Revving Into Virtual Reality
VR racing has had a long road to travel. While flight sims and shooters have flourished in virtual space, few racing titles have truly captured the sensation of speed, weight, and control that a good steering wheel can deliver. EXOcars VR changes that equation. Built from the ground up for immersion, it invites players to strap into powerful off-road buggies and tear through mud, sand, and tarmac—feeling every bump, drift, and suspension jolt as if they were there in person.
From the first race, EXOcars VR sets its tone: visceral, physical, and unapologetically grounded in the thrill of racing. This isn’t a lightweight arcade experience. It’s a racer that expects you to wrestle with the wheel, control your throttle, and master the terrain under your tires.
Gameplay: Drive Hard or Go Home
What separates EXOcars VR from many other VR racers is its commitment to physical realism. Each track is a living terrain—sand shifts under your wheels, gravel skips, and suspension compresses over jumps with a convincing sense of weight. When you take a sharp corner, you feel the lean of your vehicle and instinctively brace for impact.
The single-player campaign introduces a good selection of tracks and gradually ramps up difficulty. Early races take place in sun-baked desert circuits, where wide turns and open spaces let you learn the controls. Later events introduce tighter forest tracks, winding mountain trails, and even neon-lit urban courses. Each environment has a distinct character, forcing players to adapt their handling and approach.
Customization is simple but effective. You can tweak your buggy’s suspension, tires, and engine output, allowing for fine-tuning to suit your driving style. Visual upgrades—paint jobs, decals, and accessories—help make each car feel personal. For those who enjoy shaving seconds off their lap times, EXOcars VR offers a “ghost” mode that lets you race against your best runs, turning self-improvement into a rewarding obsession.
Multiplayer adds longevity, letting you compete with others in real-time or asynchronously. While early versions of the game lacked full cross-play and some features were rolled out gradually, the core online experience now feels solid. Races are fast, chaotic, and filled with the satisfying crunch of fenders colliding in VR space.
Visuals and Sound: Speed With Style
Visually, EXOcars VR delivers a strong presentation across all supported platforms. On PS VR2 and PC VR, lighting and reflections look crisp, and the sensation of motion holds steady even at high speeds. Environments are colorful and varied, from dusty canyons to dense forest trails and stadium-style rally arenas. The cockpit view is especially immersive—you can glance at your roll cage, peer through dust-spattered glass, and see the suspension flex as you land a jump.
Sound design is equally robust. The throaty growl of the engines, the squeal of tires, and the rattle of gravel beneath your wheels sell the fantasy of off-road chaos. Subtle ambient details—wind whistling past open windows, the echo of engines in tunnels—make the experience richer. The soundtrack leans toward fast-paced electronic and rock beats that complement the action, though the real star is the sound of your own machine roaring through the mud.
Controls and Comfort
One of EXOcars VR’s biggest triumphs is how well it balances intensity with comfort. The cockpit frame provides a natural point of reference, helping minimize motion sickness even during wild jumps or drifts. Seated play is recommended, though standing options are available. The motion controls feel accurate and responsive, and the game’s support for steering wheels and pedals adds another layer of immersion for those seeking a true sim-racing experience.
That said, the realism does come with a challenge. The sensation of weight and motion is so convincing that newer VR users may need a few races to find their “VR legs.” Once you do, though, it’s hard to go back to traditional flat-screen racing.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths:
- Excellent sense of speed and physicality—vehicles feel alive and weighty.
- Immersive cockpit view and well-designed environments.
- Strong sound design that enhances realism and tension.
- Solid vehicle customization and ghost racing for solo replay value.
- Optional wheel support on PS VR2 for added authenticity.
Weaknesses:
- Early versions lacked some multiplayer and steering-wheel features.
- Track variety, while solid, could use more standout circuits.
- AI opponents can behave erratically in certain races.
- Not ideal for players sensitive to motion or intense VR movement.
- Career mode progression feels thin once the core events are complete.
Performance and Replayability
Performance across systems is generally smooth, though players on lower-end hardware may see occasional texture pop-in or lighting flicker. On PS VR2, the adaptive triggers and haptic feedback add to immersion—you feel every shift in traction or impact against terrain.
Replay value is high if you enjoy refining your driving line or chasing leaderboard positions. The combination of ghost races, multiplayer, and customizable setups provides strong incentive to return. Still, those looking for an expansive career mode or deep narrative framing may find the content a bit lean once the novelty of VR racing wears off.
Final Verdict
EXOcars VR might not reinvent the racing genre, but it stands as one of the best examples of how virtual reality can transform the experience of driving. It captures the thrill of off-road racing with a tactile, physical energy that’s impossible to replicate on a traditional screen.
For players seeking pure adrenaline and immersion, this is a must-try. While the content offering could grow and the AI could be smarter, the core experience—the moment-to-moment feeling of being in that buggy, sliding through dirt, and launching off a hill into the sunset—is exhilarating.
Bottom Line: EXOcars VR is a gritty, high-octane off-road racer that delivers where it counts: speed, immersion, and physical presence. It’s a thrilling, sweat-inducing ride that reminds you why VR exists—to put you behind the wheel and make you feel every turn, jump, and jolt.
