Forza Motorsport 3 isn't a hardcore racers-only simulator, nor is it a softened racer for the mainstream. It's the racer that shapes itself around you; it's what you want it to be.
Alarm bells usually ring when a game claims to be suitable for experts and beginners alike. That usually means you're in for an arcade-like, simplified, "family-friendly" experience. But Turn 10 has managed to create a racer that we genuinely believe almost anyone can play, and it seamlessly moulds itself around a player and their skill sets.
The very first screen you see asks you if you're a casual, regular or serious player of racing games. Your choice here swiftly determines what driving aids the game turns on, how much damage your car takes in collisions and how hard the CPU racers will be.
The good thing here is that the parameters for each of those categories are incredibly wide. You can go from having the game practically drive itself for you (it accelerates and breaks automatically and you just steer), or you can crank up the realism, manually operate the clutch and gears, and thread the accelerator to stop that rear end stepping out.
And Forza allows you to customise all of this yourself; you might like a little help in the form of stability, traction control and ABS, but take control of the gearbox yourself. You can turn off car damage, opt for moderate visual-only damage that doesn't affect car performance or go for a full-on damage simulation, right down to tyre wear and petrol. It's all a bit hardcore - and yet the casual players are well catered for.
It works because Forza is, at its core, an incredibly realistic simulator and has everything required to be as hardcore as it needs to be. Each of the 400 cars are modelled on the real thing and you can feel the clear differences between them.
Vehicles are weighty and you can really feel their connection with the road. This is supposedly down to some kind of magic, space-age physics system busy simulating every flex and bump of your tyres and how that affects your cornering. Cool stuff, but come on - if we hadn't attended techy developer presentations we would've never noticed, and ultimately it doesn't make the game a million times better.
Forza Motorsport 3
Official trailer
1:21Launch video
Forza Motorsport 3
Official trailer
1:21Launch video
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Yet layers and layers of help moulded around this tough simulation-focused centre allow you to make the game as accessible as you need it to be - and that's something that Forza 3 does really well.
Particularly in adopting the new rewind feature that's quickly becoming a standard trend in racing games. At any moment, hit the back button and you can rewind the action and re-play a section again. Unlike in other racers though, Forza's rewind feature is unrestricted - you can rewind as far as you like, and as many times as you like.
Yes, that means you need never make a mistake again, which will make the game far easier to beat. It's a moral dilema for hardcore players. But there's no doubt that it cuts out the frustration of crashing on the last lap and losing everything you worked for and opens the game up to those who wouldn't usually bother.
Online leaderboards will also place those who don't use it higher in the table, giving you the incentive not to use it.
Like stabilisers on a bike, however, if you're someone who plays with assists on you'll gradually become better at the game, eventually starting to turn some of the game's virtual hand-holding off. The game encourages and rewards you for this with monetary bonuses after winning races. The more hardcore you are, the more money you get.
Forza's flexibility and ease of use extends into the main single-player career, which makes choosing from its 200+ events and finding the right cars for those events an absolute breeze. If you just want to hit the course, an Event Play mode will literally pick out three races you're eligible for based on the motors in your garage. Select the one you want and it'll populate your in-game calendar with those events and off you go. It's as simple as that.
Want more control? Hit Event List and you can see all the races in the game lined up in an enormous grid. Select the event you want and the game will tell you if you have a car eligible to race. If you don't it'll either bring up the cars in your garage that can race (or can be modified to a suitable spec), or hold your hand all the way to the shops to buy a car that will work.
It's so much more intuitive than in games like Gran Turismo which, on occasions, leave you to hunt for the right car for specific races all by yourself. Those games demand that you know something about cars, like where to go for a mid-engine rear-wheel-drive (MR) car. Those games make you feel like an idiot if you don't know - but Forza 3 doesn't.
The truly hardcore will revel in the game's extensive car modification options. They'll sift through individual air filters, intake manifold systems and differential units. Then dive into the tuning area to set up their car however they like.
Where as more casual players can just tell the game what racing category they want their car to compete in, and it'll automatically choose the best parts you need based on your bank balance and, at the touch of a button, fit the lot for you. Within 10 easy seconds your Honda Civic Type-R goes from a moderate Grade-D hatchback to a Grade-A screamer.
Forza Motorsport 3
Video interview
4:52Bugatti Veyron video
Forza Motorsport 3
Video interview
4:52Bugatti Veyron video
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Those same casual users can also go online and download tune-up settings from seasoned petrol heads that know what they're doing with dampers and gear ratios.
But of course Forza's customisation doesn't end there: the incredibly detailed decal editing system that the series is known for is back and even more in-depth. The talented painters of the world will exquisitely craft works of art on wheels, while the artistically disabled (like us) will simply hunt through the online shops and pick up someone else's Bat Mobile and/or Daytona USA motor.
