Forza Motorsport 2

"The Most Realistic Racing Game On The 360"

This was the first game I got with my 360. I basically wanted a 360 JUST to play Forza 2. I got my first taste of the Forza series from the original. Despite only having the PS2, I decided I was going to get a Forza game somehow. Then I read a tutorial to painting cars - and it advised on making to of a design, one for yourself, and one for the Auction House. The art of painting cars with thousands of layers - and making a fortune from it - was too much. That was when I got the 360.

Car Selection - 10/10

The choice of cars in this game is much better than that of similar games. Unlike Gran Turismo, I could get a Ferrari. Also, the pricing of the cars is better than Gran Turismo's. Expensive cars ARE actually expensive in this game. Also, the roster of available cars is constantly being expanded. A few extra cars in Gran Turismo would have been useful. The damage system in Forza actually exists, where as in other 'simulators' your car bounced off the walls.

Track Selection - 9/10

The choice of tracks in this game is very impressive, and the landscape is very accurate. An example of this is in the New York circuit around Times Square. The lights actually aren't just blurred, they can be read! You can also see adverts from companies that are related to the game. The adverts are from companies with a take in motorsport, such as Ford and McDonalds.

Auction House - 7/10

The Auction House is a unique aspect of this game. People frequently put some of the most beautiful designs up for very little money (an example of this would be the Toyo Tires Corolla I purchased for 5000 CR) Unfortunately, there are some people who have made questionable designs, such as racially motivated images and white supremacy designs. Thankfully, these people are rooted out over time, and such designs are now a rare occurrence.

Music - 6/10

This is the weakest part of Forza 2. The songs themselves are good enough, featuring artists such as Gnarls Barkley, however there isn't a lot of tracks to choose from. Normally this isn't a big problem, but you can't actually listen to the game's preset songs while driving. This means using your own sounds, eating into your precious hard drive's memory. Also, there isn't even an option to turn the songs on while you're driving.

Driving Engine - 10/10

The way each car handles differently is astounding. Driving a Camaro SS around the Nurburgring feels completely different depending on if it has been modified or not. If you leave the engine, and just work on the handling, you will end up with a beautifully handling muscle car. If you take a Skyline, and just tune the engine, you will have a straight line rocket. This is another thing that makes Forza unique. Driving a tuner car that has all the handling finesse of a rhino, or driving a muscle car that turns better than a tuner, or even driving an ex - supercar from the 60's that does nothing at all.

Rent or Buy?

Buy this game. If you are looking for something less like a simulator, consider picking up Juiced 2: HIN or NFS ProStreet. They aren't in the same league though.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/07/08

Game Release: Forza Motorsport 2 (EU, 06/08/07)