Top 5 Racing Games and More From EA's Steam Sale

Titanfall 2

The first item on the list is not quite a racing game, but at just $3, it's a fantastic single-player mech shooter you shouldn't miss. Sadly, Titanfall 2 fell victim to one of gaming history's gravest sins and turned out to be a commercial failure.

EA launched Titanfall the same week they released another highly anticipated shooter, Battlefield I. A week later, Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare also came out. The purpose behind EA's awful marketing strategy was to directly compete with CoD with everything they had.

Aside from the fact that no one should release anything close to Activision's juggernaut, Titfanfall 2 and Battlefield 1 cannibalized each other. Unlike the first Titanfall, which only came out on Xbox and PC, Titanfall 2 was also released on PS4. In theory, this meant more sales, but the result couldn't have been worse.

The first iteration sold over 10 million copies, while the second barely crossed the 4-million threshold. It was all because of horrible marketing decisions, even though the game itself was nothing short of stellar. Now, at 3 bucks, it's more than a steal.

Star Wars: Squadrons

Next up it's Star Wars: Squadrons, an excellent space shooter that sadly didn't find its proper footing in today's Live Service-filled landscape. The gameplay feels like every fan's dream since they first laid eyes or hands on the '80s arcade Star Wars games.

The only problem is that many people are reporting technical issues, and that's why it has a lot of thumbs down in the Steam reviews. However, I'm not advising you to cough up 40 bucks for it but to let you know that it's already part of EA Play's subscription at no extra cost. EA Play is also part of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so it should also be there.

If this doesn't tickle your fancy and you're more of an old-school gamer, then you could try reliving your childhood days with classics like 1999's Star Wars Episode I Racer for $8, Shadows of the Empire from 1997 at $5, Roque Squadron 3D (1998) for $8, 1993's Rebel Assault I+II at $8, Rebellion from '98 at $5, and many, many... many more like X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter, X-Wing Special Edition, X-Wing Alliance, etc. They're all priced at around 8 bucks.

Burnout Paradise Remastered

Another gem with technical issues awaits you for $5, Burnout Paradise Remastered. During my high school years, this game kept me busy on my fat PS3 for months.

I adored this title because of its uncaring free spirit that screamed, "Take it or leave it!" Jumping through billboards at over 150 mph, racing like a maniac through the streets while ramming into my opponents like my life depended on it, was the closest thing I had ever experienced to an urban Motorstorm.

Sure, there was Motorstorm Apocalypse, but the game didn't precisely fill you with warm fuzzy feelings because of the indirect connection to the tragic Fukushima incident. This was one of the main reasons the series died after Apocalypse.

DIRT

The controversial Dirt 5 is next on our list, just shy of $14. This one is tricky because it has fans divided into two main camps. The people from the first half love completing challenges, drifting, sliding, and turning at breakneck speeds, and they don't have anything but kind words for the game.

However, the other half... not so much. The main complaint is the apparent stylized and gameplay departure from Dirt 4, which was more challenging and had a more realistic driving feel.

The game itself isn't bad by any measure, but it depends on what you expect to get out of it. The main problem I had with it was the difficulty. At Medium, I found myself driving over the finish line miles ahead of the competition, so I had to adjust it to a more demanding degree because no challenge meant no fun.

For those who want a less arcadey racer, Dirt 2.0 is one of the most brutal games from its genre, and it's just 5 bucks.

NFS Unbound

Last on today's list is Need for Speed Unbound at $21, and surprise, surprise, it has mixed reviews as well. Apparently, game devs have a tough time pleasing most driving fans.

In my opinion, Unbound is one of the best NFS iterations in recent history. I wasn't crazy about the last three or four titles, but from the second I pressed the gas pedal in Unbound, it felt as an NFS title should: fast and fun while looking great.

Ultimately, it's an arcade-style video game that you should have stupid fun with. It goes without saying that everyone is entitled to their opinion, especially when they're spending money on a product. Still, you shouldn't expect games with "Need for Speed" in their title to offer this fantastic, cathartic experience like The Last of Us.

If any of these haven't piqued your interest, rest assured, there are many more where they come from. Just don't forget, before you buy anything from EA on Steam, make sure the offer is better than what EA Play or EA Play Pro have in their catalog.