And - while on the subject of online - it goes without saying that all the racing, drag strip and drifting action is playable online with up to eight players. And there's a split-screen option too that runs just as 60-frames-per-second smooth as in single player.
Turn 10 prides itself on this frame rate and you can see how much work has gone into Forza's visuals. It looks great - most of the time, at least. The wide selection of motoring masterpieces look fantastic on the title screen and indeed, in photo mode (which allows you to take snaps of your car and upload them).
But - as many players have already noticed in the Xbox Live demo - as soon as you start a race detail drops significantly. And while some of the Italian rocky landscapes look nice, some of the normal race circuits look really dull and not very different from the outdated-looking Forza 2.
The car interiors too, disappointingly, look a bit too grey and plastic-y. Forza 3 certainly doesn't live up to Gran Turismo in the in-game visual stakes.
Forza Motorsport 3
Official trailer
8:16A dev diary at the 24 hour Le Mans in France
Forza Motorsport 3
Official trailer
8:16A dev diary at the 24 hour Le Mans in France
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Those aren't its only technical faults. Loading times are a pain made even worse by the fact that Forza 3 loads so regularly - even when changing a small setting or retrying a race.
But Forza 3's key problem - again - is in its difficulty. We're sure beginners will have a blast but we found normal mode far too easy, while hard difficulty is over-challenging - a problem we remember having with Forza 2.
Usually on higher difficulties if you're going to win a race you'll be leading by the end of the first lap. If you find yourself behind during the second, you've got pretty much no hope of ever catching up.
The end result, for us as reasonably experienced racing gamers, is that we spent 90 percent of our time alone on the track, either miles in the lead, or in a lonely second place comfortably ahead of the rest of the pack but hopelessly behind the leader. Forza 3 - just like the last game - can be a lonely experience.
Also, as advanced as Forza is, there's no weather, no changing times of the day, and very little outside of standard track racing. Drag racing is in there but a 10-second race in a straight line isn't everyone's idea of fun.
So Forza 3 isn't perfect. But no-one can deny it's a truly enormous racing package. Getting your favourite car and modifying like a mentalist is a joy on its own, as is hitting the tarmac in an 800bhp beast and throwing it around with Forza's excellent handling physics - even if you won't ever notice the supposedly massive numbers behind it.
But that's probably Turn 10's greatest Achievement here; it can talk up its incredible, number-crunching technology all day, but it's the stuff you don't notice that matters. That's what helps far more people play Forza than Gran Turismo has done.
Been getting rave reviews across the board. Lowest I've seen so far is a 4/5, the others are all sitting over 9. I pre-ordered my copy from Game for the exclusive BMW.
And out of the 6 or so reviews I've read this morning, the CVG one is the only one to mention the split screen option!
But how long til the Sony Fan Club turns up and starts moaning about GT5 inevitably being better and blah blah blah?
That review has just about convinced me to pick up Forza 3.
Unfortunately, it appears as though the reasons why I didn't fall in love with the previous game are still present, which is a shame.
However, I love cars and GT5 isn't out until March next year, so regardless of my concerns, I will be getting the most out of Forza 3 for the time being.
Finally someone remembers that people still go round to their mates house's to play games against each other. I honestly can't remember the last decent split-screen racer i played this gen, it seems to be a dying breed. Motorstorm 2 had it but you could hardly see where you were going even on a 42" screen.
Wonder how many people will be splashing out for a new HDD before this is released so they can install the extra disc.
To be honest, I really didnt like forza 2 all that much.
But this looks and sounds quality. This review alone makes me want to try it out. (probably because of it caters for people who are rubbish - IE me).
That aside, looking at the screens, the details in the review, it looks very polished, plenty of cars/tracks.
Loading times wont bother me as Ive got shift for ps3 and the incredibly long loading times on that didn't really cause me to lose my temper. So this should be fine
On the flip side, this month and the next two months there are about 6 games i want, which i deifnitly wont be able to afford. lol!
good review, hopefully pick this up at some point!
Looks and sounds fantastic (I the big racing games).
I had Forza 2 and thought it was just too dull.
Had GT5P and thought it was absolute garbage.
In general as a long term GT fan, seeing the new videos of GT5, I'm worried that the game is striving to be too clinical. You get your car, and thats it, very limited customisation. GT5 in particular felt lifeless. I want to play a long career mode and feel like I'm actually driving against other people, not just AI's stuck on the same track line that will not deviate.
The physics look f*cking terrible and unchanged since what, GT1? Even with their minor damage implimentation, cars STILL bounce around like bumper cars.
I dont care how shiny the cars are, I want them to handle realistically.
