Forza Motorsport is back.
The Forza Motorsport 4 driving simulation game starts with the host of BBC’s motoring show Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson, babbling on about how true car lovers are different from the rest of humanity.
After the introductory video clip, you are immediately thrown into a super car to zip around the scenic Bernese Alps.
It isn’t just the Alpine scenery that is being showcased. Each track, each car, each montage vista is superbly rendered in immaculate detail. You will marvel at the attention to detail in the car’s interior.
As you are racing around a track, you will appreciate the realistic application of lighting effects. As you turn a corner and into the sun, the sudden brightness will momentarily blind you. Even reflections from a rival’s car can throw you off.
Forza Motorsport 4 (FM4) is a celebration of speed and raw horsepower. But as in earlier editions, it lacks the real excitement that changing weather can bring.
There is no rain in FM4. And no night races.
This is a serious downer in a racing game.
You will probably dive straight into career mode, also known as the World Tour. It will take you around the globe to race in tracks, from Japan’s Suzuka circuit to the famous Top Gear test track in Dunsfold.
At each venue, it offers races that cater to the cars you have. You accumulate credits and experience points depending on your finishing position in a race.
Every time you move up a level, you get to choose a free car from a limited selection. You can save up your credits to buy new cars of your choice. You will be rewarded with affinity points if you stick to the same car manufacturer.
There are more than 500 cars to choose from – ranging from the modest Honda Fit to the flamboyant Lamborghini Sesto Elemento – and each handles differently.
FM4 is Kinect enabled, so you can drive by holding your arms out in front of you. But it is best played with the new Xbox 360 Wireless Speed Wheel, which will give you convenience and control.
The driving physics can range from brutal to forgiving. It depends on how you set the difficulty level. At the easiest level, you get brake and steering assists as well as full traction and stability control. You also have the rewind feature, so you can return to an earlier stage of the race before you made a mistake.
You may use the pre-defined difficulty levels or customize the level by turning off any or all driving assists as you choose. Turning off driving assists or increasing the artificial intelligence (AI) of your rivals will earn you more credits.
Your rival’s AI is much better in FM4. While a rival may be aggressive in trying to overtake you, he will back off when you try to block him. It is also fun to see a rival succumbing to pressure and veering off track.
If you prefer to race against human rivals, the multi-player option, or community mode, lets you race against as many as 15 opponents simultaneously.
It also lets you participate in a new Rivals mode, in which you drive against other players’ ghost car replays, in a variety of contests such as overtaking challenges or hot laps. Beat your rival’s score and you rack up credits and experience points.
Need a break from racing? Try the Autovista mode. Here, Kinect‘s capabilities let you use your hands to open the doors and enter the Ferrari 458 and other cars, with commentary from Clarkson again.
Or you can spend time applying decals or new paint on your cars.
If you are a racing fan and own an Xbox 360 console, do yourself a favour and get FM4.
And pray for rain in edition 5.
Click now to play: Forza Motorsport 4
