NASCAR 25 delivers on heart pounding racing action

iRacing took over the reins of NASCAR from 704 Games, and the expectations have never been higher for the Racing Simulator franchise. NASCAR 25 is developed with Unreal Engine and focuses on realism, using the latest laser-scanned assets to enhance track and car model detail. Each track looks phenomenal, and the atmosphere pulls you right into the game with roaring engines and crowds.

With NASCAR‘s huge popularity in the United States, you would think its racing games would be just as popular, but unfortunately, that is not the case. There has not been a release since NASCAR Rivals in 2022, and iRacing Studios, well-known in the racing community for delivering the most authentic experience, is under a lot of pressure to deliver on its new release, NASCAR 25.

Although racing game simulators are usually best when played with a racing wheel setup, and some even require an expensive rig, NASCAR 25 is impressive in how well it plays with a controller or keyboard. The game strikes a balance between being enjoyable to play and not requiring a large amount of cash to get the best possible racing experience.

Game Modes

• Career
• Quick Race
• Online
• Championship

You can choose the Cup Series (46 drivers/27 tracks), Xfinity Series (49 drivers/24 tracks), Truck Series (48 drivers/23 tracks), or ARCA Series (57 drivers/16 tracks) to race in, and across these four series, there are 200 drivers and 90 tracks to choose from.

Your rookie season and the career mode

In NASCAR 25, you will begin your racing career as a rookie driver looking to make your mark in the ARCA Menard Series, racking up race wins to earn a reputation and cash, with which you can repair and upgrade your race car in your garage. In other words, you have to begin at the lower ranks of racing and work your way to the top, which replicates the real world of racing and NASCAR.

Career mode begins with a great intro video by Dale Earnhardt Jr., who played a key role in the development, which plays when loading into career mode for the first time, before jumping into the game. The career mode is easily the best part of the game.

Climb up the ranks, and your success on the track will lead to game improvements where you can customize your race car. You can choose from the series, a manufacturer, team color, which also includes the team car hauler and pit box. The car colors, shapes, decals, numbers, and more make your race car a showcase for everyone to see. Unfortunately, you are currently limited to a name and avatar, but hopefully, more options will be added later.

The driver’s reputation is based on how you race and how you keep improving. Race and win as cleanly and fairly as possible, and you will find yourself climbing the ranking quickly. You will find that the races are quite generous in how they award reputation points for good, clean driving and for avoiding crashes. Participating in practice and qualifying laps will get you a few more laps behind the wheel and also give you an opportunity to earn extra cash from sponsors.

As you progress, finishing well or even winning, you can improve your setup in the garage with car upgrades, new sponsorships, and even new team members. It’s not too complex, but it offers some flexibility, and you can choose what you want to do to find the right balance.

Championship mode

In championship mode, you can choose the Cup Series, currently with 46 drivers and 27 tracks, Xfinity Series currently with 49 drivers and 24 tracks, Truck Series currently with 48 drivers and 23 tracks, or the ARCA Series currently with 57 drivers and 16 tracks to race in, and across these four series, there are 200 drivers and 90 tracks to choose from.

Each series will offer more or fewer options. The Cup Series offers a full season with playoffs, a regular season, a half-season, a quarter-season, crown jewel races, superspeedway races, and short-track races. The Xfinity Series and the Truck Series offer a full season with playoffs, a regular season, a half-season, a quarter-season, superspeedway races, and short-track races. The ARCA Series offers full-season, half-season, quarter-season, and short-track races.

Online Mode

The online racing mode can be exhilarating, frustrating, or anything in between, depending on who you are joined with. Some drivers might be there for a quick and clean race, while others might be there to cause complete chaos. To have the best racing experience, join a lobby that fits how you want to race, or find a group of players who align with your racing preferences.

Online Mode is solid enough. There isn’t a way to create private lobbies other than setting a player limit and having your friend join before anyone else. You’re also stuck waiting a minute for the race to start; however, the soundtrack is good and allows for a reprieve between matches.

Another thing is that the options for adjusting settings also seem limited in multiplayer, or maybe just a knowledge check. The settings seemed to change randomly, and adjusting AI difficulty didn’t appear to be an option; however, expert Mode was sometimes enabled and sometimes not, depending on various settings.

Final thoughts

The presentation in the game is top-notch, and the tracks are all unique, and even the fans in the stands look and sound really impressive. The car handling is pretty sweet and gets even better after some races, and you can purchase better parts. The AI is pretty tame for the most part, though. I’d like to see more roughing up after some contact from you or other drivers; it might look and feel more real, but that’s just my opinion.

The team radio is decent, notifying you of potential gaps or cars approaching on either side. Each track looks very real, and the lights and darks, and the glaring sun at times make you feel like you are actually there. The damage done during the race is not only felt in your car’s performance, but also felt in your garage after each race. If you race hard and recklessly, you will have a hefty repair bill and see your hard-earned race earnings depleted by the cost of fixing chassis, engines, suspensions, or body parts. If you are unable to fix or replace everything, it will affect your next race.

All in all, NASCAR 25 is very realistic and absolutely great. If you are a pro or even a novice, give it a try; there are game options for everyone to enjoy.

There is also an upcoming iRacing Arcade that is less realistic and more arcade-style, but still really fun. So, you can read the review of it here, watch the iRacing Arcade video, or play the demo. We also reviewed the NASCAR Arcade Rush, which is also enjoyable to play. You can read the review on it here.

You can learn more and purchase NASCAR 25 at https://nascar25.com/ and on Steam.