Two steps forward, one step back: A Forza 5 Review

I can safely say, at this point, I have a love/hate relationship with Forza 5.  After playing in career mode and free play mode for nearly two weeks, I think I have my finger on the pulse of the game so here are my thoughts…

It seems like Turn 10 Studios made big improvements to all of the polish in Forza 5.  Little details that heighten the enjoyment of playing are immediately noticed.  The dashboard reflections, blinding sunlight and various dirty effects such as dust/rubber that collect on the car throughout a race are impressive (particularly in photo mode where the dust effect is very subtle but realistic).

Also, Turn 10’s upgrades aren’t limited to what you can see on the screen as massive improvements have been made on the audio side.  Considering how authentic the sound was in Forza 4, I am pretty floored at the level they have achieved here.  Tires squeal and screech more gradually and this actually helps you find the grip limit in the corners.  On turbocharged cars, the spool is more noticeable and it’s different from car to car as are the blow off valve effects.  One other audio enhancement I noticed was how the environments effect what you here.  When you’re near a wall on a closed course, the exhaust noise echoes (especially on a home theater system with DTS processing).   On tuned naturally aspirated cars, valvetrain and intake noise are much more pronounced now, which heightens the impact of modifying cars in the game.

So, things look and sound better than before…great!  So how is the gameplay experience?  Well, I have no complaints about the actual racing experience (aside from the music which can be turned off).  Racing is as intense as ever, and tuning/hot lapping is about the same.  I do think that they changed how mods effect overall class rating, but I can compare that another time.

Unfortunately, what Turn 10 studios removed from Forza 4 is just as noticeable as what they added.  Several tracks are missing from previous games such as the famed Nurburgring, the Fujimi Kaido mountain pass and Maple Valley (my favorite).  I can’t understand why they think removing beloved tracks would sit well with the fans!  In addition, hundreds of cars are missing from Forza 5 entirely and cars that remain are not as tunable as they were in past iterations.  Plus, of the cars that made the cut, most of them can’t even be played in free play mode unless you own them!  Thankfully, there is a glitch around this that most people are aware of (for now).  Also, some body kits from Forza 4 have been removed are the Forza 5.  For example, only the “racing” front/rear wings are available for a 350z!  Moreover, the selection of wheels seem the same as Forza 3, 4 and Forza Horizon.  There are many other wheels on the market, even from the manufacturers they already have licensing agreements with.  I simply do not understand…

The final verdict is that it seems the focus on Forza 5 was to improve the details at the expense of the overall package.  At this point, I’d expect a next-gen title to be able to make marked improvements without sacrifices made to features people already loved about predecessor titles.  I am hopeful that they can rectify many of this with some downloadable car/track packs but I feel apprehensive about paying more to complete what, at times, feels like an unfinished game.  I am still enjoying myself, but I’m also hopeful that Gran Turismo 6 can return to its former glory.  GT6 will be in my hands tomorrow, as will Need for Speed Rivals for Xbox One.  For now, enjoy some pics.

 

Contender #1 – Forza 5

Initial impressions are very good, but more play-time is needed.  So far, it seems as though Turn 10 has made improvements but at the expense of content like tracks/cars.  Final thoughts will come…

Also, next week Gran Turismo 6 ships.  Comparisons will be made!  For now, enjoy these…

 

It has begun…

OK, so apologies to anyone who reads this blog for the lack of stories…starting a new job a few months back really cut into my time to play and get some content up.  With that, PS4 is officially here and while I’m sure some of you are excited I honestly couldn’t be less enthused.  I care about DRIVING games and the list of PS4 launch titles is a major yawn-fest for people like me (or us I suppose).

Leave it to Sony to tease us last year with DriveClub and then delay the release until Spring of 2014, months after the PS4 release.  Sound familiar to anyone??  If you recall, Gran Turismo 5 was delayed several times in the past so I wouldn’t be shocked if DriveClub was pushed back even further as we get closer to the current ETA.  Sure, Need For Speed Rivals is a PS4 launch title, but, like many of the PS4 launch titles it’s really just a port of a PS3 game (which comes out a week later…noodle on that one).

