Forza Motorsport 3 Gamefreaks Review

Forza Motorsport 3 is a game that loves cars, and wants you to love cars. In fact, if you love cars, like car racing, enjoy driving to the shops, take the bus to work in the mornings, see cars sometimes, or once had a car described to you by a friend, Forza wants to show you a good time.

Right after you pop in the disc, the game immediately lets you test drive an Audi R8, providing a lovely introduction to the game which doubles as a measure of your driving skill. Once you choose a difficulty rating (which controls how much the game will hold your hand and how tough the computer drivers are) you get shunted into the game-proper and you can get on with doing… well, pretty much anything you want.

Racing simulators often force players to slog through hours and hours of slow and steady racing inside sensible family sedans, before gradually allowing them to unlock more interesting and challenging tracks, cars and events. Forza says no, dropping the entire game at your feet right from the start. Every track and car (aside from a selection of DLC-only items) is yours to play with straight away for one-off single or multiplayer races. This amounts to over 400 automobiles ranging from Ferraris to Volvos, all looking gorgeous on the detailed real-world tracks.

In career mode, you are initially limited to whatever dinky hatchback you can beg off someone, but you can quickly save up your race winnings and buy something more sleek and sexy. This mode makes up the bulk of the game, offering you the chance to build yourself up from nobody driver to king of the road. You can take your career any direction you choose, competing in a large variety of events and championships. The game alters the available events based on the cars that you own, meaning that you don't have to wait around to use that turbo-charged Lamborghini you sank 10 million credits into.

Accessibility oozes through the entire game, and it's clear that Turn 10 wanted everyone on the planet to enjoy the experience. Driving assists let you race to your own skill level - with all assists off the game is pure simulation, with everything on all you need to do is pick left or right. Upgrading your car can be as easy as hitting the quick upgrade button, or you can delve right into the seemingly endless tuning menus and change the rear tire width or install a new flywheel, whatever that is. At times it feels like there is no end to the fractal menus of Forza 3, but rather than becoming overwhelming, the game always gives you the option to stop, ignore all that technical junk and get back into the action.

Rarely can a title offer so much depth while still managing to be fun for a wide audience. Forza is an impressive beast with a huge amount racing on offer, and is a worthy addition to almost anyone's collection.

SUMMARY:
Possibly one of the deepest racing games you will ever tinker with, but not just good for petrolheads. Fun to play for all skill levels and offers something for everyone. Only those who truly hate cars should avoid this game.