Shop RadioShack for Great GiftsForza Motorsport (Xbox)
Manufacturer: Microsoft Corp. Part number: P74-00028
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- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Description:
- Are you passionate about cars and racing? Then, Forza Motorsport is your game. Own, customize, and race your favorite cars in the most technologically advanced and realistic driving sim yet. Use race earnings to buy upgrades and aftermarket parts, so you can transform real production cars into high-performance racers. On the track, experience an impressively accurate simulation, while putting your ... Read more
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Gamespot editors' review
Forza Motorsport (Xbox) price range: $19.99
- Reviewed by: Brian Ekberg
- Reviewed on: 05/03/2005
- Released on: 05/03/2005
Microsoft doesn't seem to be intimidated by anything. That same brash confidence that began with Microsoft's entry into the console gaming market continues with Forza Motorsport, the company's take on the driving simulator, a genre that has been the sole console purview of Sony for nearly a decade. And what a debut it is. Forza Motorsport is a stylish and challenging game that is easily one of the best racers on the Xbox, if not the best.
A preliminary look at Forza's content will give you a good idea of the scope of the game. There are more than 230 cars from 60 manufacturers and a track list that, if not extensive, at least features a nice mix of tight street courses, real race tracks from all over the world, and challenging fictional environments. True, when it comes to cars and tracks, Forza is not the biggest racing simulator out there. The variety of things you can do with the content that is present, however, truly makes all the difference.
Simulated driving just went green on the Xbox. Forza features finely tuned racing with enough challenge for everyone.
From a driving standpoint, Forza has a sophisticated feel to it, and one that accommodates a variety of skill levels. With all the default assists enabled, such as traction control, antilock braking, and stability management, you'll be tearing around hairpin corners in Tokyo and ripping up the Laguna Seca corkscrew nearly right out of the gate. Cars feel nicely heavy under acceleration and (perhaps more importantly) braking, meaning that setting up proper brake points and turns is essential. If you don't have the slightest clue about entry points into turns or when to step on the brakes, Forza has a handy "suggested line" feature that is one of the slickest innovations in racing games to come along in a long time.
When activated, the suggested line acts as a dynamic tutor that demonstrates the line over which to drive, as well as how much gas or brake pressure to apply at any corner on a track. Because the suggested line is dynamic, it changes depending on the car you're in and the speed at which you are traveling. As you approach a turn, the line will change from green (which means accelerate), to yellow (lift off the gas), and finally to red (hit the brakes). As you make your way through the corner, the line will transform in reverse, from red, to yellow, and eventually back to green, letting you know it's time to slam the hammer down. This is an ingenious and effective tutor for those new to driving games as well as for experienced players. It allows the novice to be quick right away and helps experienced drivers either learn a new course with which they are not familiar, or drop those extra tenths from their lap time. Is the system perfect? No. As you become more familiar with the suggested line, and the course on which you're driving, you'll notice there are times when you can ignore the advice to slow down, especially on quick S-turns. Furthermore, some braking distances suggested by the line tend to be a bit on the optimistic side. The biggest downside to the suggested line is becoming overly reliant on it. After running lap after lap with the suggested line feature enabled, you may feel a bit vulnerable, and your lap times will inevitably suffer when you first turn it off. Still, as an inventive and effective tutoring tool, it's a great feature.
Becoming reliant on the other aids in the game, such as ABS or traction control, is forgivable, because many of the cars found in Forza contain these types of assists in real life, and as you might expect, there is a huge leap in skill required with these assists turned off. Disengaging stability management, for example, might make it easier to pull off extremely cool powerslides. But, unless you're willing to chalk up some serious practice miles, only the most experienced drivers will find success in driving without at least a few of these assists enabled.
Forza's driving controls are flexible and sensitive, and you always have a wealth of data at your fingertips, like information on car damage, engine and tire temperature, and the many camera viewpoints. There are two first-person perspectives to choose from, including one worm's-eye view that dramatically enhances the sense of speed and two third-person cameras. When driving in first-person view, a handy rearview mirror makes spotting your stalking opponents easy. You'll also be able to use the right analog stick to look directly left, right, or behind, or at 45-degree angles both behind and in front of the car. Analog gas and brakes feel nice, and although the game won't let you map buttons in the exact configuration that you'd like, there are several options to choose from that cover the majority of racing fans' preferences for gear shifting, steering, gas, and brakes.
The dynamic suggested line feature shows you the best path around the track. It's an effective tool and one you might become addicted to if you're not careful.