Is there any logical connection between the DriveClub delay and GT5?  No, of course not…it’s not like there is some sort of conspiracy here, it’s just a funny coincidence.  That said, I can’t help but wonder how many racing game fans, itching with next-gen excitement, and will be turned off by the delay and try an Xbox One and Forza 5 instead.  In the grand scheme of things it’s gotta be a small population but still, we do exist.  Perhaps the hardcore Playstation fans will get their fill from the upcoming PS3 release of Gran Turismo 6 but so far the chatter is underwhelming.

OK, so Sony’s disappointment aside, there are some things to get excited about!  Forza 5’s Drivata feature sounds so interesting and innovative and I can’t wait to see how it works!  For those who are unaware, Drivatar is a data profile that learns your particular driving style as you progress/evolve in playing Forza 5.  The game will then use your Drivatar profile as the Artificial Intelligence (or driving opponents) in OTHER players gaming experiences!  So, if you are a fast, successful driver, you can be rewarded for good driving habits when you aren’t even playing!  The idea is to improve the existing AI continually using actual gamers as groundwork – brilliant!  This sparked a bit of controversey as people worried that bashers or prankster profiles who can ruin some online races would screw up with the AI for everyone but Microsoft has ensured everyone that the Drivatar profiling is intuitive and knows what to record and what to ignore in their data mining.

Hopefully, Forza 5 is everything we hope it is and that DriveClub is worth the delay!

What the Flux?!

Everyone loves Back to the Future, so it stands to reason that everyone loves the Delorean.  It’s a car that bridges the gap between car people and regular people.  It’s a car that is iconic, beautifully wonderful really SLOW.  I have always dreamed of owning one as a collectors car, but I don’t think I would enjoy the driving experience.  That said, I also think it would be a nightmare to modify and maintain simply due to the level of custom made parts that would be required…after all, this is no WRX.  Furthermore, in real life, I’m of two minds when it comes to building a fast, capable Delorean.  On one hand, it needs big ups in power, grip and handling in order to backup it’s legendary status.  On the other hand, there is something unsettling about big mods on such an iconic car…almost as if the parts required would be a molestation to the brand.

Fortunately, in Forza 4 there is no stigma to building a serious Delorean!  This example has nearly 500 horsepower and revs to almost 8000 rpm.  It’s cagtoo and stripped but still uses the factory gear ratios albeit with a limited slip diff.  I thought that the old school Work wheels fit the car pretty well.  They are super 80’s but the deep dish is aggressive and I painted them gray to match the factory bumpers a bit.

Without any suspension or differential tuning, it’s actually a pretty impressive drive.  midrange big midrange punch but its still controllable unlike a ZR1.  Actually, I think this has the makings for a very cool drift car in Forza.

The Crazypants Colt

The Mitsubishi Colt is lame.  I know it, you know it…hell, Mitsubishi HAS to know it by now.  But, there is still hope.  Remember when the Nissan Juke was lame?  Now the Juke is cool (link below) and it has been for a while.  What if Mitsubishi tried the same thing with the Colt?

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/nissan-juke-r-first-drive-review

If I were a big muckity-muck at Mitsubishi, I would comission a project car to compete with the vision for the Juke GTR; codename “crazypants.”  On paper, it seems fairly straightforward.  We’d slap a fully built version of Mitsubishi’s Evo motor/AWD setup into a Colt.  Perhaps for the sake of nostalgia, I’d go with the ‘ol tried-and-true 4G63 instead of the new Mivec lump…regardless, the car would have a large aftermarket turbo, a big FMIC, fat injectors, a large fuel pump and a programmable ECU.  Sounds simple enough right?

My virtual-example in Forza 4 has over 700 horsepower.  Yes, 700.  Why?  Remember the ’90’s?  The Japanese car makers love to one-up another and we know how easy it is to turn the wick up on a GTR powerplant.  There, 700hp explained.  So far, it runs the 1/4 mile in just a tick over nine seconds in the game.  I’d love to see this happen in real life…it just might inject a bit of much needed interest into the Mitsubishi brand!

Here is a quick 1/4 Mile Video – I should really upgrade to the Video option on the blog hehe

http://s58.photobucket.com/albums/g268/jrotaryb/?action=view&current=RalliartColt_zps9056dc84.mp4

Simulated Comparison

I really love a well written head-to-head comparison in the automotive magazines (or these days on YouTube).  A good article will inform the reader of the characteristics of each car and make them feel how one performs in the real world.  These days, driving games are so accurate in their depictions of cars…how does the game experience stack up against a real comparison?

