NASCAR 25 review: A faithful return to form

NASCAR 25 brings iRacing to console racing

NASCAR is one of those distinctly American pursuits that never quite carries across to Britain, much like putting high-fructose corn syrup in everything or America's rather different understanding of the word 'fanny'. Even so, NASCAR 25 has generated a fair bit of interest on this side of the Atlantic. It is, after all, a console racing game published and co-developed by the team behind iRacing, the leading online sim-racing service.

Anyone hoping for a straight console translation of iRacing's stock-car physics, complete with its highly structured multiplayer system, may be slightly let down. At its core, NASCAR 25 retains similarly slidey handling where 'fast is loose', but it offers what is arguably an unavoidable simplification of these cars. Crucially, they appear better able to withstand contact-induced spins in online races, which is probably welcome considering some of the driving on display.

NASCAR 25 captures convincing pack racing

As a fully licensed NASCAR title, though, it succeeds admirably at representing the sport. Its AI pack racing is especially impressive. The computer-controlled drivers have plainly been set up to create believable packs, intelligently building lanes and even bump drafting at superspeedways such as Daytona and Talladega. Replays looking like the action seen on television are generally an encouraging sign, and NASCAR 25 certainly achieves that.

A substantial career mode is included too, taking you from a modest race shop in the entry-level ARCA series through to a polished outfit competing in the top-tier Cup series. It offers enough depth to make a satisfying link between events without becoming so demanding that one mistaken choice of shock-absorber brand feels capable of wrecking an entire career.

A sparse online mode and an acquired taste

For a PC sim-racing specialist known for multiplayer, the online offering is unexpectedly stripped back. Beyond a straightforward lobby browser and the occasional special event, there is little else. Being able to populate quieter races with AI cars is a useful inclusion. While an iRacing-branded online mode might reasonably be expected to offer more, the company also has to preserve reasons for players to pay for its expensive PC subscription.

In the end, NASCAR 25 is an authentic rendition of its sport. The real issue is whether that sport appeals to you. Oval racing has increasingly become an acquired taste, both in simulations and in reality, and although today's calendar contains more 'road courses', the cars in NASCAR 25 still seem poorly suited to the demands of turning right as well as left. Existing fans will see it as a welcome return to form after several dodgy releases, but it is unlikely to win over anyone who does not already enjoy NASCAR. Indeed, they might find it a massive pain in the fanny...