You'll need to get very comfortable with the controls to take on the crafty and subtle opposition found in Forza, which stands as one of the game's pinnacle achievements. On an oval, for example, cars will seek drafting help wherever they can get it in order to move up the pack. Artificial intelligence-controlled cars will block passing attempts and try to swerve around you if they're approaching too quickly. Yes, that's right folks, Forza features driving foes that are aware of your position on the track and will react accordingly, which works both for you and against you, depending on your driving style. If you drive a clean race and avoid rubbing bumpers with your ontrack foes, they'll mostly drive cleanly as well. If you want to play some bumper cars with them, the AI will be more than happy to oblige and will likely spear you at the next 90-degree turn in retaliation. Of course there's room for improvement. The AI tends to be overly hesitant on certain S-turns, and a tightly bunched group of computer-controlled cars can sometimes result in a chain-reaction pileup that you can only hope to be in front of. In short, while the AI is not above making aggressive, even stupid, moves to pick up race positions, for the most part it drives remarkably clean, skillful, and consistent laps.
User reviews
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1 upmanship of the Grant Tourismo. It impresses on all fronts.
by OracleITpro on May 19, 2005
Pros: Very realistic handling of vehicles. Large car choices. Quick ramp-up of car collection through generous car acquisitioning. Sell online, buy online and area "home" affects all of it. More....
Cons: Took so long for Microsoft to develop a Gran Tourismo fighter.
Summary: This is a requirement to balance out the 1 that other guy gave this game, in order to rank a game as a 1 it would have to be the ...
Summary: This is a requirement to balance out the 1 that other guy gave this game, in order to rank a game as a 1 it would have to be the worst game of all time, this is quite the opposite.
The comparison given to this game is obviously: Gran Tourismo's Simulator. But if you look past that you get the full depth of the game, it is an all in one package (finally). Combining GT sim and car adjustments (plus some), next gen graphics, car upgrades and mods, online play, and the new drivitar an AI driving version of you. The new AI in game is more aggressive and loads more fun to compete against.
The games quickly ramps up, and if you've played GT you'll be in the hunt right off the bat, recieving lots of cars and expanding into the more advanced parts of the game. The driving of cars is very realistic, in fact, annoyingly realistic. Driving through sand you slow down, and if you have too much or too little horsepower you'll know quick, disabling alot of the corner cutting cheating that GT taught us and instilling a more "Learn to Drive!" aspect for this game. As a big fan of GT4 and PGR(project gotham racing, online) I've found Forza to top either of the two. With GT I had to search the globe, conquer repetitive tracks, and bide my time trying license after license before I could get to the meat-and-potatoes of real driving. The time to get there is shortened, and thanks to the assistance of GT-like racing lines for brake, cruise, and gas you get in to the game fast. They then gave the cars better physics, which can feel like driving on oil, but trust me, driving a 400hp C6 can be like that sometimes when taking a corner at 90mph.
Definately, go get this game and hopefully I'll see you online: Vette4life.3 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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This is the best racing simulator in the world
by imkain on May 6, 2005
Pros: Great line up of cars, Set the car up with unlimited amounts of possibility, Purchase upgrades to make your car go faster, The ability to race online and sell your car online as well.
Cons: Graphics are near perfect, but nothing like GT4 (but who cares really)
Summary: In my honest opinion this has got to be the greatest racing sim of all time. Every car handles like it's real world counterpart does due to the amazing ...
Summary: In my honest opinion this has got to be the greatest racing sim of all time. Every car handles like it's real world counterpart does due to the amazing physics engine in place in the game. This is a definite pick up if you are an avid racing fan. The reason I give this game a rating of 10 is because it deserves it.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Forza Motorsport Replay Quality and availability
by peter.j.w on July 16, 2005
Pros: Great quality with detail
Cons: Poor replays and replay availability on multiplayer???
Summary: Forza motorsport has such great potential even though it`s already a great simulation offering more than any previous simulation has offered. i could give this game a 10/10 ...
Summary: Forza motorsport has such great potential even though it`s already a great simulation offering more than any previous simulation has offered. i could give this game a 10/10 if the replays were improved on as you miss out on half the action with the lack of trackside cameras. It would also be great if you could look back on great split screen races and network races. This is something that i feel would give this game so much more playing time. that`s why it gets 9/10 instead of 10/10.?? Was dissapointed by this!
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Just what the xbox needed
by neutrality_is_bliss on March 5, 2006
Pros: Superb driving dynamics, selection of exclusive cars, excellent graphics, customizable soundtrack
Cons: limited car selection, limited track list
Summary: First off, i make this review on purely the game as a stand-alone product, not a comparison to GT4.
Overall, a very nice game with good game design. The driving ...Summary: First off, i make this review on purely the game as a stand-alone product, not a comparison to GT4.
Overall, a very nice game with good game design. The driving dynamics are better than expected as is the level of detail on the cars. customizability of the cars is excellent down to the tire pressure
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Not the best selection of cars in the business but a very nice compilation indeed. what's nice is the inclusion of some one-off tuner versions of some cars such as the MR2 and Civic SiR. they're not the best performers but it's nice to compare them to stock versions.
The races are somewhat repetitive though; with only a few tracks in use for the first few levels, it can cause you to lose interest. the customizable soundtrack is a nice touch if you prefer your own tunes rather than hearing Junkie XL.
finally, its nice to see a game that uses an award system that rewards you for increased difficulty as well as penalizes you for damaging your car. in addition you use your credits instead of a system like PGR2's that is very arcade-like.
