Motorstorm: Apocalypse. (When it comes out)

This

_______

till then GT5...and I haven't even played it yet lol

I've tried a whole number of this generations racing games (Blur, Split/Second, Forza, NfS, Modnation Racers, PGR, GRID, DIRT, Fuel, Pure,Midnight Club LA and and and), but Burnout Paradise was easily my absolute favourite.

I have to admit I didn't try GT5 yet, but I'm sure I would still prefer Burnout Paradise as I'm more into arcade racers anyway. Burnout Paradise is just great and many stores sell the "Ultimate Box" version (=standard version with most DLC already included) for less than 20 Euros right now. The hilarious crash mode alone is worth 20 Euros!

GT6 or Dirt 3. :P

I've played one of the GT5 demos, and I'm not a huge racing sim fan and due to delays I lost interest in GT5 after buying other racing games, so I probably won't play the full game for quite a while (if ever). Also, from the demo I played GT5 takes way too much effort to run a good race. I've played other racing "sim" games and they weren't nearly as hard to control (granted that was years and years ago). However, IGN does note "All wonderfully accurate, and for those who like wrestling with untamed machinery impossibly exhilarating. But others may understandably find it all a little daunting. Thankfully Polyphony has had the foresight to open up its superlative handling model to all-comers, and Gran Turismo 5 is more approachable than its predecessors thanks to some all-new assists that can make hurling around a pedigree GT car as carefree as driving one of the all-new karts." So maybe it isn't so bad, but I wouldn't know.

If you are looking for something a bit more "arcady", then for PS3 I really liked both DiRT 2 and Burnout Paradise. For a pure racer I give DiRT 2 the nod, however Burnout Paradise does have a lot of cool things you can do like tricks and crashing people. DiRT 2 is most offroad racing with lots of drifting around corners. If you want a street racing game, then I've heard that GRID is really good too (made by the people who made DiRT 2). Also Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is getting really good scores, but I haven't played it.

Get GT5.  And then get Motorstorm: Apocolypse.  In fact, get Pacific Rift if you haven't already. DO IT.

Driving a car above 200mph shouldn't be easy, and to do a perfect lap can be reaaaaaaaly hard, if you drive in real life you now how hard is to do the things you try in GT5, and it's "so life like"...

But newcomers will love the Assists, altought for the Challenges you will have to turn them down as is impossible to beat those times with assists (they make the car slower and harder to drift, because prevent whell spin and sliding).

With time and patience you'll honey your skills and maybe like it.

I know that driving a car at 200mph shouldn't be easy. I'm well aware. I haven't raced any of the super cars in GT5, and I'm not saying GT5 isn't doing a good job of simulating the real world. However, driving my crap honda 100mph I shold be able to break it down to 40 or so and make a corner without too much trouble since I can in real life. Nor was I arguing that I should be able to make a perfect lap. However, I should be able to make a decent lap, but it takes me forever to get it down in GT5. I think my biggest problem with the most realistic racing sims is that I don't feel the car. Without feeling the car I have no sense of speed and from there everything goes downhill.

Wipeout HD: Fury imo. Wins, Easily... even with kart racers.

imagine if they made an original game. Instead of re-skinned, somewhat rephysics, and new modes, fabulous looking psp port. be useful sony and make this >_>

GT5

and wipeout