Forza Motorsport 3 Review [360]

16 Oct 2009 at 11:23:32 by John Robertson
Systems used to review this title: (360)

There's something about a well crafted racing simulator that draws you in to an extent that you just don't experience with the majority of games; something that grabs you with a vice-like grip and refuses to let go. Maybe it's the wealth of cars and tracks on offer, perhaps it's the obsessive level of detail you can dive into with the tuning and upgrading system or possibly it's the fact that the car physics are wonderfully, uniquely modelled to each car, making every on-track moment a joy to live.

Unfortunately, there hasn't been a game like that for quite some time - racing games (in general) having seemingly opted for a more arcade-style approach in a bid to appeal to a wider audience. And while there have been plenty of decent racers recently, none have managed to capture and the hold the attention of race fans in the way that Forza 2 and the Gran Turismo series have done in the past.

Well race fans, make sure you've got a comfy seat, a healthy supply of fattening snacks and the volume turned up as loud as the neighbours can bear, because Forza Motorsport 3 has revved its engines, waved to the crowd and finally left the pit lane, ready to stake its claim as the undisputed world champion of console racing.

And stake its claim it does, to magnificent effect. After only a few races you're overcome by that warm fuzzy feeling, invoked only when safe in the knowledge that you've only just begun to play a game that you're going to be obsessed with for many more hours, days, months and years - or at least until the next one comes out.

It's loaded to the brim with everything that you'd expect from a game that prefers the title of ‘simulator' to that of ‘game'; hundreds of cars, a vast number of tracks, a sophisticated tuning and upgrading system, the ability to create decal designs to the finest detail and an incredible handling model. This is a game made by car lovers, for cars lovers, and that passion for the source material shines through at every moment.

The actual experience of racing in Forza 3 has moved on significantly from the previous game. While the handling of the vehicles has seen only minor tweaks, the vastly improved collisions and damage system, a new rewind feature and a more realistic (and intelligent) A.I., have a major impact on gameplay.

Remember those underwhelming, pathetic little bumps you'd get from another car while travelling at over 150mph in Forza 2? Well, they're gone. Replaced by a new system in which it's possible to flip, roll and otherwise obliterate your car - and those of your opponents - to a much more satisfying degree. Clip a wall or slower rival at high speed and there's a good chance you could end up the wrong way up, car wrecked and chances of winning ruined. Seeing my beautifully modelled, painstakingly decorated Nissan Datsun reduced to a crippled, paint-stripped shell is an image that's going to be difficult for me to deal with for some time.

It's not just the big impacts that have improved though. Run one side of your car across a rubber curb during a fast straightaway and it'll flip up on the one side, damaging the suspension and leaving your race-driving avatar with a sore derriere. It's that kind of consistency that prevents it from feeling like a cheap add-on, every bump and scrape seemingly conforming to the laws of physics. The mechanic adds that vital element of risk and excitement that has been lacking in ‘serious' racing titles, but adds it in such a way so as not to diminish or dilute the core gameplay.

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