When in comes to racing games the Sony lovers have their Gran Turismo series and Microsoft fanboys have Forza Motorsport, both games very focused on offering a simulation-like experience to the player. The rivalry has been going back and forth for some years now with each game in the series producing better results than the last, and so it continues with the release of Forza Motorsport 3 for the Xbox 360. This is the second Forza title to be unveiled on Microsoft’s next-gen console but the improvements over its predecessor are of epic proportions. Some of the largest complaints about Forza 2 were about the game’s accessibility and how it really only appealed to the hardest of the hardcore racing gamers, number 3 is much better in every way. This time around developer Turn 10 has made all kinds of tweaks and additions to make sure that all experience-level players can have a good time with the game. Going into this review we were not sure exactly what to expect, 3 days and 50+ hours of gameplay later and one thing has been made crystal clear: Forza Motorsport 3 will compete with the big-dogs of the racing genre and is a simply stunning video game.
The real meat of this game is the season mode, and just like many other aspects of the title there is a new addition to Forza 3 that makes for a much more fun overall experience. Gamers who have been with Turn 10 for the first two racing games will know very well just how confusing the season mode can be, reminiscent of a massive periodic table mixes with an Excel spread sheet. That craziness is still there should you choose to use it but something much more familiar to fans of other racing games made it way into this hardcore franchise. It’s basically a calendar setup that allows players to navigate through the single-player mode with ease, and to be honest it just makes the game more enjoyable to play. The campaign mode is broken down into “years” with each one consisting of a multitude of different races and locations. The system works by simultaneously progressing through the years as your skill improves and garage fills up with more impressive (see powerful) vehicles, and there are more vehicle types on this disc than we have ever seen before. Once again there is something here for everyone –and because of that Forza Motorsport 3 is becomes the most successful racing game on the Xbox 360 – no mater what type of gamer you are.
All of the minute things that gamers expect from the Forza series in regards to car customization are back with the third in the series. Everything from the color of your car to the type of shocks to rim color down to specific engine tweaks is available to those looking to create a personable and realistic experience. Although the full detail-by-detail upgrade system is in Forza 3 the developers this time around put in what is known as the “quick upgrade” option – allowing for even the most newbie racers to pimp out their ride. This has to be one of the best new additions to the franchise and was a welcome sight to us non-hardcore racing fans. It’s nice to be able to get under the hood and change the pistons or specify the air-ratio for the exhaust but it makes it much easier when you can do all the same things with just the push of one button. We have a feeling that this will keep both the long-standing Forza fans happy as well as the gamers diving into the franchise for the first time. It’s hard to explain exactly how detailed this customization experience is until you put some hours into it, it’s up there with any other sim-racing franchise out there.
Forza Motorsport 3 does many things to make sure this game is playable, and fun; to help with that the developers incorporated a “racing line” to help drivers stay on the track and use correct acceleration/braking patterns. This allows gamers that have no previous experience with a hardcore racing game to take to the track and keep up with the AI racers; overtime gaining enough skill to actually win. There are a number of other accessibility options that can be tweaked to find the perfect racing experience, which is exactly what Turn 10 was attempting to create. The controls in Forza 3 are slick and scream of a development team who knows exactly what they are doing, nothing about this game feels stiff and if you are looking for speed this is the place to find it. Some racing games, especially those of the simulation variety, have a very tough time trying to portray a sense of speed to the player. There is a huge number of locations in Forza and each one zips past at a blazing pace; of course the fantastic audio and rumble don’t hurt either. Also including on the disc is a run-of-the-mill multiplayer mode, free race option, full video/photo support, and an insanely deep “storefront” – that allows for gamers to buy and sell paintjobs, load-outs, and other in-game memorabilia. We could easily go on and on about the feature in this game but it’s time to wrap this review up with a conclusion we are pretty sure you can see coming.
From the moment we placed Forza Motorsport 3 into our Xbox 360 the game just screamed polish and fine-tuned racing, from every angle. The presentation is slick from the get go, making sure players are given upscale racing entertainment that is both epically deep and somehow approachable at the same time. Graphically the game really shines, featuring great frame-rates and unbelievable automobile models. For Forza 3 to really be appreciated it must be played with the cockpit view on at all times, which features tons of details and one of the most realistic racing experiences we have ever seen. The amount of replayability that this game features is something that is not available from the other racing titles available to Xbox 360 owners. There is something about the Forza franchise that is instantly recognizable; the third in the series includes all of that special-sauce, and more. We had high expectations for Forza Motorsport 3 but never did we imagine how much we would end up enjoying this game, and how much deep respect we now have for the team over at Turn 10. Whether you are a racing game guru or just looking to wet your feet in the genre make sure to pick up Forza 3 when it hits stores later this month, it’s simply the best racing game ever created.
