For a racing game to be successful, it has to feel right. Whether it attempts to duplicate the arcade experience or aims to be so realistic you can feel the grease between your fingers, that tangible feel must exist.
With “Forza Motorsport 2,” Microsoft and developer Turn 10 have created a racing game that captures the sensation of driving. Nevertheless, the slightly limited scope of the car and the track totals just hold the game away from perfection.
Racing game fans will feel right at home with the game immediately, as the physics engine is more an upgrade from its predecessor than an overhaul. Cars have just the right amount of grip; unlike in “Gran Turismo 4,” where every car seemed to have anti-lock brakes and traction control, it is possible in “Forza 2” to break even a Mazda Miata sideways if you ride the throttle too hard in a corner. The damage modeling has improved for “Forza 2” as well, but more importantly, the artificial intelligence has improved tenfold. The AI isn’t as good as a human driver, but in similar cars and on the hardest difficulty they are quite a challenge.
Though the game looks very good graphically, running smoothly at 60 frames per second, it isn’t as stunning as some other Xbox 360 games. The graphics are above-average, but not as awe-inspiring as those in Microsoft’s “Project Gotham Racing 3.” Thankfully, they don’t have to be, and some of the effects “Forza 2” does have, like damage, are done incredibly well.
The pacing of the single-player career mode is nice and open; races, cars and options open as you climb in the game, and there is never a point where you become stuck and unable to progress. The game’s online component is incredibly well integrated – you can compare your scores with your Xbox Live friends and with the best in the world. Online play is smooth and full of features; limits for races (like car performance or requiring drivers to use manual transmissions) can be added simply. Besides the racing, you can upload pictures taken from races or replays to the game’s official Web site and buy and sell cars in the game’s auction house.
You can almost have as much fun with the cars off the track as on – the first game’s paint shop returns and allows players to create even more detailed paint schemes for their cars. From the paint schemes down to the requisite custom performance parts, you feel like you’re truly customizing cars.
However, I wish there were more cars to play with – the two-year-old “Gran Turismo 4” features roughly twice as many cars – and more tracks to race on. Though the 12 included tracks have various derivations, the game is missing a few tracks found in its predecessor. Though Turn 10 promises more will be available for download later, it’s disappointing and a sign that some parts of the game were rushed.
Despite the minor drawbacks, this is a worthwhile investment for Xbox 360 fans looking for the next Xbox Live mainstay, racing game fans itching for the next great console sim racer, and the inner race-car driver in us all.
[email protected]