Forza Motorsport Comments by Kristan Reed

So, better than Halo…

oh, yeah - FIRST!

:P

(almost) FIRST!11!1!111!!

Heh, guess it is ralph. I'm not into racing sims in a big way, so I'll probably leave this one. My F1-loving mate however, is going mental over this. :D

I see they've left enough space for loads of adverts on the new site..:))

EG rises from the dead!

Nice review. Hopefully it arrives early this week. Site is yuck so far. I will give it time though.

The site is back. Nice job.

New comments section looks prety good!

I don't think I could go back to racing without force feedback since GT4 though.

Well Done on the new site guys, looking nice. So i will get to the point is it better than GT4? go on put us out of our misery.

GT 4 got 7/10 I think, so have a look at Eurogamer's review.

i told you...

So, better than GT4 then in your opinion?

Interesting that you didn't mention the AI once. Strange, since this is one of the big advantages it has over GT4. So do you think the AI's good, bad or indifferent?

I see IGN described the graphics as 'good but not great' - I assume this is a tad misleading;-)

*sigh* I can't really afford this but it's pretty hard to resist...

IGN did describe the graphics as good rather than great but then contradicted themselves by giving them 9/10 at the end of the view!!! Duh and, indeed, duh! lol

No 60fps then ;P

D'oh...that's what happens when you write reviews at five in the AM. Yes...AI was outstanding for the most part. They really react brilliantly to you, not simply ramming your off *their* racing line, and instead you can drive like an absolute git and block them off time and again. Likewise, trying to overtake them with risky driving is also handled superbly. I'd say the AI is one area where Forza absolutely *pisses* on GT4.

Loved PGR and the Gran Turisimo series, and I'm glad that the X-Box has finally got a game that combines (by the sounds of things) the best bits of both of them.

Like the redesign as well, although the banner placement is a bit cack-handed.

Nice review. This game is *seriously* tempting me to get an XBox.... if only so many of my friends weren't selfishly getting married I'd be able to afford one no probs!

Awesome, and there's me thinking I should get rid of my Xbox since there was nowt coming out!

Sold, baby!

Is this better than Project Gotham 2?

well then... a 9/10 but then you've always quite enjoyed racers on the xbox...

I'd take gt4 over this though...

Why is Forza on the Xbox only able to push 30fps (most of the time, sometimes less) when GT4 on the less powerful PS2 is hitting 60? Lazy.

glad i just preordered it today then. I wasn't going to since I haven't got a way to play it yet but i might bodge something to make it run on my LCD monitor until I order a nice big screen.. or maybe I'll put the xbox n the lounge and use the big tv in there.

either way it looks great

Sold!

/is broke again

Uuuh... okay, I have a rather different opinion on Forza (based on some 20+ hours play time with the final boxed retail copy), most of which could be considers a matter of taste.

But two things mentioned really, really grate on me:

1) To compare the awesome and beautyful graphics of RalliSport 2 with Forza comes close to an insult to the former. Forza looks decent (banging on about HDTV virtually no one can use in PAL-land anyway doesn't count), but that's it. And that's on 30 fps (or actually 25 fps if you run in widescreen thanks to a bug most likely) and with several compromises including sluggish reflections (comparable to the first Gotham). I really can't see how anyone can get worked about the graphics, even the notoriously fanboyish IGN failed to do so (of course, that didn't stop them from giving a 9 in the end anyway).

2) The opponent AI is plain and simply evil. Yeah, they're somewhat less idiotic drones compared to GT4, but they're very much like the XBL player you don't want to meet: They DO ram you off the ideal line regularly and they DO slam in your back happily to spin you out or stuff you in a hairpin corner quite frequently. And that's no isolated incident, I've spoken to a lot of people online who noticed this as well. Once agin, I have to refer to the IGN review which summed up that fact pretty well.

Oh, and the drivatar is indeed just crap: What's the use of an AI substitute that at best drives as well as you do, can't be influenced during (non-fastforwardable) races, costs you lots of money when activated and doesn't gain experience from participating in races? Bleh.

That said, Forza is a very good first try and the game to go for if you want to play online, but it's just not the best racing-game ever or even close.

wats happened to all the stuff at the bottom with all the stats of it and wheres blerk??

the website has been well redesigned. the font at last is good so i do not have to increase the font size in anyway. as for the game, i think the only thing that ms have done is not implementing force feedback or making a steering wheel to use with forza. additionally, friday is when i get my copy and i will spend all of the morning playing this game and then i will be able to finally see if there is a racing sim available to better gt4. The review does not make clear if the AI is better and i was surprised that the reviewer decided to spend more letters telling us about the music then he did about the AI. Nonetheless it is about time that there was a game that i can spend on XBOX that is on a parrallel with GT4.

my only problem is the bloody corvette series in the beginners races.... i tuned a corvette c5 to 800hp and its just uncontrollable... it doesnt brake... it doesnt corner.. it just smashes walls..

however, i need it that powerful since in qualifying im still estimated 2nd place!! ARGHHH!!!!!

apart from that.... ROXOR!