I recently watched a Motor Trend comparison of the new Focus St and the 2nd generation Mazdaspeed 3 so I decided to give a virtual comparison a whirl.  I took each car out on the Maple Valley track for a 5 lap blast.  This course is a good measure of grip and suspension as you need to maintain speed to be quick.  Plus, there are nice sweeping corners and some elevation changes so it’s a fairly technical course.

Not surprisingly, lap times were super close with a best laps in the 1:51 range for each car.  The mazdaspeed was about half a second quicker omy it’s best lap but I think the Ford has more potential.  Like the Motor Trend comparison noted, the Focus feels very nimble and precise.  It rotates very easily like the real car and Turn 10 studios even put in the aggressively amplified intake noise that Motor Trend loved.  In the game, the noise is more like a Honda VTEC transition as it comes on strong at 6000rpm.

By comparison, the Mazda has a bit more midrange power than the Ford, but the difference isn’t as huge as the video may lead you to believe.  After all, Torque is a measure of force which is hard to replicate in a game.  Regardless, the Mazda was also fairly accurate compared to the Motor Trend commentary.  It isn’t as sharp as the Ford and it feels larger (despite the Ford being bigger in real life).  The Mazda was easier to drive and required less shifting than the Ford on this track but the Ford does indeed feel better.  I think with larger tires better ore aggressive alignment, it’s possible to get the Mazda to have the same “snap.”

Ok so this isn’t a very technical post, but still…it’s impressive how accurate the game experience is.  If anyone at Turn 10 ever reads this, I’d love an office visit to see how it’s all done!!!  That’s right, I said it!!

 

LP-700 Craziness

The Lamborghini LP-700 is pure automotive pornography.  In Forza, the experience of “driving” it is exhilarating and boring at the same time…it’s crazy fast, obnoxiously loud and has massive grip.  Plus, it’s just a point and shoot affair in the corners, which is part of what I don’t love about it; it’s too easy to race with.  There is no character with the LP-700…it’s too perfect as opposed to Forzas interpretation of the latest ZR1 which exudes personality and requires skill to drive fast.  I don’t care what car you choose in any racing game, 200mph should be a little scary. Regardless, I got some cool pics!  The interior shot is during a test drive on Le Mans and I love how easy the camera is to use!!

 

Tuner Test Drive

One of my favorite things about Forza 4 is how accurately you can create virtual copies of famous tuner-cars and test drive them.  Here, I have recreated Fujita Engineering’s (more commonly called FEED) RX8.

Thankfully, the Forza game had the FEED body kit in the game as well as the wheels FEED had once used.  With a bit of research (otherwise known as watching best motoring vids on YouTube) you can find the modifications, power level, suspension settings and tire sizes which can be used in the game to simulate the tuner’s work.

FEED’s RX8 was a jack of all trades on a track.  It needed a bit more power than FEED used in the best motoring battles so I tweaked it to just over 300hp (about 50 more than the real car) and keanti naturally aspirated setup.  In racing, the car revs like crazy and has a super flat torqueband like a real NA rotary.  It corners tightly, grips hard and it very neutral. For a car rated as a B500 in e game, it’s pretty impressive!

Real FEED RX8

Real FEED RX8

Gran Turismo Vs. Forza – the debate.

I won’t beat around the bush – for me, Forza takes the prize.  “Horizon” aside, Forza wins this debate in my book from the release of Forza 2 onward to Forza 4.

That’s not to say I’m not a Gran Turismo fan, I am…in fact, I’ll wager I was one of the first.  The original Gran Turismo was released in late 1997 in Japan and wasn’t available in North America until mid 1998.  I jumped in early  just after release with a Japanese import that I paid about $80.00 for at a privately owned local game store (remember those?).  I went into the store one day and saw a few employees crowded around the manager who was playing in arcade mode.  At the time, the graphics were impressive and the tuning system was pretty revolutionary as was the wide selection of cars.  And the replays were killer…It looked like the Japanese Best Motoring videos I’d seen playing in loops at the local tuning shops.  Even then, games were region coded but this wasn’t a problem for me…

Thankfully, my early SCPH-1001 Playstation 1 was able to play imported games using a little trick…as it was explained to me long ago, the region coding was the first track of the CD that the machine read.  With early Playstations, people were able to load up the Playstation logo of a USA game with the console cover open and a piece of tape on the button that normally tells the machine the lid is closed.  This would effectively load the region coding of the USA game…then when the disc stopped spinning, you could swap in an imported game, close the lid and play.

