strong Start That Misses the Finish Line[/h1] [b]NASCAR 25 gets the basics right.[/b] And that already puts it ahead of many racing titles that try to do too much and lose their core in the process. I’m not a NASCAR expert, so I can’t break down every suspension nuance. What I can judge is how the cars feel. Years ago, Mike Rockenfeller mentioned in an interview that NASCAR stock cars, especially compared to GT3 or Class 1 DTM machinery, feel heavy, powerful, and rely far more on mechanical grip than aerodynamics — particularly on road courses. That’s exactly what NASCAR 25 communicates. The cars feel like raw machines: heavy, torquey, and dependent on tire grip rather than downforce. They don’t feel like precision-engineered aero monsters. They feel like road cars with serious horsepower and limited assistance. And that’s a compliment. [h3]Handling – Realistic, But Forgiving[/h3] The handling strikes a careful balance. It feels grounded and believable, but clearly tuned for controller players. The realism is capped — snap oversteer is manageable, recoverable, and forgiving. Interestingly, F1 25 feels harsher when the rear steps out. In that game, catching a slide costs you real time and demands precise correction. NASCAR 25 gives you more room to save mistakes. That’s not necessarily bad — it makes the game accessible without feeling arcade-like. But it does reduce the tension slightly. Where the game struggles is controller feedback. In F1 25, you feel curbs, wheelspin, and traction loss through the triggers. That tactile information helps you modulate throttle precisely. In NASCAR 25, feedback is muted. Some information comes through, but it’s mild. Other cues feel absent entirely. Driving can feel slightly “blind,” especially when balancing throttle on corner exit. [h3]AI & Career – Focused and Refreshing[/h3] The AI is one of the game’s strongest aspects. Racing is genuinely fun. The opponents behave credibly and provide competitive battles without constant frustration. The career mode is simple — and that’s a strength. It avoids overcomplication. Progression is meaningful but streamlined. Compared to F1 25, which often buries you in micromanagement, R&D minigames, and repetitive interviews, NASCAR 25 respects your time. No fluff. No unnecessary cutscenes. Just racing. That focus is refreshing. [h3]Where It Falls Short[/h3] [b]Track Limits & Penalties[/b] Track limits feel inconsistent. Worse, you can’t always take the same lines real NASCAR drivers use without being penalized. The penalty system is harsh — sometimes stopping you abruptly, even mid-track. A slowdown penalty after multiple violations would feel far more natural and less immersion-breaking. [b]Career Transparency[/b] Early career progression feels overly restrictive. The starting car is weak, and upgrade effects aren’t clearly explained. A better engine is obvious. But what does a “better body” actually improve? Aerodynamics? Stability? Top speed? The game doesn’t explain this well enough. [b]Presentation & Atmosphere[/b] This is where the “pure racing” philosophy becomes a weakness. There’s no dynamic lighting — day simply cuts to black and returns as night. No track marshals. No flags waving at start-finish. No sense that you’re participating in a live sporting event. For a game carrying the NASCAR license, that lack of atmosphere is noticeable. It feels more like a racing sandbox than an official broadcast-level experience. [h3]Missing Features[/h3] • No upscaler (which should be standard in 2026) • No time trial mode • No true free practice without AI • Missing layouts and inaccuracies (COTA doesn’t feature the correct NASCAR configuration) • No bonus variants like the full Watkins Glen layout These omissions add up. [h3]Value & Comparison[/h3] Comparing it to F1 25 would normally be unfair — they target different disciplines and likely different budgets. But when NASCAR 25 is priced the same, comparison becomes unavoidable. At 30–40€, this would be an easy recommendation. At 60€, it competes in a league it doesn’t fully belong in. It’s like entering a Truck in the Cup Series — admirable effort, but outmatched on presentation and feature depth. [b]Verdict[/b] NASCAR 25 is a solid first outing. The racing works. The AI works. The career foundation works. But the presentation, feature set, and technical standards lag behind what its price suggests. There’s real potential here. The core is strong. Now it needs refinement — and ambition — to truly compete.

very fun, very challenging