It takes the 9iss when N4S Shift (which I think is great) can demonstrate how a car does handle in real life and after 10 years GT still cannot do that.
Wish I still had a 360 becuase I'd certainly be getting this.
Another good review, excellent. Well written too, props to CVG (wish there weren't so many 'it's better than GT here, it's worse than GT there comparisons as it would be nice to have it taken on it's own merit, but I guess it's inevitable).
Pre-ordered this ages ago, never had any doubt it would be awesome, though it is a little disappointing Turn 10's mouthing off about it being 'the best looking racer of this generation' seems to have been a little... premature. Regardless, I am now really looking forward to getting hands on with the final product.
Saw the car list earlier incidentally, and wept tears of salty joy. Comprehensive to say the least, and a few of my favourites are in there too.
It just about had me sold until halfway through when it starts to list the perceived negatives. Now it has me reevaluating, as to whether or not I should go for NFS:Shift instead. Anyone played either the demos or the full game(s) of these two games and whom is willing to provide me with their opinion? Thanks in advance.
The car list is pretty cool, but how many of them are actually new? Forza 2 launched with 310 and got maybe 40 or so more through DLC.
Now obviously some cars are going to appear in every game because of their classic status. Ferrari F40, Lambo Diablo, Lotus Elan. Likewise, new cars are released all the time that people will want included. The new Ferrari 458 and Merc Gullwing. But why are some of them even there? The Mazdaspeed Familia is less noteworthy than it's hot-hatch sister the 323F (or even the previous generation Lantis shape). And the long wheel base makes it horrible to drive (as I found out a few weeks ago ). Either 323 would be a far better option, not to mention better looking.
It just about had me sold until halfway through when it starts to list the perceived negatives. Now it has me reevaluating, as to whether or not I should go for NFS:Shift instead. Anyone played either the demos or the full game(s) of these two games and whom is willing to provide me with their opinion? Thanks in advance.
Well, I tried both demos for NFS: Shift and Forza 3 and thought NFS was a lot more fun. If I had to choose, I'd go for NFS, I didn't enjoy a NFS game since NFS: Porsche Unleashed and that must mean something You should try both demos before deciding, cause this time they finally managed to put together what looks like a great NFS game.
It just about had me sold until halfway through when it starts to list the perceived negatives. Now it has me reevaluating, as to whether or not I should go for NFS:Shift instead. Anyone played either the demos or the full game(s) of these two games and whom is willing to provide me with their opinion? Thanks in advance.
I've played NFS:Shift more than enough to provide a bit of help, so here goes:
The first thing I noticed whilst playing Shift was the poorly implemented braking. There is no subtlety whatsoever. You have to get yourself into an arcade driving mentality to really enjoy it. Once you do that, it is great fun. The in-car view is extremely visceral and has to be experienced.
I'm not sure that Shift will ever be as good as Forza 3 overall, but it all depends on what you want from a racing game. If you want quick thrills, with an arcade edge, then Shift may be the one for you.
However, my personal fave, this gen at least, is DIRT2. It can be serious and fun in equal measures.
forza 2 wasnt a game its a lifestyle choice that eats your life, we are talking world of warcraft life eating, not for everyone but the online is addictive as hell, and 3 looks even better
i know of someone who started drifting in real life after drifting in forza 2, the game just had that kind of effect on people
auctions are dangerously addictive as is the painting
can't wait
didnt like nfs shift, too much focus on arcadey aggressive driving, but to each theyre own
Hey, CVG! In your review, you mention that the load times can be a bit excessive - as they were in the demo. Would it make a difference if I downloaded the game to my HD?
The bad. -------------- * Rubber looking cars. Car interiors border on awful, almost as basic as VR, but Virtua Racing this isn't.
* Dodgy handling. Oversteer, understeer, slide into the barrier gameplay (as per Forza 2's).
* Damage modelling roughly on par with GT5 demos (paint scraping / bumpers coming off). No improvement over Forza 2 except roll over.
* Longer loads than Forza 2.
* Forza 2's existing tracks are only slightly improved...
Screenshot comparison 1. A few extra pixels of detail thanks to the increased resolution & slightly better road texture. There's some lighting changes - nothing significant. There's a black and red sign at the end of the road. That's all.
Screenshot comparison 2. Clearly Turn 10 put a great deal of effort into ensuring the trees in Forza 3 are more red than Forza 2's. Maybe Forza 3 supports season changing - it is October & obviously colder because the roadside fans have all gone home.
Screenshot comparison 3. Quite a few more trees to cover up the bland background in Forza 3. Forza 2's road texture seems to be perm motion blurred but the track side textures look to be the same. IF your TV doesn't support 1080p you may not notice the texture improvements.
The good. -------------- * Almost everything that was good in Forza 2 is still here.
* More accessible to kids and 'noobs'.
