Whereas the PC has long been the platform for hardcore realistic simulation fans, some of that audience has been chipped away in recent years, especially as far as racing games are concerned. As console fare like Gran Turismo and Forza Motorsport raise the bar for driving sims, many PC gamers may feel a little left in the dust. However, there are still some great options for PC racing fans, like GTR Evolution from acclaimed developer SimBin. GTR Evolution is the latest driving sim from SimBin, offering PC gamers realistic, physics-intensive racing and a variety of real-world tracks and authentic vehicles.

GTR Evolution is not too terribly removed from its predecessors. Instead, what it does is adds subtle improvements to the formula, adding more of what fans of the series would want and cleaning what needs to be cleaned. The game has 20 real-world tracks, including the infamous Nurburgring Nordschleife (more on that one in a moment), as well as 500 different car variations in 12 distinct classes.

One of the biggest features in GTR Evolution is the inclusion of the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Essentially the holy grail of racing-sim tracks, the “Green Hell” is a 14-mile endurance test with tons of difficult turns and little room for error, making it a track that racing purists will spend countless hours trying to master. The Nordschleife is extremely difficult, but a great way to perfect your racing skills. Not just the Nordschleife, but each of the game’s tracks have been faithfully reproduced through GPS and CAD data, making for as authentic an emulation as you can get.

Another great feature in the game is the 25-player online racing modes. The action stays smooth and fairly lag-free throughout, and it’s extremely easy to hop into a race, making this a fine racer for online driving-sim fans.

The game also boasts dynamic weather effects that change during races, and the realistic physics engine ensures that you’ll definitely have to switch up your driving strategy as the weather changes.

Graphically, the game’s predecessors looked great, and this one is no different. GTR Evolution features great-looking vehicle models and fantastic looking courses. The game runs fairly smoothly with all of the features turned up, but can be scaled down without much of a hit in quality if you don’t have a high-end PC.

Soundwise, the game is also pretty impressive. While the music won’t win any awards, the sound effects are great, with discernable changes between each type of terrain and different engine noises for most vehicles.

GTR Evolution is a deep and complex racing game with tons of great elements. While there are a few problems that have been around in previous entries, like a missing career mode and rather weak vehicle damage, this is still a worthy incremental improvement over the rest of the series, and a fine addition to any hardcore racing-sim fan’s PC library.

Gameplay: 9.0
Featuring a deep and authentic driving experience, Evolution isn’t a full-blown update to the series, but rather adds incremental updates and improvements, including a ton of new cars and realistic tracks to race on. While there are a few shortcomings, including a lack of a career mode and inaccurate vehicle damage, this is still a phenomenal and rewarding driving simulation.

Graphics: 8.5
With authentic vehicle models and great looking environments, GTR Evolution looks great on a wide range of PC configurations.

Sound: 8.0
The soundtrack won’t blow you away, but the on-track sounds are fantastic and immersive.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 8.0
While the game isn’t too far removed from SimBin’s other PC offerings, GTR Evolution is a fine and authentic PC racer that will appeal to sim enthusiasts.

Multiplayer: 9.0
The 25-player races are smooth, lag-free, and very easy to get into, making for a fantastic online experience.

Overall: 9.0
GTR Evolution is a fine addition to SimBin’s repertoire of driving sims, offering some great features and unrivaled tracks for fans of authentic racing games.