[BabeSlayer]

Forza 2 Review by Lithium

FORZA 2 review
by Lithium



Hey guys, I was lucky enough to get Forza 2 yesterday (I live in Namibia and most games only arrive ten years after their release around here) and unsurprisingly,I am very impressed. Nowadays most games tend to be too fast-paced for me and my dad to enjoy some gaming together but FORZA 2 is one of the few games me and my dad can play together, he even payed half of the price. So first off, thanks FORZA, for re-uniting me with my father.

Graphics

Like most people I was expecting FORZA 2 to be a graphical powerhouse and unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations. By no means is FORZA 2 an ugly game, its a GOOD looking game but not a GREAT looking game. 60 FPS, damage models and deep customization are the goods but the track textures are blurry,the cars pack some serious jaggies and the damage models arent that great. But overall, if your not looking straight into a tree in Photo mode, the game looks good.



Gameplay

FORZA 2 plays incredibly, drifting feels extremely risky, brakes lock (with ABS off) and the overall feel is very satisfying. The controller layout is like any racer but the key in racing is feathering the buttons, full-out braking and full-out acceleration are the keys to losing a race. FORZA 2 has a driving line implemented like the original FORZA but it also has a new braking-only line, which only shows you when to brake/slow down which I prefer most. The AI is smart and they move realistically although it tends to be too easy to bounce off of other racers in corners and scare them off with sudden braking.
Although FORZA 2 is a simulator it still brings the fun and excitement in bucket-loads and overall, the best aspect of FORZA 2 is obviously the car handling and although I have no clue whatsoever how a real car drives, I'm guessing this is pretty close. Oh, and for anyone who would take their time to look at the stats, they are incredibly detailed and way too deep for me.

Sound

All the cars sounded quite realistic, with lots of different engine sounds but the soundtrack kinds sucks. Some Asian-American-alt-rock-jazz-R&B lover might like this soundtrack, but I don't, although I found myself jumping to one of the songs while tricking out my ride.

On that note, the car customization is incredibly deep and fun, with unlimited decal possibilities (well almost) and lots of performance options, car tuning and powertrain swapping, this feature alone adding a massive chunk of longevity to this game.



Modes

The main mode is Career which starts out with you choosing a region, Asia, North America or Europe and the car manufacturers in these regions will continuously support you throughout your career with discounts and free cars. So far I have enjoyed the career but I have read that some tracks become quite repetitive after a while (doesn't everything get old after a while?)

There is also a multiplayer mode which supports XBOX LIVE which I have not been able to experience yet since I don't have LIVE and Arcade mode which includes Time trials, exhibition and free run. I have only tried out time trials (race against the clock and your ghost) and free run (fool around) and both were as expected.

Overall, FORZA lived up to its expectations making up for its disappointing graphics with great gameplay and numerous modes. FORZA 2 will last months for any gamer and years for true car enthusiasts. I highly recommend FORZA 2 to anyone who hasn't bought it yet.


The goods:
Great handling, Great customization, big car roster, good graphics with a super-fast frame rate. Will last for ages. Your dad will play it with you.

The bads:
Weak soundtrack, potentially repetitive selection of tracks, graphics arent THAT good. Your dad will play it with you.


Graphics: 8.5/10
Gameplay: 9.5/10
Sound: 7.5/10
Longevity: 9/10

Overall: 9/10