Forza Motorsport: Is it time to give Simulated racing a try?
This is by far the most photorealistic racing game I have played. However, being a simulation, it is neither as colorful as Horizon V’s Mexico and nor is it as vibrant and picturesque as last month’s Crew Motorfest.
Hyderabad: To say I’m new to Forza and sim-racing would be an understatement. For years, I specialized in arcade racing and swore by tapping nitrous to rectify turning and braking issues that my thumbs and controller couldn’t address. Thus, while I recently enjoyed NFS titles like Payback, Heat, and 2022’s Unbound, as well as Ubisoft’s Crew franchise, I vehemently stayed away from Gran Turismos, Forzas, and even NFS’ Pro Street and Shift.
However, the last couple of years have seen me open up to new racing experiences. Falling in love with Forza Horizon V made trying the new Motorsport inevitable.
This is by far the most photorealistic racing game I have played. However, being a simulation, it is neither as colorful as Horizon V’s Mexico and nor is it as vibrant and picturesque as last month’s Crew Motorfest. The visuals here are an accurate recreation of racing tracks and the cars that race on them.
The authentic recreation isn’t limited to the visuals alone, as I could feel that the way the cars moved, the brakes functioned, and the rules that the races adhered to were representative of the events they were based on. Time penalties for driving off-track, cosmetic damage to cars, and wear and tear of parts due to driving were all par for the course, and over time, I realized it was an acquired taste.
However, several times during my races, I did miss the option to engage a nitrous boost. While I enjoyed finding nuances in following the driving lines on the track, I found the initial experiences quite repetitive. The game’s preference for ensuring practice laps before a race seemed redundant, as did the “car level” system.
My experience, though, unexpectedly changed when I chose to drive a Volkswagen Golf in a playlist, and I found the handling simply too authentic. Its shaky driving at high speeds, unstable turns, and the possibility to make tight cuts were so reminiscent of my driving with my former i-10 that I was soon lost trying to get the best out of my cars. The number of laps hardly mattered as I kept focusing on improving my lap times and mastering my control.
To accurately review a game that is bound to receive lots of new content and several updates over the next few years is easier said than done. I strongly feel that the time I have spent with the game isn’t enough to test all what it can offer, and I am yet to find my ideal setup for the game, something most other gamers and streamers are finding as well.
However, what did stand out to me was the lack of any drift or off-road driving in the game. Similarly, the additional in-game purchases on day one left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. I am sure Game Pass subscribers won’t mind them, but then there are bound to be people who have bought the game at its significant MRP.
If simulation-based racing experiencesare your thing. This is a must try, if not, can I “re-recommend” last month’s Crew Motorfest?
Sneak Peek:
Title: Forza Motorsport
Developer: Turn 10 Studios
Game Type: Simulated racing with online and multiplayer modes
Platforms: Xbox Series X, Series S, and Microsoft Windows,
Price: Rs. 6,999 on the Amazon and Microsoft store Free to play for Game Pass subscribers.
Verdict (all scores out of 10):
Innovative Gameplay: 7.5
Game Handling & Quality: 8.5
Value for Time: 6.5
Value for Money: 7.5
Overall: 7.5
What Stands Out:
* The visual detailing and graphics are top-notch. The quality of the simulation is high and you will find joy in the repetitive laps the game demands of you.
* The sheer number of cars and racing tracks make the entire experience quite unpredictable and challenging.
Fails to impress:
* The car-level system, one where the car levels up the more time you spend with it seems both redundant and counterintuitive to the driver level system.
* Drift and off-road racing modes don’t feature in the game at this point and that is something not many fans may approve of.
