Forza Motorsport Review – Keeping Pace

It can be rare for a newer franchise to challenge a well-established genre leader for the throne, but that’s precisely what the Forza Motorsport series has done since its first entry in 2005. Gran Turismo vs Forza Motorsport have been dueling in frontrunners of the sim-racing category since 2005. Forza Motorsport takes the simplest approach possible to stay on pace with rival Gran Turismo.

It’s never been more fun to speed around the track. The combination of excellent visuals and physics create a racing experience that is second to none. Track surface, weather and tire wear are just some of the factors that determine the way your vehicle feels and handles.

In the hundreds of laps I drove, I can’t remember any instance when I skidded off the track or allowed an opponent to overtake me where I didn’t immediately understand what I did wrong. The penalty system intended to deter cutting corners and ramming into opponents, however, is not as clear. One intentionally caused accident resulted in no penalties, but the same system docked more than a moment for routine paint trading around a turn. It is admirable that it aims to discourage cutting corners or ramming opponents, yet the system penalized me for a routine paint-trading around a corner.

Single-player races are spiced up by the series’ trademark Drivatar feature, which helps A.I. Drivers behave like actual players. I like that the A.I. still makes mistakes and mimics players’ tendencies. The drivers spin out and onto the rubble. This dynamic behavior adds some variety to the otherwise simple career mode.

Forza Motorsport’s career mode was where I spent the most time. In the campaign, you can choose from a variety of themed tours and cups to participate in. You may be required to compete in certain categories or drive specific vehicles. I appreciate the simple nature of playing through various cups in successive order, though I would have liked more freedom in the mode’s progression and car collection.

You can earn credits to purchase more cars and you can also upgrade your cars in an RPG-lite twist. You can level up your car as you accomplish certain achievements on the racetrack. As I gained more experience by posting best times for individual tracks, this became a habit. However, I don’t like that upgrade components are locked behind your car level. These arbitrary level gates made me less interested in going in and tweaking my cars’ parts manually; instead of trying to figure out which parts were unlocked with my newest level-up, I often opted just to have the game optimize the upgrade for me.

For those who want to compete against real people instead of their Drivatars, Forza Motorsports’ capable multiplayer suite offers several avenues to take on racers from across the globe. Featured races offer a diverse array of events starring different cars in the expansive Forza garage with a set start time, but I loved jumping into instant-action Rivals events, where you’re tasked with beating another player’s time. They were some of the most memorable moments in my life as I beat my opponent’s time.

Forza Motorsport stands out in the field of racing games that are known for their stunning visuals. Forza Motorsport’s 20 tracks feature weather, intricate details, and other features that create a realistic world. But the real stars are the cars. Whether you’re driving around in common street cars from Honda and Ford, supercars from Ferrari and McLaren, or the various racing-tuned speed machines on offer, each vehicle’s impressive look and sound match the uncompromised feel of the on-the-track action.

You can visually customize each of the more than 500 launch cars with custom paint jobs and vinyls, but I’m disappointed by the limited body-customization options. I’m also underwhelmed by the damage, which is a shame since so much of the game is built around attention to detail. My car was only slightly damaged when I crashed into a brick wall or rolled after being T-boned. My immersion in the game was broken every time I had an accident, no matter how realistically dirt accumulated around specific parts of the car during a race. The lack of overt damage is particularly noticeable when you have the performance-impacting damage setting from higher difficulties on and your car is struggling to stay on the road, but it looks like it was in little more than a fender bender.

Forza Motorsport’s career mode may not be the most detailed, but the game executes every element of it exceptionally well. Forza Motorsport, though some progressions and visuals are not as realistic as the other titles in this genre, is still a contender for pole position.