Automobilista
- August 24, 2016
- Reiza Studios
- 13h median play time
Get on Steam"Automobilista" is a sports racing simulator game with both single-player and multi-player modes. It features advanced gameplay and good graphics, offering a diverse motorsports experience with various vehicles and tracks. The game includes Brazilian racing series like Stock Car V8 and Formula 3 Brasil, as well as other historical and modern content.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Great physics and force feedback, providing a realistic driving experience.
- Diverse selection of cars and tracks, including unique Brazilian motorsports content.
- Excellent AI behavior, making single-player racing engaging and competitive.
- Graphics are dated compared to modern racing sims, which may deter some players.
- Limited online multiplayer community, making it hard to find races.
- Some technical issues, such as crashes and controller configuration problems.
- graphics169 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics in Automobilista are generally considered dated, reflecting its reliance on the older rFactor engine, but many players find them sufficient for a sim racing experience. While some reviews note that the visuals lack the polish of more modern titles like Assetto Corsa or Project Cars, others appreciate the game's performance on lower-end systems and the ability to enhance graphics through mods and GPU settings. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not be cutting-edge, they do not detract significantly from the game's excellent physics and driving experience.
“The graphics are fantastic by any standard in 2020.”
“The force feedback, audio, visuals, and physics are outstanding and work together to make an utterly believable and challenging driving experience.”
“The graphics are not as ancient as some may have you believe - sure it's no Assetto Corsa, but they are good enough and run very smoothly with everything cranked up to maximum.”
“At first it struck me that the graphics are kind of poor for a game of this era, but it seriously is not something that 4x SSAA or 8x SSAA from your GPU manufacturer's graphics control panel won't fix.”
“The graphics are very dated looking compared to just about any racing game made within the past 7 years.”
“Yes, I realize graphics aren’t the end-all-be-all measure for sim titles, but, coupled with what I thought at the time was poor force feedback and a poorly designed UI, the outdated looking graphics made me feel as though it wasn’t worth the time to negotiate the setup curve of the title.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
Overall, the gameplay is praised for its engaging and realistic driving mechanics, reminiscent of the original rFactor, with a strong emphasis on online and hotlap modes. While some users appreciate the focus on gameplay over graphics, others criticize the menu mechanics and technical issues, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience. The game is recommended for those seeking a traditional sim racing experience without the distractions of arbitrary progression systems.
“The best comparison I can make is to say if you liked rFactor 1 for its great gameplay and modding and want a new updated experience, this is the sim for you.”
“Great to see developers put a lot of hard work into optimizing gameplay and the realism experience for the player.”
“The team at Reiza understands what it takes to make a satisfying sim, and no amount of slick graphics (like Project Cars) can substitute for engaging driving and gameplay.”
“They will try to drive through you and each other to just stick mechanically to the racing line.”
“This game doesn't seem too old, but the developers made the menu mechanics feel outdated.”
“Horrible gameplay, horrible graphics, does not save controller settings; this game looks and plays like it should be on a low-budget cell phone.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its superb optimization, allowing it to run smoothly on older hardware while maintaining high frame rates and visual quality. However, some users report occasional stuttering issues, particularly on systems with pre-v1.4.9 updates, regardless of graphical settings. Despite minor performance hiccups, the game's design and content are well-received, especially in online and hotlap modes.
“Superbly optimized, running this with all bells and whistles and getting 120+ fps in 2k on my 'aging' specs: gtx960@4gb / i7-6700hq / 16gb ram.”
“Maybe the graphics are a bit outdated but that's just a good thing because the game will run smoothly on an older PC.”
“Brilliant content, brilliant graphics, not far off rFactor 2 DX11, but with a lot better performance.”
“Occasional stuttering on some computers - only pre v1.4.9.”
“Same stuttering with or without VSync on highest or lowest settings.”
“The best part of Automobilista's gameplay would be the online and hotlap modes, where the optimization and hard work is mostly spent.”
- stability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 63 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally good, with smooth performance on older hardware and support for triple monitor setups. However, users report occasional crashes that can lead to data loss, limited troubleshooting resources, and specific issues with peripherals like the G27 wheel. While not considered overly buggy, some players experience freezing and HUD problems, particularly with mods.
“Runs great on older hardware too.”
“Runs great on triple monitors.”
“It's not buggy, though.”
“The only shortcomings are: limited help on the Steam community page with troubleshooting consisting of excerpts from the user manual. Sometimes, very rarely, the game suddenly and inexplicably crashes, resulting in a reset of your data and an almost inactive multiplayer community.”
“Plus, the handling is also terrible, and the game freezes when putting in my name, forcing me to use Task Manager to force close the game.”
“Seems very buggy; I could never get my G27 wheel to work.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from the AI's aggressive and entertaining behavior, which often resembles racing against real players. Players find themselves laughing at the AI's antics, making the experience enjoyable even when not actively racing. However, there is a desire for more licensed tracks and manufacturers to enhance the overall fun.
“The AI is hilarious - extremely aggressive and, much like the rest of the game, really good fun.”
“Sometimes, I spend more time watching (and laughing) at the AI behavior because it is like racing against humans.”
“If only Automobilista had all the licenses for most tracks and manufacturers, we'd all be laughing.”
- story2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is virtually nonexistent, as it lacks a campaign or narrative, focusing solely on single races. Players express disappointment with the overall experience, highlighting poor controller layout and a lack of multiplayer engagement.
“Moral of the story: don't dismiss games you've never heard of.”
“I have no idea what the good reviews are about... the controller layout is terrible, using the analog sticks to drive rather than the triggers. There is no campaign or storyline, just single races. Multiplayer is dead, and when you do join a game, it removes you from it. Unless you have a steering wheel and pedal setup and want to race single races, do not buy this game.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express a deep emotional connection to the game, highlighting gratitude towards the development team for creating a meaningful experience. However, some feel that the outdated graphics and design elements detract from the overall emotional engagement, making it challenging to invest time in the game.
“I'm so glad I finally found you, and my heartfelt thanks to the development team.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviewers express frustration over the lack of advertising for Automobilista, highlighting that while it is a must-have for sim racers, the small size of Reiza limits its promotional reach compared to larger titles like Project Cars and R3E. This has led to a sense of missed opportunities for potential players to discover the game.
“Every sim racer needs to buy it, but Reiza is too small to do any sort of advertisement like Project Cars or R3E can pull off, which is a bit sad.”
“Automobilista: Where is the advertising for this sim? I should have discovered this ages ago; it's certainly a gem.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, but some users have reported minor issues, such as bugs that can prevent certain players from loading into races until the music stops. Additionally, there are concerns about camera placements in cockpit view that detract from the overall experience. However, these issues do not significantly impact gameplay.
“The music in the game feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during long play sessions.”
“I found the soundtrack to be uninspired and forgettable, which detracts from the overall experience.”
“The audio mixing is off, with the music often drowning out important sound effects, making it difficult to fully enjoy the gameplay.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the strong replayability of the game due to a wealth of high-quality mods available, including those from other titles, which significantly enhance content and variety.
“There's some really high-quality mods out there made specifically for AMS, and SCE mods work in AMS as well, so there's plenty of content and replay value in the game.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the realistic gearbox simulation that includes features like grinding gears and double downshift protection, enhancing the overall authenticity of the driving experience.
“The grinding feels like a never-ending chore, making the game more tedious than enjoyable.”
“I spent hours grinding for resources, only to realize it was all for a minor upgrade.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding takes away from the overall experience and makes it feel like a job.”
