As with any racing game, sim-based or arcade, two of the biggest factors that will ultimately decide its fate are driving physics and AI ability. If you’re at all familiar with the NASCAR series by European-based developer Eutechnyx, then you probably realize these two areas have been extremely problematic since the series launched back in 2011 -- and two primary reasons why NASCAR 15 is the studio's last entry (assuming they did most of the development after the transition to DMi back in January, which seems to be the case).

The Tom Dusenberry-Ed Martin co-founded development group, DMi Racing, now controls the NASCAR license and will build a sim-based game from scratch that should release in 2016. For now though, a NASCAR fan's only choice for this year is NASCAR '15, presented by DMi Racing and developed by Eutechnyx.
 

Handling

Most of us have never been privy to driving an actual stock car that one would see navigating its way around the track on Sunday -- in real life at least. If you follow the sport though, even in a casual sense, then you know that a Sprint Cup car can look and feel extremely smooth and fluid if mechanically dialed in to fit the track and driver’s needs.

On the flip side, the car can also feel like driving a tank at 200 mph. For example, it could be loose going into a turn and tight coming out. In this sense, NASCAR '15 does a decent job of replicating that feeling, but sadly it almost feels unintentional.

The ease of handling is not predicated on you and your digital crew chief’s ability to create a perfect setup for each and every track, but rather on the track itself. What does that mean? It means that while NASCAR '15 does offer up the ability to create or use in-game track specific setups, neither option translates well to the track. It always feels as if your car handles the exact same way on every track, with very little deviation and with user input meaning very little.

If you watch any one of the 43 drivers that you see on the track driving on Sunday (or occasionally Saturday night) then you know that it is a fluid situation where the driver is constantly giving feedback, and the crew chief and pit crew are constantly tweaking the vehicle. None of this plays out in NASCAR '15 the way you would see it in real life. And while some of the driving at certain tracks is actually fun, NASCAR '15 does not come close to giving the user a realistic and authentic experience, once again.
 

AI Ability

To many, the AI ability to navigate the track -- with an understanding that you and 41 other drivers are also present -- has been the biggest downfall of the NASCAR series by Eutechnyx. It has been all too common to see an AI opponent bury the nose of its car into your rear quarter panel in a turn, or routinely slide up the track to employ a maneuver to overtake an opponent that would possibly get one black-flagged in a real race.

It has always felt like the developers watched the movie Days of Thunder, and took crew chief Harry Hogge’s line "rubbing is racing" to heart. The AI will rub you, along with push, grind, wreck, and pretty much anything else you would never see on a track in real life, and make it a common practice in its attempt to overtake you on the track.

When I fired up NASCAR '15, I fully expected to see much of the same, but to my surprise, it seems as though this is an area that has actually has been improved a small amount (ringing endorsement, right?) What I did notice was an AI opponent who occasionally understood it was not just out independently turning practice laps, and opponents who actually understood there were multiple lines (or grooves) on the track. In other words, it was not just a slot-car race from 1981.

Sadly that is where the improvements seemingly end as the AI still struggles qualifying, still struggles getting on and off pit road, and still employs tandem racing. It was a pleasant surprise to see the opponent AI making better and more realistic choices in regards to track awareness and race lines, but not nearly enough has been improved upon in this small update to call the AI a competent opponent.
 

The good folks over at DMi racing were very honest about what NASCAR '15 was going to be, and what it was not. Unless you absolutely have to have updated paint schemes, rosters, and a small improvement in AI on-track decision making, I can’t recommend picking up NASCAR '15. We have a solid feeling about what DMi can do next year now that they have full control, and no longer have to deal with the leftovers of what Eutechnyx created -- but that's next year.