Assetto Corsa Competition; Here is the Kunos simulator on Xbox Series

After a long wait, I finally had the pleasure of seeing how the next-gen version of Assetto Corsa Competition. Taking into account that we have already carried out the analysis of the basic game, this time I will focus on the main novelties that it includes in the Xbox Series. Specifically, I played it on an Xbox Series S. As a preview, I can tell you that the game is improving, as expected, in some sections. However, it should be noted that there are also other elements that have been left practically as they are, from which I expected something more. We see it then, we start!

Is there a real graphic leap?

This is one of the issues that probably worries sim fans the least. Obviously, the feeling at the controls is still the most important, but given the potential of the new generation, some improvement was expected. I expected that at least, especially seeing what the game looks like on PC. The truth is that the jump has not been much less remarkable, except for some details that have been corrected compared to Xbox One.

In terms of details, the game is practically the same. The circuits are nailed to the “old gen”

, with a little more graphic load in almost imperceptible elements, like off-road grass or pianos, to name a few. The vehicles, on the other hand, have a neater appearance, which is noticeable in the menus themselves, thanks to the “Exhibition” option. But if there is a space in which it is even more noticeable, it is on the track. Before, there was a weird effect on the wheels as the cars rolled, causing a kind of “patch” both in the middle of the stroke and in the repeat that acted like the “wagon wheel effect”.

The visual highlight comes when the lighting with day-night cycle, which has now been improved. It already existed on Xbox One yes, but it was poorly implemented. Shakes were generated that knocked us out of the game, and suddenly took us from sunset to absolute darkness. Not only has this been fixed, but the incidence of light is more realistic than ever. For its part, the rain also contributes to very spectacular situations from inside the cabin. Running in the middle of a storm is as fun as it is challenging.

Private games are here

Leaving aside the visual part of this Assetto Corsa Competitionwe are going with one of the most interesting novelties and requested by users. Finally, we have the possibility to create private games, something that naturally hasn’t been available on consoles until now. And it is that I repeat that, although the graphics are important, all these functions are even more so in a simulator like this. Now we can play with friends in private games, applying all the aids, climatic elements we want and many other features.

In addition to that, Assetto Corsa Competition facilitates and promotes the creation of its own tournaments or events, which greatly enriches the experience. I’m sure the community will greatly appreciate it. To this must be added another functionality applicable to the new generation. It is the possibility of race with up to 29 rivals on the trackyes, 29! It should be noted that the AI ​​created by Kunos is possibly one of the best I have ever encountered in a racing game. For my part, I had a good time, testing different difficulty levels and the increased aggressiveness of the opponents. Not a single problem with cars that continue to compete fairly.

The long-awaited 60 frames per second arrive at Assetto Corsa Competizione

Finally, we move on to the most important section of this new next-gen version of Assetto Corsa Competition; your performance. Is it really smooth as expected? Well, I have to say, despite some ups and downs, yes. It was the biggest disappointment for the community in the previous generation of consoles, myself included. It was inconceivable to enjoy this game at less than 60 frames per second, which, as those most familiar with the genre know, is essential. Now yes Kunos

.

I should clarify that there is no option to choose performance or quality mode, as it happens in other games. Here you just start playing and that’s it, the title works directly for 1080p and 60fps on Xbox Series S, so in the X series it also goes like a rocket. As a nuance, I must admit that on one occasion while running online and in the rain, the game suffered a severe drop in framerate. Rain and online race with about 20 cars, maybe because of this technical overload, the game fell apart, but as I said, it only happened once. Something that Kunos Simulazioni will have to keep working on.

Otherwise, the game feels smoother than ever. Some occasional slowdowns in the menus and a bug that sometimes hides the results in the timetable, are not enough to tarnish a more than satisfactory result. As if that weren’t enough, the ability to edit the field of view from the pause menu. And it is that if you like simulation and racing, it is still the best option on consoles.

If you want to know in depth everything it offers Assetto Corsa CompetitionHere is our full review. And remember that all content in the form of saved games and DLC is transferred to this new version without too many problems.