I agree with everything in the review so there's not much I can add except perhaps that another neat little detail that I like is how the sound of your car changes as you increase the horsepower. Made my Saab 9-3 Viggen sound like a real Viggen. ;)

No matter if you you're not into racing sims you should play this - it really is bloody brilliant. I used to think that nothing could top Burnout 3.

I was wrong.

The opponent AI is plain and simply evil. Yeah, they're somewhat less idiotic drones compared to GT4, but they're very much like the XBL player you don't want to meet: They DO ram you off the ideal line regularly and they DO slam in your back happily to spin you out or stuff you in a hairpin corner quite frequently.

Of course they do - they wan't to win. I like it as it keeps me on my toes and gets my blood boiling.

my only problem is the bloody corvette series in the beginners races.... i tuned a corvette c5 to 800hp and its just uncontrollable... it doesnt brake... it doesnt corner.. it just smashes walls..

Well, that's what happens when you put 800 HP into a Corvette - believe me. :)

Best xbox game evah?
Sold!

Damn it! I was looking forward to this being crap so I didn't have to do a PGR and give up a couple of months to serious playtime and then online nonsense.

/orders

Oh, and where are the specs sheet at the bottom now? widescreen/16:9/dolby/60Hz support options list?

Its on top now shivoa, game information.

Ah, clicky button away. Got it

Weblaus, what do you think is the best racing game out then? not having a dig just you sound like you don't think much of Forza, and I'm interested why, as I'm contemplating buying this game.

PGR2 is fantastic, so I'm happy if there is a new rac sim on offer, more fun for me!

oh sod it I'm sold, wheres my card!

I don't care what other reviews might say, I've been bumped off the road without having done anything at all to warrant it often enough to know that it's happening regularly - it's especially lovely when you get a tap right at the start to spin out. I think it's pretty funny to defend this behaviour when the AI does it considereing human players are usually scoffed at for playing unfair.

As for what I consider better racing games, at least RalliSport 2 and the god-like Gotham 2 definitely are better packages all round. And while I'm no big fan of GT4, the offline part of Forza just isn't better (and looks less impressive). Of course I know Xbox (only, most likely) fans don't want to hear this so therefore it can't be true.

I will resist for a month! I must resist!

And while I'm no big fan of GT4, the offline part of Forza just isn't better (and looks less impressive). Of course I know Xbox (only, most likely) fans don't want to hear this so therefore it can't be true.

You see, EG? You see? THIS is a perfect example of why you need a rolleyes emoticon. ;)

Can't wait for this! Unfortunately, if I order it now, I'll fail my exams! :(

I don't care what other reviews might say, I've been bumped off the road without having done anything at all to warrant it often enough to know that it's happening regularly - it's especially lovely when you get a tap right at the start to spin out. I think it's pretty funny to defend this behaviour when the AI does it considereing human players are usually scoffed at for playing unfair.

As for what I consider better racing games, at least RalliSport 2 and the god-like Gotham 2 definitely are better packages all round. And while I'm no big fan of GT4, the offline part of Forza just isn't better (and looks less impressive). Of course I know Xbox (only, most likely) fans don't want to hear this so therefore it can't be true.

I agree that PGR2 and RSC2 are both excellent games, but I feel the need to point out that the AI in PGR2 could be randomly evil for no reason. I'm stuck with some of the later Nurburgring races because I just get punted offthe track.

Great review Kristan, this game is just quite amazing.

Here's some customised liveries, just to show what people have been coming up with in Forza's customisation mode.

http://tabwin.com/forza.htm

Drivatars rock for racing against! BTW :) (At least well trained ones, lol)

Edit:
Official Drivatar Site if anyone wants to read about how it all works:
http://www.research.microsoft.com/mlp/Forza/default.htm

Cheers

tbh, I've heard a lot of people saying the things Weblaus just posted so I'm starting to having second thoughts about Forza. I think I'll wait for a while...

I had the the same thing with PGR2 - The offline games is just not as good as the reviews made it out to be.

Soon on PC, I hope?

AHAHAHAHA, PC

*wipes tear*

Personally, I have to say that I usually, (although not always) find the EG reveiws spot on. Lets bloody hope so in this case as that must be one of the most positive reviews I've ever read on here!

I will be getting this and I do hope its this good!

One thing that bugs me (with this and GT), where's the in car view? And I mean a proper in car view.
Driving simulator pffffffffffft.

"whether you should be hitting the gas (green), easing off it (yellow), or braking (red)."

Oh well! That's us colour blind gamers screwed then ;)

Ohhh, snazzy.