bit-tech Shopping: Microsoft Forza Motorsport (Xbox)

Rating: 10

Time with product: 2 Days

Strengths: Excellent graphics and realistic simulation

Weaknesses:

Summary: This is definitely the best racing simulation around. The graphics, both cars and race tracks, are beautifully realistic. The handling of the cars feels true to life with each car. Each car can be painted and decalled to your desire. On top of all that, you can play online.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: Believable car physics and damage, graphics, game play, online, custom soundtracks

Weaknesses: None

Summary: Finally a game has been released that is on par and arguably better than the Gran Turismo series for Playstation. The graphics are great and so are the sound effects. XBOX live fits the game perfectly. If you are signed into xbox live and as you race in the tournament circuit, it displays the online leaders and their race times in a sidebar. The car physics are excellent as well as cars drift from side to side, draft, and fishtail out of control if your momentum is too great going into a turn. Also, it adds the dimension of car damage. If you crash and damage one side of your car, I noticed that if the damage is great enough, your car will drift to that side, which is a nice touch to indicate the severity of damage your car sustains and how it operates. My favorite feature of the game (albeit small), is the fact that you can use custom soundtracks while you race. While playing racing games, I often get tired of the in game music and usually turn it off. Now, I can upload my favorite cds to the xbox and listen to whatever music I want as I race. I believe this game is one of the best racing simulations out there and is definitely worthy of a purchase.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: Car Choices, Custom Soundtracks, Xbox Live, Car Damage

Weaknesses: Tough to turn compared to Burnout / Project Gotham Racing

Summary: Forza Motorsport is the uber realistic driving simulation game for the xbox that rivals the Gran Turismo series on the Playstation. While the graphics aren't necessarily jaw dropping, the sheer amount of customization, car choices and Xbox Live give this game a ton of playability. Tweaking your car and training AI are just some the great abilities/nuances in this game. The number of tracks is somewhat disappointing, but maybe they'll add some more on Xbox Live in the future. If you want a realistic driving game for your Xbox, look no further, Forza Motorsport is your game.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 2 Months

Strengths: Great Graphics, Realistic Controls, Customizable soundtracks, and Great online play

Weaknesses: default soundtrack isn't great, and some people cheat online

Summary: An overall great game that blows Gran Turismo 4 out of the water. This is what a racing sim should be! Fully playable on xbox live and a very deep 1 player mode as well!

Rating: 10

Time with product: 1 Months

Strengths: Custom soundtracks, Xbox Live play, car customization, realistic graphics and physics.

Weaknesses: Not as pretty as GT4, lacks sheer number of cars as GT4, not as deep as GT4.

Summary: For their first effort in this franchise, Microsoft did a superb job with Forza. In many ways this game is better then GT4 because this games boasts features that Polyphony's highly touted title doesn't have. For starters, the Xbox hard-drive allows you to customize the music YOU want to hear. Second, Xbox Live allows for online play so there's healthy dosage of human competition anytime you want. I think GT4 sorely misses online play and this feature alone makes Forza a better title in the long run. Graphically, despite Xbox's superior hardware, Forza doesn't seem to pop out like GT4. On the bright side, Forza allows cars to be damaged and this actually effects the race. In terms of gameplay, Forza feels realistic and the AI is very challenging (without being too cheap). Pimp my Ride fans can literally spend hundreds of hours tricking out their cars and designing paint jobs. I believe you can't go wrong with buying this game, especially if you only have an Xbox.