It took one night for me to get simply HOOKED on Gran Turismo.  A few hours into gameplay and I already had a few cars in my garage.  I remember very specifically building a powerful late model Supra Turbo (a car I’d only dreamed of stock let alone upgraded).  GT1 was just about the only game I played until the sequel came out in late 1999.  I was in college then and it took some phone calls before I found a store on release day that had unreserved stock.  Luckily, I spoke to a KB toys employee who was equally obsessed with the first game and he held onto a copy for me until I made my way to the store.  I skipped classes that day and played GT2 ALL day and well into the night.  The one thing I loved about GT2 was the boost gauge…I know it’s silly, but it was pretty neat.

It was the same story with GT3 and GT4…they were my “go-to” games for years.  At that point, I’d played the original Forza game and wasn’t terribly impressed.  I was SO hardcore for Gran Turismo, I probably didn’t give Forza the time it deserved.  However, once I got an Xbox 360 and Forza 2 I fell in love.  I found Forza easy to navigate…the game just made sense.  The graphics blew GT4 out of the water and the sound of each engine was spot on as opposed to Gran Turismo’s typical “buzz.”  I found each successor in the Forza series to improve on the previous game.  In fact, I was always so impressed that Forza could put out new and improved titles so quickly while all we heard from the Gran Turismo camp is “we’re working on it.”

The Gran Turismo PSP release in 2009 was the first sign that things weren’t going well in the series.  It was a bland game that I regret getting.  The entire appeal of Gran Turismo was building a garage of custom cars in career mode and racing in various events.  Unfortunately, GT PSP was basically Gran Turismo 4’s arcade mode and not much else.  My theory is that they had to pay Jay Leno so much to use his voice in the License test portion that little was left in the budget for actual gameplay improvements.  Again, that’s just a theory from some idiot on the internet (me) so take it with a grain of salt.

When GT5 was finally released I was READY!  I got myself a PS3 and pre-ordered the game and was prepared to be amazed.  Afterall, Polyphony Digital had years to perfect their title and revolutionize the genre once again.  Unfortunately, GT5 was a let down for me.  I can’t understand why evey car doesn’t get the same level of detail in the graphics department (some cars have full interiors, others just silhouettes).  The sound is just as buzzy as ever and while the driving physics may be the most accurate, that doesn’t make for a perfect video game.

Again and again, I go back to my Forza games to chase lap times, race online or just build a car and go for a quick blast.  Maybe things will change with the next cycle of games because I really want Gran Turismo to OWN the series again.

 

 

Forza Horizon – the verdict.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t live up to expectations.  The demo was a disappointment and the final game wasn’t any better.  This game seems like the ultimate combination on paper but it doesn’t deliver in execution.  Playing through the game is so monotonous.  The Colorado roads all end up looking the same after some time and no challenge I’ve come across feels fresh and new.

The one factor I keep coming back to in my verdict is that I rarely pick it up anymore.  I find myself going back to Forza 4 and Forza 3 much more often.  “Horizon” attempts to blend the arcade style of the Need for Speed series with the tried-and-true Forza racing experience and it just doesn’t work.  I think they were trying to create a new sub-genre here in between being a racing sim and an arcade game, but to no avail.  I know I’m in the minority here, but I just plain don’t like this game.

Also, I think the little things bug me more than the bland racing experience.  Each character looks like a huge DOUCHE in the way they talk and how they dress.  I’ve been to a million car meets and few enthusiasts actually LOOK like this (achem, some BMW/Infiniti owners). It all just rubs me the wrong way and in a few years it will look very dated because guys wearing cardigans and ties is a fashion trend that won’t last.

Sunglasses at night. Sigh…

Douche throws down a pink slip.