* Now outputting at 1080p (not native resolution) at 60fps.
So then... Forza 3 is like going out and having fun on a Saturday night, but at 3am you know you want to go home but your friend isn't ready yet, so he drags you to that fun nightclub on the other side of the city that you've been going to every Saturday for the past 2 years. This time, you know you have to pay £10 to get in, people are leaving and you've just seen your quite-attractive-but-psycho ex-girlfriend walk in the door...
Well I give your review a 3/5- was entertaining but ultimately predictable. Make way for...
MrPirtniw's Review of LordVonPS3's Review!
The Bad: c**kpits that look as basic as Virtua Racing- erm... really? Do you possess eyes? As in these things --->
Dodgy handling- Forza's handling has always been the most realistic of all console racers. Forza 2 as a racer was blisteringly good... just a bit bland to look at.
The Good:
The fact you didn't go off on a how 'GT5 will be better' rant... Yet.
for me a car game is all about the handling of the cars the forza 3 demo is great and i own forza 2 and will pick up 3 also, but the cars do handle better in GT, also you cant get a good wheel for the 360! i used my offical ms wheel 3 times and now its just gathering dust, only if a g25/g27 would work on the 360, i also had the 911 wheel which i sold as the pedal board and shifter was junk.
why do people keep going on endlessly about the graphics being bland? i mean seriously, i bet if you picked any racing track to drive around for real then that too would look bland and boring. a race track is never going to be eye candy heaven is it?
ohh look..., a high def arrow sign!
and as for CVG flame baiting... well done!
why didnt you do the same thing for fifa 9 and 10?
As a PS3 owner i have to say the game looks great, and would definately be the racer to buy if i had a 360. I dont think it is a system seller, but i also think though GT5 may look more prettier, with more cars and modes, its very much for the serious racer, which quite frankly i wouldn't have such time to invest in. Forza on the otherhand would be the racer i would prob pick out of the 2 for the fun aspect. But heck im looking forward to Unchartered 2 over any other so hope u guys enjoy Forza, sure i will round a friends house.
It just about had me sold until halfway through when it starts to list the perceived negatives. Now it has me reevaluating, as to whether or not I should go for NFS:Shift instead. Anyone played either the demos or the full game(s) of these two games and whom is willing to provide me with their opinion? Thanks in advance.
In my opinion (after plaing both demo) forza is leagues ahead of shift. To be honest, i felt shift was the sinGle worst racing game ive played in a very long time, I can see y maybe some people would enjoy it but its cheap little effects like the screen goin black and white when you crash is just terrible. The steering just isnt even close to being slightly realistic either. Forza however, takes a while to enjoy fully, but is excellent when you do.... you'll love it after bout 5-10minutes play. I recomend you buy forza over shift anyday....
To get the most out of Forza you do really need to use the force feedback wheel.I couldn't believe the difference it makes. I was knocking 3-5 seconds of a lap depending on the track in Forza 2 you can be so much more precise when overtaking. I could never beat the AI on hard with a pad but with the wheel after a few tries I could do it.
The graphics haven't improved a massive amount over FM2, that much has never been in question. I'll be the first to admit that outside of Photo Mode (where both games look pretty similar), GT5's graphics are superior. After all, the PS3's Ultimate POWAAAAAR has yet to be fully realised. The RSX is a better chip when it comes to pushing polygons. It's just the colour palette very often seems washed out in comparison, and texture details can be lost in some cases. Look at the spec of the cards (Xenos/RSX), it's not shocking.
But for me, and this is a personal thing you understand, a driving sim has to be about the way it feels to drive. GT5 always feels like it was designed for the more refined control of a wheel, while Forza feels much better on a pad.
The RSX is a better chip when it comes to pushing polygons. It's just the colour palette very often seems washed out in comparison, and texture details can be lost in some cases. Look at the spec of the cards (Xenos/RSX), it's not shocking.
an old article but perhaps sheds a little more light:
Is this the best Forza 3 offers? LMAO! The cars sheen look plastic and where's the metallic paint textures as standard in NG:shift or Grid? And why doesn't anyone point out the 50 odd ploygons that up make the stoney hillside (Sega's 18 year olf Daytona Racing does way better here). Citys look nice though. And are you blind not to see how the cars move unrealistically! They move around like they are stuck to a rail, where's the slides? Where's the dust when you wheel spin? And don't tell me the c**kpits look good cos they look s*** compared to previous racers. So far best racing game of past 2 years are Grid and Dirt 2. GT prologue was a let down. I hope GT5 does better than this shambles of a racer. Last thing I want is to waste my good money on another copy cat of previous games. Give me an improvement... not a slight improvement. And not a game that takes me back to 2004s graphics with slightly better gameplay.
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Huge single-player career
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