Forza Motorsports 3
So since the launch of Forza three on October 27th, i have been neglecting writing my review on the 3rd installment of this very successful racing franchise. When the Original Forza came out, i thought the game would not do well because of the fact that Gran Turismo had such a huge following, however since then it has become apparent that the GT franchise i thought was untouchable has been dethroned. I'm not saying that Forza 3 is better than GT5. The graphics on GT5 will more than likely be stunning, and the diversity of the racing in GT5 is simply remarkable, however i do think Forza has taken away a lot of those people who have been introduced to console racing recently. Now i know that there are many people who are waiting on GT5 patiently, with its supposed launch sometime in 2010, but the fact that Forza has already sold 2 million copies has to sit well with Turn 10 the developer of Forza.
Game Review:Forza 3 itself is a great cross between a simulation racer where all aspects of the car and racing are completely accurate with an arcade game where you can tint your windows, put crazy paint jobs on cars and spend hours looking at what other people have created in the Storefront(more on this new feature later). The game itself now takes you on a trip as a new driver where you race your way through seasons of racing until you reach the pinnacle in the R1 Series. This allows you to make significant progress in career with the guidance of the seasons.
GameplayOverall i think the gameplay is very similar to FM2. I am not sure if i notice any big changes, but the cars do seem to handle more realistically. One major change to the overall game that i did enjoy is the Rewind feature. This allows you to rewind your game back to a point before that last corner wreck that is inevitable when you are bored at the end of a 20 minute race. You can now also flip your car, this adds a feeling of shock the first time that you roll your car, and watch in amazement. Drifting and Drag racing modes have been added to the game that make online play more enjoyable. The only problem is you probably wont win the online Drags unless you have a Datsun 510(every time i go online with mine i get booted from the Lobby, apparently people don't like Datsuns....haha), and the Drifting is hard to master if you haven't done it before. Most people go into the drifting in a car with way to much horsepower, when the best thing is a stout car that has a tuned suspension and lightened to allow quick acceleration, but not overkill considering your lucky to get over 90 in a drift race anyway.
CarsThe cars within Forza 3 are simply astonishing. Almost no one will be satisfied entirely with the list as you can guarantee that their is a car everyone thinks should be in the game that was not included. Personally i can rattle off a few that i would like to see soon:
- Delorean DMC 12
- 1969 Pontiac Trans Am
- 1990 Eagle Talon TSi
- Chevy Trailblazer SS
- GMC Typhoon/Syclone
- Jeep Grand Cherokee Hemi
- Chevy Silverado SS
- Ford F150 Raptor
- Mitsubishi Starion
These are just a few of the cars that i would personally like to see in the game. Overall however, there is a great mix of cars, whether you like Domestics or Imports, or you like slow F Class cars or R1 race cars such as the new Acura and Peugeot race cars, there is something everyone will enjoy driving.
Car rewards have been changed slightly in FM3. Instead of receiving a car for every 5 levels, you now get one for every level you move up in your career. This allows you to get some sweet rides and build one heck of a garage quickly in the game.
TracksThere are over 100 variations of all the tracks in the game. Some of the Highlights of Tracks added and updated are:
- Le Mans
- Updated Nurburgring
- Road America
- Road Atlanta
- Twin Motegi in Japan
- among others.
I would have liked to have seen more tracks have been added to the mix, but i imagine it gets costly buying the licensing for each track. One track that i have heard consist requests to be added to the game though is Bathurst in Australia, and with the addition of the Ford and Holden v8 Supercars, i cant understand why it wasnt included.
GraphicsThe Graphics in Forza 3 are quite simply pretty amazing, and it definitely has my vote as best graphics ever on a Xbox 360 racing game. The detail that was put into each car is outstanding down to the tail lights and fog lights that look realistic. The in car view ads a sense of realism to the game as you can go flying down the road in the drivers seat of a Ferrari, something most will never experience in real life. The Tracks themselves have improved greatly over their primitive Forza 2 graphics. The scenery and track look more real then ever, and some of the tracks have been updated with new configurations that had been changed since Forza 2.
StorefrontThe addition of the Storefront to me represents what makes FM3 special. With the ability and ease of selling a single logo to another player, and not having to auction an entire car, it really allows for a person to make some significant money and buy some great work. You can also purchase tunes for your cars in the Storefront, which save time and can instantly give you a great tune for any environment.
Here is a picture of a License Plate i made for my Corvette Zr1 that went into the Storefront.
.jpg)
Auction HouseThe Auction House is slightly different in FM3 in the fact that all auctions are now locked. This is a nice feature as you know your work cant be stolen, however it is annoying if you accidentally delete the design you bought online. I was able to make about 3 million credits in the last 3 weeks in the auction house by selling cars i had bought previously at discounted rates in the Auction House. This can be a great money maker, but definitely time consuming.
In Conclusion, i really think that Sony was left at the Harbor and the boat of simulation racing has sailed away from them because of the following that Forza has grown, and in some cases including mine, taken away from the Gran Turismo franchise. I know that GT5 will sell a lot of copies, but i really wonder if Microsoft wasn't the smart one by releasing a game that may not have been as breath taking as GT5, but is nonetheless fun and what most look for in a simulation game, all the while PS3 fans still wait on the game that apparently will be perfect at launch. Whenever that day comes.
I give the game 8 out of 8 Cylinders
.jpg)