In short, very good game. the keystone simulation game for the xbox, and a nice one at that. -
After years of watching the competition, this is the best?
by jexner on September 14, 2005
Pros: Fun factor, ability to get cool cars quickly
Cons: Not even as good as GT3, car selection is okay
Summary: I was super excited to get this game; it seemed like a viable alternative to Gran Turismo 3 maybe even 4. I was dead wrong for many reasons.
First, the ...Summary: I was super excited to get this game; it seemed like a viable alternative to Gran Turismo 3 maybe even 4. I was dead wrong for many reasons.
First, the graphics are sort of cartoonish. GT3 and 4 seem real, tough, and exciting. The graphics on this game almost seem cute and annoying. My friends and I all agreed that Project Gotham looks a whole lot better than Forza.
Second, the car selection is terrible. Granted i am a BMW fan and when you compare the 12-15 BMW's in the GT series to the measly 3 you get here, it is pretty bad. While Ferrari and Porsche are cool, not many races allow you to actually hang on to them for long, making it a worthless aquisition.
Third, there is an element to this game which makes it fun, but it is short lived. The GT4 series struggles in this respect too; after playing it for about 3 days you are tired and ready to play something else. One thing that could make it better is to get rid of the stupid races that are just annoying and the long rediculous stamina races that just seem tedious.
To sum up, this game is okay. There is a lot of room for improvement and that is a good thing for Forza. However, it is dissappointing that after years of watching the success of GT they drop Forza knowing it was missing so much. -
Graphically Disappointing
by JeffMeden on June 3, 2005
Pros: Lots of cars, tracks, good AI, good pace to game, good OnLine play
Cons: Dismal graphics compared to its PS2 based competition
Summary: I own a PS2 and GT3/4 as well as a XBox, with the obligatory PGR1/2 and I was excited to add Forza to the collection as it was ...
Summary: I own a PS2 and GT3/4 as well as a XBox, with the obligatory PGR1/2 and I was excited to add Forza to the collection as it was billed as the "GT for XBox". Well, it is and it isn't.
I enjoy the realistic gameplay and straight-up roadracing style, as well as the wide open selection of cars. I elected to not subscribe to XBox Live as it's hard enough already to managing my free time, but the features offered in the OnLine play are typical XBox and hence blow away any competition on the PS2.
It wasn't as compelling as a GT4 career mode game was to me, not nearly. And the biggest disappointment is the mediocre at best graphics. I expected to see something at least as appealing as PGR2, if not the full on 'GT4 killer' level everyone claimed it had. Well in my experience, it has neither. It's graphics are on par with the early need for speed games, in my opinion. I have a 32" EDTV with component input from both consoles, so resolution never goes to waste on me. In comparing the games side by side, visually Forza just isn't that appealing.
I would rate this game at a 7, since it is a very solid effort with good potential, especially if its followed up with a launch title for XBox 360. Compared to the other similar titles though, this is like trying to race a Mini against a Koenigsegg. You can have fun in either car, but what would you put your money on, honestly.1 out of 3 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Lame attempt to copy EA's GT4
by julianmd on May 18, 2005
Pros: Smoothness
Cons: just below average design and feel
Summary: This is the lamest possible attempt by Micro$ost to copy EA's GT4.
Too bad MS thinks way too much towards profits and so little towards "US the consumers"...Summary: This is the lamest possible attempt by Micro$ost to copy EA's GT4.
Too bad MS thinks way too much towards profits and so little towards "US the consumers"
Hey MS profit is not everything, but a satisied client that's going to bring some more friends to buy the "new cool game" IS very important.
I know you don't give a rat's arse, but you've lost another customer.
The game has no personality. Unrealistic touch, inside the car camera view sucks. The only different thing from GT4 is the crushable vehicle - that's a + - as an addon to reality.
My rating? two thumbs down1 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Microsoft Corp.
- Part number: P74-00028
- Description: Are you passionate about cars and racing? Then, Forza Motorsport is your game. Own, customize, and race your favorite cars in the most technologically advanced and realistic driving sim yet. Use race earnings to buy upgrades and aftermarket parts, so you can transform real production cars into high-performance racers. On the track, experience an impressively accurate simulation, while putting your performance-tuned creations to the test against the online gaming world on Xbox Live.
Product Basic Spec
- Platform Xbox
- ESRB rating Everyone -
- Genre Driving
- Elements Simulation - car racing
- Context Realistic
- Number of players 1-2 Players
- Connectivity Online,Live Aware
- Difficulty Medium
- Learning curve About 1 hour
- Customization Custom Soundtracks
- Offline modes Competitive
- Online modes Team Oriented,Competitive
Game
- Developer Microsoft Game Studios
- ESRB Everyone
Manufacturer info
- Microsoft Corp.
- Manufacturer profile
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- Website: http://www.microsoft.com/
- Address:
One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA 98052 - Phone: 1-425-882-8080
- Fax: 1-425-706-7329
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