It is almost 10 years since the unusually named BeamNG.drive came onto the PC car game scene. Whereas the majority of car games are racing-based, and you can definitely do that in Beam, the game has always tried to be much more of a car simulator, simulating the physics with its soft body model allowing you to smash up just about anything.
Want to see how a certain car would react when crashing into a wall at 20mph? Sure. How about at 60? You can easily check out the difference.
A huge modding scene means just about any vehicle anybody has cared about (there are over 1500 at last count) is available, as are license plates from just about anywhere, more terrain and maps than you will ever have time to play and so much more.
Despite coming out in 2015 the game is still classed as Early Access, and as the latest update – version 0.33 shows, that number indicates that the devs still think they are nowhere near done with this just yet.
As much as many Early Access games get incessant shade thrown at them for being in development for so long, Beam’s quarter of a million reviews that see it as rated Overwhelmingly Positive on Steam show the love the car gaming community has for the title. And if you have never heard of it, it’s on sale now (but not for long)so you should really pick it up.
BeamNG.drive devs explained the latest update to the game in a Steam post, saying, “As the days grow shorter and the weather colder, we’re rolling out something to keep you cozy and entertained indoors. Version 0.33 brings a new vehicle, loads of fixes and improvements for vehicles, levels, and gameplay, along with a powerful new tool for the World Editor. Crucial work has also been done under the hood, clearing the path for future improvements.”
The game has been described many times as having the best physics engine you can imagine and the sandbox nature of the game means you are not set on any path other than the one you want to go on.
A steering wheel controller is recommended but not necessary to get the most out of BeamNG.Drive but you can play okay with a controller.
With constant updates and officially supported mods this latest update should keep you happy until Assetto Corsa Evo arrives.