Simbin had an opportunity to bring Xbox racing sims into a new level or realism, but forgot the bug exterminator!
First of all let me start off by saying that the driving physics (by that I mean actually driving a car round a track with no other opponents) is absolutely top notch. I've driven real cars at track days in the past and this game feels great. Simbin have manage to craft a driving experience like no other, but they unfortunately forgot to craft a good gaming environment to go with it.
The problems with Race Pro become noticeable when you first start racing and most of the problems are cause by an AI system that would have been archaic 10 years ago, let alone today.
When you enter and leave the pits the car becomes AI controlled and it keeps you on the rev limiter until you're right in the middle of the racing line on some tracks. Car doing 80 Kmh on the rev limiter in the middle of the racing line and other cars racing each other at over 120 Kmh moving along the same racing line is a recipe for disaster and it's something the developers should have tested and fixed. Also when you cross the line at the end of a race, your car becomes AI controlled and it will often lose control of the car.
The AI cars have a very nasty habit of braking in the acceleration zone out of corners. So you'll think it's clear to accelerate and you'll drive into the back of the car in front. Or you'll hesitate in anticipation of the car in front slowing and get nerfed by the car behind.
When an AI car tries to pass you in a tight corner, it may try to drive across the grass, bypassing the corner completely.
Your car is subject to cold brakes and tyres at the start of a race, however the AI cars are not. So you'll brake earlier than normal, but the AI cars will brake quite late and sometimes drive into the back of you. Or you'll try braking at the same point as the AI and find that the car has all the braking characteristics of a dog on a shiny floor.
Your car has no weight to it. I got bored and decided not to brake into a corner. I smacked the car in front on it's right rear side at full speed. Now he should have been pushed off the track or spun completely around and he carried on going as if I hadn't hit him... Also when barging in a pack, you car is always the one to get pushed off the circuit, you can't push the AI cars.
All in all, I think the driving physics of this game are great, but the game itself is so full of bugs it feels like a beta release. In short:
Very realistic handling and physics, but it looks and feels like it was made about 10 years ago... The AI is a bit dumb, the graphics are very low spec and it's really easy to win races because the AI cars will often pit at the wrong time. For example I made an 8 lap Mini race this morning and was having fun racing from the back of the pack.I'd made it up to 8th in a 15 car race, when on the last lap just before the lead car crossed the line, all the AI cars pulled into the pits and gifted me the win.
I think it very likely they decided to make it mostly for multiplayer use and didn't really bother bug testing the single player game.
My advice if you're thinking of getting it is hold of at least 6-8 months so they can get it patched.