Forza Motorsport
Reviewed on Xbox Series X
WHERE TO PLAY
A high-octane racing and driving simulator with 500 cars spanning across decades of automotive innovation. DualShockers was provided with a copy of the game for review purposes.
I bloody love VR, especially when it comes to racers. I’ve been self-suffering this summer withGran Turismo 7onPSVR 2, dipping into the headset in my non-air-conditioned home, even when the temperatures mean the in-game rain effects get that 4D effect from the sweat dripping down my face. Being inside a car and being able to really have a good poke around and appreciate the details of the materials, the craftsmanship of each car, and shaking a not-so-happy fist at opposing drivers is the way to play.
Oh, I hear you, folks: “But Chris, why are you starting thisForza Motorsportreview by banging on about VR?” Well, because the lack of VR for Forza Motorsport is basically my only real grievance. The rest?Brilliance. But seriously, Xbox, VR? When? Forza deserves to be explored this way!
My wishful thinking aside, Forza Motorsport is everything a racing sim fan could want and more. But, buyer beware: if you’re coming into the other half of the Forza franchise after spending your time competing in the Horizon festivals in the UK, Australia, and more recently inForza Horizon 5, in the sun-soaked splendor of Mexico, things are different. For me, this was a real eye-opener, and the learning curve was steep to say the least. Forget throwing your Dodge Charger around corners like them Duke boys, and forget blasting tunes through town in your roadman Mazda. Be prepared to do some actual driving.
Being a sim, Forza Motorsport focuses on the minute details and the mundane maintenance of real-life driving. Hit the brakes too hard on a corner? They’re going to lock up, and you’ll have no other choice than to sit back and watch your car smash head-on into the side barriers. Brake too soon and those speedsters in your rearview will become distant objects in your windshield. Take the wrong tires on the wrong track in the wrong weather condition—well, you get the point. This is a thinking-person’s game, where every race is a battle of skill and wit, and just like any battle, preparation is key, and it all starts in the garage.
Now, there are two ways about getting set up—go in and make all the manual tweaks you want, or press a button and let the game sort it out for you. That goes for upgrading cars, too: you’ve got the freedom to add whichever parts you want manually and optimize your car to your specific needs, or you can press a button and let the game auto-optimize. Personally, I go for the latter. It hasn’t done me wrong so far, plus there’s the added benefit that I’m back on the track quicker between races. But the option is there if you want it, which is always nice.
10 Best Games For Accessibility, Ranked
Accessibility has become a hot topic in the gaming industry, and for good reason! Here are some of the best games for accessibility.
The game’s campaign is split between a series of championships, with each being built around a certain theme, and as such, you’ll generally be racing each championship with the same car throughout. This isn’t a bad thing at all, and it plays into the quasi-RPG mechanics built into car upgrades. See, to upgrade your car, you need to level up each individual car and earn Car Points, which you get for doing well in practice runs and races.
Would I be able to tame the twerk-happy Ford Mustang 69 with its heavy rear and unwieldy handling?
It’s kind of likePokemon, but instead of throwing little creatures onto a battlefield and earning XP to level up and get new moves, you throw magnificent beasts around racing arenas to level up and unlock new parts for purchase. Generally speaking, I’m no RPG fan, but I quickly got behind Forza Motorsport’s lite-RPG mechanics. It forces a bond between player and car. My first starting vehicle, a Ford Mustang, grew alongside me throughout the course of the first championship. While I was still struggling to let go of my Forza Horizon habits, the mighty Mustang was picking up new parts along the way, steadily improving, leveling up, and in turn, helping me improve my performance in races.
It sounds a bit silly, but I was genuinely gutted once I moved on to the next championship and was forced to use a different class of car. But then, the cycle began anew, and like a Cassanova of cars, I was happily hopping into different seats, eager to discover what challenges lay ahead with each particular machine. How did this hatchback need to be treated on the corners? Could this supercar handle the moist track and my heavy hands? Would I be able to tame the twerk-happy Ford Mustang ‘69 with its heavy rear and unwieldy handling?
The racing is, then, as good as expected, and perhaps even a touch better than that. The thrill of the chase, bombing it down the straights, and jostling for pole position is just as rewarding as it has ever been, and with the new reward system that slowly but steadily deals currency into your account, it feels like a good investment of time and a genuine change for the betterment of the series. There’s another change, too, and it’s the added benefit of a brand-new look for the game, now that the Xbox One and its restrictions have been left behind. While it may allfeela bit similar if you’ve played previous Motorsport games, it certainly looks a lot different. And you know, I’m split on it.
After spending years having my eyeballs pounded with vivid imagery in the Horizon games, Forza Motorsport definitely feels a little more muted. It looks great, don’t get me wrong, and it’s genuinely impressive stuff, but at the same time, it feels a little more relaxed on the senses when compared to its loud and proud cousin. There’s an air of honorable respectability about it all, delivered by the new lighting system that doesn’t shine spotlights on the contenders or its environments but instead basks them in a steady glow of grounded realism. Weather effects are impressive, too, from morning mist to setting suns doling atmosphere over every on-track battle. The rain-drenched races are perhaps my favorite, and the effects—especially in cockpit view—are brilliant, with the gloomy grey skies and the drum of droplets actually managing to dump that “ugh” feeling in my stomach, the same one I get when I have to go outside when it’s chucking it down in real life. If Forza Horizon is the bubble-gum pop MCU, then Forza Motorsport is certainly the moody, gritty Snyderverse. (No hate. I like both.)
After a dozen or so hours of unlearning my Horizon habits and forming myself into a semi-respectable sim racer, I can say that Forza Motorsport is perhaps the best of the best, at least right now. It’s got it all: hundreds of cars to buy, tune, and race across a decent single-player campaign that’s worth investing in. There’s also an extensive multiplayer suite if you want to take your wheelman skills to the world. I gave it a go and came out with my tail between my legs, so it’s not for me, but I can see the appeal, and fans of the franchise will definitely enjoy what’s on offer, especially the rolling live events. And finally, if you just want to kick back and throw some cars around, or maybe try your hand at the infamous Nurburgring and try to post a best lap to the leaderboards, you’ve got the custom events to play around with. All said, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck with Forza Motorsport, and as it stands, I just don’t know how Turn 10 can up the ante on the next one.
