One of the most troubled racing games ever made is Project Torque. Invictus Games and Aeria Games’ free-to-play racing title was formerly known as Level-R and garnered a decent community of gamers who enjoyed online simcade racing games with a decent level of customization, mini-games, and various racing disciplines. But for one reason or another each time Project Torque would launch something would happen and it would end up getting shut down shortly thereafter. Well, Invictus Games is back again, and this time they have Jogara as the publisher of the Steam version of Project Torque.

The game is currently available as a free-to-play racer over on the Steam store.

I remember covering this game passionately many years before due to its easy-going take on the racing genre where it wasn’t quite as arcade-driven as Need For Speed but not quite as simulation oriented as Forza Motorsport or Gran Turismo. It was a fine combination of something nestled in between the two polar opposites, where it was easy enough for gamers to pick up and play but required time, dedication, and serious skill to progress into the upper echelons of the game’s higher tier offerings.

Graphically the game definitely looks like something out the PS2 or OG Xbox era, but the highlights of Project Torque were all under the hood.

There were rally races, street races, circuit races, and various other miscellaneous mini-games such as capture the flag.

You had to unlock different cars to compete in different types of races, and you had to earn cash and upgrade your car to compete in higher tier races.

Customization was nowhere near as in-depth as games like Forza or the recent Need For Speed titles, but you could at times put a small stamp of personality onto your fiberglass-encased, combustion-powered chariot.

Oh, and I almost forgot that the load screens were filled with scantily clad ladies.

This was back during a time when grid girls weren’t banned and hot females were a staple for helping to sell a game.

The handling on the vehicles was passable but not spectacular, and the crash damage was fairly cheesy. But even still, it was a fun game at the time and it reminded me of a multi-discipline version of Ridge Racer, had they chosen to go that route.

If you had some spare gigabyte and some free time, Project Torque might be worth checking out. I haven’t played the game in ages, and it never lasted long before it was shut down for one reason or another, but you can check it out right now as a free-to-play title over on the Steam store.