My favorite racing game ever! Racing is my favorite genre. When it comes to simulation racing this is the only game...
User Rating: 9.8 | Forza Motorsport XBOX
My favorite racing game ever! Racing is my favorite genre. When it comes to simulation racing this is the only game...YOU NEED. I love the Gran Turismo series but this beats it. I became a racing nut with Need For Speed and GT2 but Forza is the only racing game I play regularly now. I have had it for about 5 months. I have about 30 hours in it as my schedule of working 40 hours kids, wife and 8 hours of pre-med prereqs just don't allow for huge blocks of time. Strengths: Realism, Crash Model, Sound, Physics engine (for traction), customization, and the graphic beauty. Weaknesses: Narrow look to cars, graphics not as good as GT4, Not as many cars as GT2 and GT4.-That is it. The realistic driving is the most profound thing about this game. Yes, the customization blows GT4 away, but when the rubber meets the road it is the fact that crashing and poor driving hurt your car's ability to maintain your pace that sets this game apart. When you know that each time you hit the wall or another car you are damaging your car, then you are gripped by a new reality in gaming. This reality keeps you riveted to the game and focused on keeping the car on the road lest you dash your wheel on a stone. The worse thing that can happen you are painfully aware is crashing and taking your 1st place position to last just like that because you know that drive train just can't keep up with the other cars now that you have smashed it up. Intensity is what that creates beyond what you could dream of in GT4. This intensity is what all of us thrill seekers are looking for. The crash model not only shows the damage with precise cosmetic accurracy, but makes the inflicted damage a real part of the game if you are man or woman enough for it. It allows you to turn the feature from cosmetic to limited to full simulation where you can DNF if you destroy your car beyond mobility. Reward is there for those who are not faint at heart. If you are able and willing you can play full simulation by making that your setiting in the difficulty settings. You will receive more money for each race you win if you have full damage simulation turned on along with other difficulty money increasing settings. On the flip side you can race just like GT4 with wall crashing available in the arcadish style which will just cosmetically tear your car apart. This is however, still rewarding as it is hilarious to see your glass all cracked up, bumper dragging and hood bent out of shape still flying at over 150mph. So, in my book you still got GT4 plus the looks of damage. The customization is beyond any game I have played, though GT4 is quite competitive. This game does basically what GT4 does with car tuning and then allows you to customize the looks with decals, very individulalistic paint-jobs and wings. It also allows for major customization of gameplay such as the afore mentioned damage settings and computer aids, such as traction control, and a driving line. Online play is available though I haven't tried it yet due to my budget. I plan on it as gamespot says that it is what makes the game special, being able to sell your custom cars and race with 6 or is it 8 human opponents. I can't wait! Sound of the car engines is something GT fans have complained about forever and Forza really seems to have great sounds that vary with each car. Soundtrack for Forza is my favorite racing soundtrack with good variety, not just hip hop or just rock. Car selection is 220+ which is the best non-GT selection and is not bad at all considering that GT3 was only 172? The game also lets you choose your continent which customizes car availability and prices and makes for more replay value if you are willing to try different continents later. Graphics are good but the cars take on a slightly taller than they should look on my tv, maybe it is a setting problem, but I suspect the 3D modeling is just not as perfect. This is my favorite game in my collection.
