Right, here it is, the racing games I play with a fortune cookie's worth of commentary to go with them.
1. Automobilista 2 / AMS2
Buy it. A fantastic game with a great collection of cars and tracks that is only getting better. Not an outright sim, but better for it. Current graphics etc make for a great game.
2. Assetto Corsa Competizione / ACC
Great GT3 and GT4 sim. The game is unforgiving, but the cars are. If you're planning on running this on a potato forget it. Rewards great everything, driving, equipment and mates. Online shines but also stinks as often frequented by myopic angry people who think they're Fangio.
3. Assetto Corsa (the older one) / AC
The everything sim. If you collect cars and tracks then this is the game for you. Content Manager is essential. You're rewarded with a game that is still current, runs on the aforementioned potato and drives amazingly well. Online marred (for me) by not having AI to race against in race nights.
4. Rfactor2 / RF2
The great grandparent of racing games, and as just as delusional. The physics in this game are as great as the UI is bad. And if you're planning on setting up a server and racing, be prepared for some serious madness. If you do manage the masonic ritual of setup then you're rewarded with excellent racing for sure, just mangled in a UI and setup environment that's less than optimal.
5. Grid (the new Grid, not the old Grid, etc)
I do actually really like this game. It's a great arcade racer for chilling out with. Every bit as good (as far as I can tell) as that Project Cars version that shall not be named. Oh and it looks great too. Pro advice, get a digital dashboard so you have shift lights, etc - it makes the game far better.
6. Project Cars 2 / PCars2
A dated game now, but get all the content and ramp up the settings and it still feels current. Probably one of the best all-round packages for content in any game (not including community mods). Largely speaking it's the same physics as AMS2 which is based on this, just less polished. I'd say hard to tell the difference for average gaming.
7. Grid Autosport (the old Grid!)
If you can get this to run with your wheel and can max the graphics you'll be pleasantly surprised. Worth the sub $10 it often is as a true simcade game erring towards the 'cade end. Everything is very last-gen but great for all that.
8. Race Room Racing Experience / R3E
I so want to like this game but I can't. Content adds up to eye-watering prices too quickly. The physics feel remarkably PCars2 for all that, and getting wheels to work seemed too much like hard work. If I had patience and money (No, I've not got my mind set on you, like the song), I'd get into this as generally an OK game. But not remarkable when you have the catalog of games above.
9. Dirt Rally 2.0
Buy this game if you like rally racing. It really is exceptional. Racing the slower club cars feels great as you can thrash the bejesus out of them and still get to the end of the stage. Whoever can race the old 911 on gravel in the rain has my respect. An uncompromising rally sim that's not half bad.
8. WRC 9
Loved WRC 7 & 6 on the PlayStation. Not really getting it on the PC. It looks great, and I think generally is. But the arms race of reality rallying with the Dirt series has made this less accessible to the casual gamer. Does look great though. Loses points as no fancy digital dash data feed.
9. Spintires / Mudrunner
Yes I know they're separate games, but to the rest of us they're one and the same, and frankly, little to chose between them. Polish vs. Mod mostly. All sorts of sordid history in these two games. So very East European. On PS4 Mudrunner was a great beer and chill game, somehow it doesn't seem to have the same feel on PC.
10. Dirt 4
A favourite on PS4, uninstalled on PC. It is the same game and looks and feels the same. And it is an excellent game. But, on PC the controls interface, specifically saving it to the next time you play is severely broken. It's so annoying, I wanted to like this game on PC, but frustration at actually getting into it outpaces the enjoyment. Avoid on modern equipment.
11. Dirt 1.0 (the one before Dirt 2.0)
Free all over the place. The first attempt at a rally simulator from the Dirt team and they nailed it. Just not as polished as Dirt 2.0 I find. Somehow harder. Looks and feels great though for the price.
12. Seb Loeb Rally
Exactly the same issues as with Dirt 4, except you can't even set the gear up in the first place. Great game on PS4 though!
And so there it is. My current collection of games, most installed, a few not. The reality is that race night is on AMS2, off nights is Dirt 2.0 and AC with a smattering of PCars2 and ACC when I want to mix it up.
