

The new damage model features a host of special effects including dented fenders, smoking engines and tires, and other car parts that'll fly off your car and litter the track. The car models and racing environments are colorful and detailed. The graphics in the game are outstanding. And if you're competing in the Career Mode, you'll be able to monitor your progress with the most comprehensive set of statistics I've seen yet. Much like the real thing, each race allows you to practice, qualify, and visit the garage where you can fine tune and adjust your car with over 100 different parts. The CPU competition is primed to bump fenders and beat you to the finish line each and every race. You can customize the control configuration, but no matter which one you choose, your car will handle like a dream. But if you’re actively looking for a racing game to play today, I’d look elsewhere.The game features one of the best control schemes to date. If you want to believe in the future of the franchise and the potential of 704Games, pick this up. Heat 5 was clearly an awkward in-between generation game made to collect some extra funds for its sequel which looks likely to be the first Heat game in a long time to run on a brand new engine. Despite this and the game’s obvious flaws, that doesn’t mean there’s no reason to buy it. It’s not terrible either but in this extremely competitive genre, you’d do better playing almost any other mainstream racer on the market.

Truth be told, NASCAR Heat 5 is not a particularly good racing game. Given the extra input lag and jittery gameplay that comes along with borderless windowed, this is an unfortunate oversight. Despite the option of the full-screen mode being present, enabling it puts your game into borderless windowed instead. Also, NASCAR Heat 5 is the latest game to not understand the difference between full-screen and borderless windowed.
