I have a confession to make. (Yeah, again.) Ever since seeing Magnum P.I. as a kid, I’ve always wanted to drive a Ferrari. I also wante to be a P.I., but that didn’t seem very realistic, so instead I’ve focused on my desire to drive a Ferrari. Unfortunately, those cars are somewhat rare, and even the people who own one aren’t exactly excited about letting complete strangers take them for a spin. So I resigned myself to neither being a P.I. or driving a Ferrari, and then video games came along. More specifically, then Forza Motorsport 3 came along, and although it’s not quite the same as actually climbing into a Ferrari, it’s about as close to that experience as I’ll ever get. Better yet, no matter what car is your fantasy car, odds are you’ll find it in this game, giving you the chance to experience what it’s like to drive it…virtually…in your living room.
Forza Motorsport 3 faced some unexpected competition this year with a newly reinvigorated Need For Speed franchise with Need For Speed Shift. I’d the best way to compare the two is to say that Shift is the rowdy younger brother to the older, calmer, more mature Forza 3. Whereas Shift put you in the driver’s seat so you can feel ever bump, turn, crash, and straight away, Forza 3 gives you the feel for what it’s like to perfect the technical skills to flawlessly guide a high-end racing machine through a challenging track. Not that I’ve done any of the tracks flawlessly as of yet, but I always have the feeling that I’m capable of doing so when playing Forza. More than that, I want to try and gain technical profiency in driving Forza, whereas with Shift part of the fun was racing dirty.
However, I should point out that I had a bit more of a sense of accomplishment in Shift. Not only did you gain experience for both aggresive driving and clean technical driving, but you were also challenged with tasks in each race such as staying on the racing line for so long or passing a certain number of oppnents cleanly. Shift also kept track of which corners you mastered on each track, again another little earmark of accomplishment. Forza, however, gives you discounts on parts for tuning your car, and it awards you new cars as you gain experience. Those are nice, but I did enjoy trying to master all the corners on a track, and being able to finish certain “mini-challenges” during a race. As I stated in my review for Shift, Need for Speed focuses more on the experience while Forza focuses more on the driving, and after some exteded time with Forza 3, that assesment still seems like the best way of putting it.
Now if your’e into tuning cars, know that there are an insane amount of possibilities for those of you who enjoy doing that. However, one of the strengths of Froza 3 across the board is how it gives you the freedom to be as detailed or not as you desire. If you aren’t into fine tuning a car to get its peak performance then just pick the quick upgrade option before a race. Forza 3 will automatically asses exactly what upgrades you need to have your car optimized for a race and all you need to do is to pay the credits. Now, could someone who really knows what they’re doing get even more out of a car by tuning it themselves? Absolutely, but the nice thing is you don’t have to tinker with that if you don’t want to.
This freedom to be as technical or as pick up and play as you like is true in every aspect of Forza 3. You can set the racing assists and AI to whatever’s most comfortable for you, you can tune or not tune your car as much as you like, and you can customize your car as much or as little as you like (there are some pretty amazing paint jobs and decals out there, more in a bit). It’s this ability to be as hardcore or casual friendly as one desires that is Forza’s greatest strength. Naturally if you turn off more of the driving assists you’ll get more of a realistic feel for what it’s like to drive a Ferrari at top speeds, but if that’s too intimidating, there are plenty of options to find a level of authenticity and realism balanced with a little help so you can still enjoy the game.
One of the best features along those lines is the rewind feature. While hardcore racers might lift their noses at such a concept, for the rest of us it’s pretty handy and if you don’t like it, you don’t have to use it. Rewind lets you retry a missed turn or a messy pass of an opponent. When that happens, if you want to go back and try it again, you can hit rewind and do so. Better yet, you can rewind as far back as you want. I know it’s not quite like real racing, but then that’s why I’m playing a video game and aren’t out on an actual track. Plus, you don’t have that option when you play online, and leaderboards are adjusted to take into account the rewinds you use.
Speaking of racing online and leaderboards, this is one area where Forza really sets itself apart from other racers. Not only can you create unique races for others to join you in (plus there’s a split screen option, which is still appreciated for those of us who actually invite our friends over to our house from time to time), but there’s also a huge storefront where you can purchase everything from tricked out cars, unique paint jobs and decals, and specific tuning packages. Let me be among the first to say just how impressive some of the car designs actually are. I’ve seen everything from Family Guy to comic book heroes to cartoon characters and more. It’s a testament to exactly what you can do with the custom paint and design tools Forza gives you, if you have the patience to learn how to use them. If you don’t, well you can spend some of you hard-earned credits to get the look, the car, or the tuning package you want or need. This robust online community is really one of the unique features of Forza 3, and it’s enjoyable just to browse through and see how creative some users are. Better yet, if you have an artistic flair or a talent for tweaking and tuning, you can make some extra creds on the side.
