Gamers, start your engines.
"Forza Motorsport 3," the third racing game in Turn 10's series, is a lot better than the first two.
The point of this racing simulator is pretty obvious: to race and win said races. But you have more choices as far as cars and tracks go. It's only for the Xbox 360 and rated E so parents need not fear.
Now I'm a terrible virtual driver, the kind who goes off the road and smashes into walls. I tend to do extremely poorly. The good news is that there are only seven AI (artificial intelligence) competitors, so I actually come in third place in single-player mode.
Basically, you, as the driver, organize your own personal racing calendar and try to win as many events as possible. There are more than 200 races and they include circuit, drag, oval , drift and timed events. What is really cool are the new, seemingly limitless ways to customize your car, from color to undercarriage. There are also over 400 vehicles (by 50 manufacturers) to choose from. I went with a 2005 Ferrari FXX while my brother souped up a 1970 Mustang Boss 429. And every single car can be fully upgraded and tuned to near-godly perfection. Nice.
Once you have your dream car, you hit the road, visiting your choice of more than 100 real, famous racetracks around the earth. New tracks include the Circuit de Catalunya and Le Mans. Returning favorites include Nordschliefe, Suzuka and The Sebring International Raceway. I like the driver's-seat perspective the best. If you go off the road, you must regain control, the game doesn't stop.
The soundtrack is lame but the graphics are simply astounding. It's amazing how responsive each car is. Even your engine sounds different at difference speeds and upgrades noticeably effect your speed and braking. There's a lot of detail in the cars, too, that you don't see in other games. That is pure dedication.
You can "steer" with the Xbox 360 wireless wheel controller and feel like you're actually driving. You also can share your custom designs with other players on Xbox Live. There's not much of a storyline, but that formula works. I will give this game 4 out of 5 stars as I roar into the sunset. See ya!
James Gascoin, 17, one of the nation's youngest gaming critics, writes exclusively for The Times. Reach him at TheVidKids@aol.com.
ifyouplay
"Forza Motorsport 3" by Turn 10 Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Platform: Xbox 360
Rating: E
Grade; 4 out of 5 stars
Cost: $59.99.
Posted in Kids-and-teens on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 12:00 am Updated: 8:55 am.
No comments:
Post a Comment