In the world of racing games, few developers have even tried to create
realistic simulations. Today it seems to be all about fluorescent green
Honda Civics and nitrous kits. Until the release of Forza Motorsport
for the original Xbox, Gran Turismo, the 'real driving simulator' from
Polyphony Digital was the only racer that tried to encompass every
different type of competitive driving under the sun. Turn 10 Studios
changed that, creating a compelling racer with awesome graphics and
great damage simulation (something which Polyphony still hasn't
managed). While the racing simulation was undoubtedly better than Gran
Turismo's, it lacked sheer quantity of tracks, and, more importantly,
cars.
There are 700 cars in Gran Turismo 4, compared to some 300
in Forza 2. While this might seem like a bit of a step back, one must
remember that there is full damage simulation in Forza 2 - a tremendous
feat on the part of the licensing department at Turn 10, and, while the
damage simulation isn't as stunning as the damage seen in DiRT or GRiD,
it definitely enhances the experience of the game. It also forces the
player to be a lot more considerate when flying around the Nurburgring
in a McLaren F1 - unlike Gran Turismo, a crash won't just cause a few
seconds to fall onto your laptime, but could potentially end the race.
The other drivers also seem to be aware of this, and will often take
care not too bash into you, or go in at full throttle and hope for the
best. This certainly adds another dimension to the races, making the
enemy AI feel more like actual opponents than moving obstacles.
The
graphics in Forza 2 aren't the best on the Xbox 360 - they still look fantastic, and much better
than the previous game. While the showroom models of the cars are
incredibly well designed to the finest detail, it seems that the
textures are swapped for slightly lower resolution ones out on the
track - but this is only an issue if you're using a car with a race
livery (and these cars are in the minority). The colours appear somewhat 'washed out', and it can be difficult to create exact replicas of cars in the livery editor if the colours are always slightly off. Aside from this, the
graphics are great. There is plenty of detail put into the crowd
(obviously if you stop and look they don't look too hot, but that's not
the point of a racing game anyway) and the environments look spot on.
The only thing that really nags me here is the lack of a pit crew - if
you go in for a tire change, your tires are magically reaplced and your
fuel tank refuelled on the spot. It's a bit disappointing because this
was seen in many of the Formula One titles of the previous generation,
as well as Gran Turismo 4.
The scope of the game is, quite
frankly, huge. Even though there are only twelve tracks on the disc,
there are numerous different configurations for each track (at the
least a reversed version), and they never seem to get old. The jewel in
the crown is obviously the Nürburgring Nordschliefe, a green hell that
will take around eight minutes to lap in even the most powerful cars
available. There are also many other real life tracks recreated in the
game, and a few fictional ones thrown in for good measure. One thing
lacking is point to point races - something that was included in the
original Forza, which is why it is even more disappointing that they've
been left out now. However, all of the different tracks and ways to
drive around them will take a while to master, and even longer to get
bored of - if you are in desperate need of something new, you might consider shelling out a few Microsoft points for the two tracks available as DLC.
Sound design is a definite strong point in Forza
Motorsport 2. Each car has its own unique audio, with cars like the
Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf emitting a muffled yawn and racing
machines like the Toyota GT-One letting out terrifying roars when you
so much as touch the accelerator. There are also a number of other
sounds, aside from the growl of the engines and the screech of rubber
on tarmac. As you casually zoom past your faithful onlookers, the
sounds of cheering fans and their numerous air horns will be heard for
a split second. It definitely adds to the atmosphere of an already
great feeling game.
All in all, Forza Motorsport 2 is a great
racing Simulator, and a refreshing play if you're used to games like
Need for Speed and Burnout. While it may prove a little heavy for the
average gamer, there is plenty to do here, so make sure you reserve a
few weekends to truly enjoy it. Now with a reduced price, there's never
been a better time to invest in the best racing sim on the Xbox 360 - that is, until Forza Motorsport 3 is released.
Graphics - 4/5
Sound - 4/5
Gameplay - 4/5
Value - 5/5
Overall - 4/5