Another unique feature is how you progress through the career mode in Forza 3. Instead of a more linear set-up, you can pick and choose events on a calendar that suit your skills and the type of cars you have in your stable. Each season has a certain number of months, and the first few are pretty short which helps you feel like you’re getting somewhere quickly. The later seasons, however, are almost prohibitavely long. Still, I like the choices your presented, and its entirely possible for racers to go through entirely different careers as you fill out your career calendar. It’s also worth pointing out that unlike other racing games, just about all the cars and tracks are unlocked right from the start. Sure you could buy your Ferrari right from the start (if you have enough credits), but with each new driver level you unlock by gaining experience points you’ll be rewarded a free new car. Using theses freebies will help you save your credits and then later in the game when you might actually need a more powerful car like a Ferrari, you’ll be able to pick it up. It’s nice to have the option to but that car whenever you like, though, and it’s a minor change to the racing genre formula that’s much appreciated. In fact, Forza 3 has so many cars and tracks that it comes on two discs. When you start the game you’re asked if you want to install disc 2 on your hard drive so you can have access to those cars and tracks. You don’t have to, and honestly you might not even notice what’s missing, and again, it’s nice that Forza gives you the choice.
One of the assists you can use or turn off in the game is the racing line, and personally it’s one I find very helpful. The line shows you the most efficent path to follow on the track, and when you get to corners it will also tell when you should start braking. I find that extemely helpful when navigating some of the more challenging tracks. The nice thing about life is that God has provided us something similar to guide us through the twist and turns of life. Sure, hardcore racers may think it’s a sign of weakness to use the racing line, just as some may feel it’s a sign of weakness to rely on a loving God to help you through life. I’ve often heard people refer to Jesus Christ as a crutch, and I’ve never understood why that’s a bad thing. If you can’t walk and you need a crutch, why is it so bad to use one to get around? We can’t get to heaven on our own, sin has crippled us and prevents us from walking in on our own. We need the crutch of Christ in order to enjoy forgivenss and freedom from sin and eternal life in heaven. I don’t think it’s weak to admit you need help, I’d say that’s pretty wise. Well, getting back to my original point, if you don’t mind getting a little guidance in life, God will provide you with something that’s just about as good as having a racing line; the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 30:21 (NIV) tells us “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Isn’t that cool. That’s just like having a heavenly racing line showing you where to turn, when to brake, and what path to take through life. It’s like having divine GPS to help you navigate through life. You know, maybe I could get through a race in Forza 3 without the racing line, but it’d be pretty messy and I most likely wouldn’t win. Well, I might be able to get through life without Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit pointing out the dangerous turns and the places I need to stop, but I know that would be very messy and I definitely wouldn’t cross the finish line into heaven. That being the case, I’m more than happy to follow the line they lay out in front of me as I crash a whole lot less when I’m on it, no matter how many twists and turns life may throw at me.
The truth is I’ve barely scratched the surface of all that Forza 3 has to offer. It really does have something for everyone, no matter what level of a virtual driver you may be. I didn’t even mention the graphics or the presentation or the sound, and that’s because they’ve always been stellar and that remains true in this version as well. This isn’t a radical change from Forza 2, but more of a natural development with enhancements in all the right places. This is truly a racing game for everyone, so if you love cars, hop on in and drive one today. It may be your best opportunity to take that Ferrari you’ve always wanted to drive for a spin.
Score out of 7:
Graphics: 7 - If you love cars, you’ll love the way they look here. They’re all lovingly detailed, including their interiors. Real time reflections, gorgeous lighting effects, real-time damage effects, richly rendered environments, clean menu presentation; this game just looks stellar.
Sound: 6 - Each car has it’s own distinctive roar, as they should. Everything thing else from the squeal of the tires to the roar of the crowd as your race by in a stadium is all top notch, even the liscensed tracks and in game music are solid without being intrusive.
Controls: 6 - Racing games are tough to do on consoles, it’s hard to get them to feel just right without and feedback. However, Forza 3 responds almost as well with a controller as it does with a forcefeedback steering wheel. It’s easy to feel and adjust oversteering, braking too hard, and all the other little nuances you need to master to be a proficient racer. If driving a Ferrari could be done with dual analog sticks, this is what it would feel like.
Gameplay: 6 - A unique, non-linear calendar system takes you through each season, and you can even go back and race in events you might have missed. A nice variety of tracks and variations of those tracks and of course plenty of cars helps keep the experience fresh. The last couple seasons are almost prohibitively long, but the rest of the game is paced very well.
Story: N/A
Content: 6 - It’s cars racing around a track; what can be offensive about that?
Final: 6 - Forza Motorsport 3 is one of the best racing games out there, and is sure to add plenty of fuel to the fanboy fires of which is better; Forza or Gran Turismo (and now Need for Speed might have to be included in that fight thanks to shift). I don’t know which is better, but I do know that Forza 3 is fantastic racer that can be customized to any skill level and enjoyed by noobs and hardcore racers alike. That’s not easy to pull off, but this game does and that’s why it’s such a rare gem. Take it for a drive, you’ll be glad you did.
November 4th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by gameryo: I love cars, and I love video games. That makes Forza 3 the best of both worlds. My full review is now available. http://bit.ly/3L7p9e