|
Casual racing sims
are the new fad with
racing games. Casual
racing sims? Did I
just make up that
term? Yes, yes I
did. Let me explain.
The casual racing
sim is a term that
I’m lumping games
like
Need
for Speed: Shift,
DiRT,
and even the recent
Gran
Turismo
release, and
Microsoft’s
Forza
series. Each of
these games does
things really well.
Need
for Speed
is a casual affair
for this particular
genre--- it’s the
most casual out of
the four different
franchises.
DiRT
controls and handles
crazy-well and it
handles differently
for different tracks
that you’re on.
Gran
Turismo
barely approaches
casual but that was
implemented with the
last release of the
game.
Forza
4
does a bit of
everything really
well for the most
part but
Forza
4
is mostly about
visuals. This game
looks amazing and it
almost plays just as
well.
This
game’s sights and
attention to detail
are its biggest
highlights. Sure the
geography of all of
the races and their
focus on different
continents is a bit
subjective but
there’s no denying
how good the tracks
that are in
existence look. When
you play in Europe
and you finish the
race and there’s an
overlook of the
track you can see
different trees
being manipulated in
the wind.
The
attention to effects
like that and the
INSANE lighting
effects on the cars
make
Forza
4
really stand out.
Those lighting
effects in the race
or out of it looking
at your collection
of cars in your
garage make the game
look as close to
real as I’ve seen a
racing game.
The realism of the
tracks and the cars
is something to be
admired, but the car
choices that
Microsoft studios
made in creating
this game is
perfect. There are
different makes and
models that are
classic in every
class and they
didn’t just capture
the look of the cars
perfectly, they
captured the sounds
too. Going into the
high classes with
some of the classic
cars you really get
to hear what those
engines sound like
and it’s amazing.
The music for the
game, not great….
But the sound of the
cars is tremendous.
As
for how this game
handles, it’s a tad
easy for this type
of racing game. It’s
not as easy as the
Need
for Speed titles
but
it definitely comes
close. If you’ve
spent a lot of time
with the casual
racing sim then
you’ll have no
problems perfecting
turns by following
the green line and
you’ll win plenty of
races. The actual
racing is cool but
the upgrade system
and the manufacturer
specific upgrade
system is a
different but very
cool way of doing
that. I’m not a huge
fan for paying money
to upgrade a car in
a video game… not
fake money…. Real
money mind you, and
I’m not sure
everybody will
appreciate that but
it’s something that
you don’t have to do
if you’re willing to
spend time with the
game.
Forza
4
looks amazing.
That’s its biggest
highlight. Past
that, it controls
well and the sounds
are amazing too.
There’s a
never-ending amount
of racing that you
can do with the
single player modes
and online via Xbox
LIVE too. There are
tons of modes
including a cool
mode that allows you
to race the ghost of
a friend’s best
time, match that,
and ask for his move
back. Between the
strong amount of
single player action
and the sizable
amount of Xbox LIVE
fun to be had,
you’ll be playing
Forza
4
for a
long time to come.
|