Review | Forza Motorsport 3

Format: Xbox360 | Genre: Racing | Publisher: Microsoft | Developer: Turn10 | Release date: 23/10/09 | RRP: £49.99

By Daniel Lipscombe

Another instalment in a successful franchise often raises the question: what’s really changed?

With each year that passes, developers and publishers announce and release endless sequels, and that question always surfaces. What’s really changed? Perhaps we’re becoming more of a fickle bunch, demanding to know if we’re getting our money’s worth, or if should we just stick to the last edition of the game.

Forza 3 doesn’t spill over with an abundance of new features. You won’t find an endless list of new modes here. What Turn10 have done is neatly replicated the motor industry’s practices. Think of the developer, if you will, as a Maserati showroom. Last year’s model is now taking a back seat to the new voluptuous range. As with these new cars, Forza 3 is prettier, decked out with all the mod cons, handles better and even sounds superior to the older model. And under those wonderful curves and polished exterior still lies the best engine of all.

From the starting menu it’s clear to see that the grown-up racing game has reached an age where the creases have been ironed out and it’s time to teach these whippersnappers a thing or two. With a web 2.0 feel to the whole game, you’re instantly greeted with clean white menus, uncluttered and concise. A calming voiceover guides you through the options and tells you what you will find in the game, reminiscent of the audio players you hire in art galleries and a pleasant addition to the gorgeous visuals. Turn10 has achieved a balance between heady and speedy racing and a peaceful wind-down that allows you to take everything in. It’s all very zen-like.

//Show us your curves
It would be rude not to gush over how tremendously stunning Forza 3 is. Vast amounts of attention have been lavished over each and every car and track, and it shows. In stark, white showrooms, the camera twirls around, gracefully showing every curve, making sure the light bounces off at the right angles, each vehicle leaving your mouth agape. The same can be said of the tracks too. Whether you’re speeding around Laguna Seca or manoeuvring the tight corners of the Amalfi Coast, there’s a beauty to each environment.

The Amalfi Coast takes you through a wonderful Italian village, with spectators on one side, the ocean on the other. It being a tight track, you can marvel at the lovingly created architecture, feel the force feedback as you bounce your suspension on the cobbled road, and watch as the sun gleams off of the rocks in the cliff face. It truly is a sight to behold. In fact, the use of lighting throughout the game is a work of genius. Some events take place at sunrise, meaning your vision is often thrown by a glare over the apex of a hill, or as you escape a tunnel. Everything is so wonderfully crafted, the real-life tracks authentic, and the cars exact to their showroom counterparts.

But it’s also what’s under the bonnet that counts. Each car sounds terrific, from the Ford Fiestas right up to Ferraris, Zondas and Koenigseggs. The throb and hum of each engine as it runs up from zero to 100MPH is electrifying, particularly if your sound system can show it off. The only problem is a lack of choice in the soundtrack. While thumping techno beats and thrashing guitars suit the genre, it would have been nice to be treated to something a little different, perhaps some classical music a la PGR.

[Continues...]

Pages: 1 2